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Environmental Challenges and the Measures Taken by the Bmda for Sustainable Agriculture and Environment in the BARInd Tract, North-west of Bangladesh

Mohammad Selim Reza
Department of Economics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Mohammad Iquebal Hossain
Barind Multipurpose Development Authority, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Mohammad Elias Hossain
Department of Economics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Barind Tract, located in the North-West region of Bangladesh is a drought-prone water stressed area. Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) has made this desert-like zone into a granary one through various activities including irrigation as major. Now, the agricultural pattern, cropping intensity, methods of cultivation, crop variety and yields – all show a positive change. The BMDA has significant impacts of reducing environmental impact as well as changing the living standard and socio-economic conditions of the rural people in Barind Tract. The present study aims to find out the environmental challenges faced by the farmers in the Barind Tract and the mitigation measures took by the BMDA as a large development partner for the sustainable development in the Barind Tract. As on environmental issue respondent in Puthia, Paba and Godagari zones identifies that low rainfall, extraction of groundwater by DTWs (Deep Tubewells) and STWs (Shallow Tubewells), very thin flow of water in the rivers and also losses of groundwater from the aquifer to the river as base flow during dry season are the major causes of the scarcity of groundwater in the Barind Tract. Droughts, high temperatures, less rainfalls, cyclones and thunderstorms and lightning also have been identified by respondents as the natural hazards affect their crop production and daily livelihood. To reduce the environmental challenges, no more new DTWs are being installed by BMDA (though private initiatives are still going on), emphasize on using more surface water from rivers and canals through low lift pumps, community-based tree plantation programs in the project area, use renewable energy produced by solar panels and re-excavated canals and ponds for conservation of surface water. This study suggests that scientific assessment of groundwater resources with zoning for proper planning, increase augmentation of surface water as well as harvesting of rainwater, crop zoning, increase cultivation of low water consuming crops and enhance groundwater recharge are now the demand of time for the study area.

Keywords: Agriculture, Environmental Challenges, Socio-economic Status, Sustainable Development

Location: In Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Non-commodity: Weather/Climate

Objectives:

To find out the environmental challenges faced by the farmers in the Barind Tract and the mitigation measures took by the BMDA as a large development partner for sustainable development with healthy environment and high standard of living of the rural people in the Barind Tract.

Methodology:

Theoretical Framework: In this study, the theoretical framework that used is the economics of strong sustainability. The neo-classical conception of sustainability implies prudent conduct aiming to keep non-diminishing the income that secures a non-diminishing level of consumption in the future. The main condition for sustainability then becomes keeping a nation’s productive capacity intact by maintaining its man-made, human, natural, social and technological capital non-diminishing. The fundamental debate regarding sustainability is whether we choose to adopt a “strong” or a “weak” conception of sustainability. Weak sustainability assumes that natural capital and manufactured capital are essentially substitutable and considers that there are no essential differences between the kinds of well-being they generate. The only thing that matters is the total value of the aggregate stock of capital, which should be at least maintained or ideally increased for the sake of future generations. In addition, from a weak sustainability perspective, technological progress is assumed to continually generate technical solutions to the environmental problems caused by the increased production of goods and services. Study Area and Data Collection: This study emphasizes on the environmental challenges and sustainable development in the Barind Tract in Rajshahi district, Bangladesh, where BMDA started their irrigation projects from the very beginning. Rajshahi district is divided into several zones under BMDA project and the study randomly selected three zones like Puthia, Paba and Godagari zones as the study area. The location map of the study area is shown. This study used primary as well as secondary data which has been collected from field survey as well as secondary sources to fulfill the objectives. Secondary data has been collected from BMDA head office, zonal offices, government departments, published articles, newspaper reports etc. A short survey technique has been adapted to gather primary data from the key actors of BMDA and the beneficiaries of the selected zones. The field-level data has been collected from three selected zones such as Puthia, Paba and Godagari in Rajshahi districts, where BMDA has been operating wide range of development activities. The survey encompassed a questionnaire set made up of both open and close-ended questions which tried to find out the environmental challenges faced by farmers and the development activities of BMDA to reduce these environmental challenges and improve the living standard of the people in the study area. Altogether, about 11 officials were purposely selected and invited to participate in the research through distributing hardcopy of the questionnaires. Information was collected from the BMDA Head Quarter and BMDA Zonal office of Puthia, Paba and Godagari zones. For field-level survey, this study randomly selected 90 respondents, 30 from each zone and finally interviewed with the help of pre-tested questionnaire of 18 from Puthia, 22 from Paba and 20 from Godagari zone. All respondents were synthesized and used to identify major development activities, environmental challenges and mitigation measures. Data Analysis: Content analysis is a method that may be used with either qualitative or quantitative data and in an inductive or deductive way. Inductive analysis extracts the concepts from data, where there are no previous studies dealing with the phenomenon, whereas the aim of a deductive approach is to test a previous theory in a different situation or to compare categories at different time periods. In this study, a deductive method has been used to analyze secondary data, but an inductive approach has been used to analyze both qualitative and quantitative primary data in order to identify responses to the research questions which could lead to new policies for agricultural and environmental sustainability.

Source of Information: International Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2020, 5(5): 197-209; ISSN: 2575-3851 (Print); ISSN: 2575-3843 (Online)

Article Link (Online Journal): doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20200505.17

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The BMDA jurisdiction includes 16 districts, which are the major sources of supplying food items and provide employments opportunities in agriculture sector. Without irrigation facility this region will turn to previous situation like poor living condition and one crop region per year in the same land. Therefore, scientific assessment of groundwater resources with zoning for proper planning, artificial recharging, crop diversification, crop zoning, increase cultivation of low water consuming crops, using more surface water, increasing irrigation efficiency, tree plantation, rainwater harvesting, etc. can be options for the mitigation of environmental impacts of this region. Routine maintenance and management of rivers, canals, ponds and other water bodies as reservoirs are also needed for sustainable augmentation of surface water round the year.

Knowledge Management: Journal