Coping with fl ashfl ood under changing climate in north-eastern haor areas of Bangladesh: potentials of promising crop production practices

Аннотация

Haors are large bowl shaped fl oodplain depressions and one of the most important agro-ecological zones in Bangladesh. However, rice production in this area has been severely impacted by recent events of frequent early fl ashfl oods. Many experts have linked the changes of fl ooding time and duration in haor area to global climate change. Farmers need short duration, relatively tall, lodging tolerance and non-shattering rice varieties to cope with the fl ashfl ood. With this contrast, this study is conducted in Tahirpur and Biswambarpur upazila of Sunamganj district to examine occurrence time and duration of fl ashfl ood; identify fl ashfl ood coping crop production practices; and fi nally investigate relationship between socio-economic characteristics of farmers and their fl ashfl ood coping crop production practices. Hence, this study utilizes a set of approaches viz. structured questionnaire survey, key informants interview with stakeholders and focus group discussions to get primary data and secondary data also collects to conceptualize the problems. Results reveal that short duration, varietal diversifi cation, tall plant type of rice varieties are found popularly used practices in haor area. Although other coping practices like harvesting of rice at 80 percent maturity, early transplanting, aged seedling and rabi crops have substantial impact in coping fl ashfl ood but they are not extensively practiced. Study also reveals that education levels of farmers have highly positive and signifi cant relationship with fl ashfl ood coping crop production practices; high coping practices are observed in educated farmers. In order to increase coping ability of farmers of farm practices, it is utmost important to link between government and development agencies to provide adequate technical support, extension service, education, income generating opportunity and water conservation measures.