Salinity threatens southern agriculture, experts urge climate-smart solutions

Salinity continues to pose the greatest challenge to agriculture in Bangladesh's southwestern region, with experts warning that the crisis is deepening each year as freshwater sources shrink and traditional crops fail to survive in increasingly saline soil.

Speaking at a regional seminar held at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) conference room in Khulna today, speakers called for urgent adoption of climate-resilient farming methods to safeguard food security and farmers' livelihoods.

The event, titled "Comprehensive Study on Existing and Viable Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Technologies and Practices Considering Vulnerable People Including Persons with Disabilities in Northwestern and Southwestern Bangladesh", was organised by UTTARAN with technical support from HELVETAS Bangladesh.

Experts recommended sustainable interventions such as canal excavation for freshwater conservation, salt-tolerant seed varieties, organic fertilisers, modern cultivation techniques, and improved market access.

Research findings presented at the seminar revealed stark disparities between northern and southern farming practices. While 99.1 percent of northern farmers use power tillers, only 77.2 percent do so in the south. Vermicompost usage stands at 75.9 percent in the north but drops to just 6.6 percent in the south. Combine harvesters are used by 5.6 percent of northern farmers, but none in the south.

Southern farmers do lead in some adaptive practices: 10-12 percent engage in pond-dike cropping and 15-20 percent in floating vegetable cultivation-methods virtually absent in northern districts.

Md Rafiqul Islam, additional deputy director of Khulna DAE, stressed the need to introduce saline-tolerant rice varieties such as BRRI dhan 97, 99 and BINA dhan 8, 10. "Developing community seed banks and strengthening supply chain marketing will support farmers in Satkhira, Bagerhat, Khulna and other affected areas," he said.

Among others, Professor Md Matiul Islam, Professor Md Rejaul Islam of Khulna University, Tazreen Suriya Mummun of BARI, Swapan Guha of Rupantar, and Mohammad Mahmodul Hasan of HELVETAS spoke at the seminar.