Climate Change Perception and Adaptation Options for Agriculture in Southern Khulna of Bangladesh

M.H. Rashid^1, , S. Afroz², D. Gaydon³, A. Muttaleb⁴, P. Poulton³, C. Roth³ and Z. Abedin¹

¹International Rice Research Institute Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh

²SERDI, Dhaka, Bangladesh

³CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Brisbane, Australia

⁴RFS Division, Bangladeshl Rice Research Institute Bangladesh, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Cite this paper:
M.H. Rashid, S. Afroz, D. Gaydon, A. Muttaleb, P. Poulton, C. Roth and Z. Abedin. Climate Change Perception and Adaptation Options for Agriculture in Southern Khulna of Bangladesh. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences. 2014; 2(1):25-31. doi: 10.12691/aees-2-1-4

Abstract

Understanding perception and adaptation strategies at a community level is important for achieving sustainable adaptation options in a climate-vulnerable area. A study was conducted in two villages of Khulna district, Bangladesh, through Focus Group Discussions to capture the perceptions of the community on climate change and variability, and also to understand the current strategies to cope/adapt with the changing situation in the context of agriculture. Some future adaptation options were also presented to the community for their opinion in the light of their experiences. Findings revealed that the weather is unpredictable and variability has increased over time with no positive outlook or aspect associated with this change. Local people perceived changes in rainfall patterns, resulting in delayed rice planting, decreased yield and damaged sesame and mungbean crops due to water-logging. The extended summer periods with increasing average temperatures have resulted in decreased growth duration of crops, increased pest infestations, and decreased yields. The increased period during which river water is saline limits the scope of irrigation with river water. Communities are adapting to this changing situation by adopting high yielding salt tolerant rice varieties, introducing new crops like sesame and mungbean, and adopting rice-fish culture with tilapia, carp and prawn instead of brackish water shrimp.

Keywords:
community perception climate change adaptation options agriculture

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). (2011). State of forest genetic resources conservation and management in Bangladesh. http://www.fao.org/docrep/2007/ad87oe/ad870e01.htm, Accessed 14 June, 2011.
[2]	MoEF. (2008). Bangladesh Climate Cnahge Strategy and Action Plan. Pp. 7-9.
[3]	Ali, A. (1999): Climate change impacts and adaptation assessment in Bangladesh–Clim Res. 12: 109-116.
[4]	IPCC. (2007a): Climate Change Working Group 1. The Physical Science Basis–Summary for Policy Makers. P. 13.
[5]	IPCC. (2007b): Working Group II Fourth Assessment Report. Climate Change: Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM6avr07.pdf, Accessed 5 July, 2011.
[6]	Huq, S., Reid, H., Murray, LA. (2006): Climate Change and Dev. Links–Gatekeeper Series. 123. International. Institute for Environ. Dev.
[7]	FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). (2007). Adaptation to Climate Change in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Perspective, Framework and Priorities. Rome, Italy.
[8]	Mertz, O., Halsnaes, K., Olsen, J.E. Rasmussen, K. (2009a). Adaptation to climate change in developing countries. Environ. Manage. 43, 743-752.
[9]	WB (World Bank). (2010). World Development Report. The world Bank, Washington DC.
[10]	Roudier, P., Sultan, b., Quirion, P., Berg, A. (2011). The impact of future climate change on West African crops yield: what does the recent literature say? Gloval Environ. Change.
[11]	Tanner, T., Mitchell, T. (2008). Entrenchment of Enhancement: Could Climate Change Adaptation Help to Reduce Chronic Poverty? Institute of Development Studies Bulletin. 39 (4): 6-15.
[12]	Rosenzweig, C., Tubiello, F.N, Goldberg, R., Mills, E. Bloomfield, J. (2002): Increased Crop Damage in the U.S. from Excess Precipitation under Climate Change–Global Environ. Change: Human Dimensions and Policy 12 (3): 197-202.
[13]	Adger, W. N., Hug, S., Brown, K., Conway, D., Hume, M. (2003). Adaptation to Climate Change in Developing World. Progress in Development Studies. 3 (3): 179-195.
[14]	IFAD. (2008). Climate change and future of smallholder agriculture: How can rural poor people be part of the solution to climate change? Discussion paper prepared for the Round Table on Climate Change at the thirty-first session of IFAD’s Governing council. Available on 9 May, 2011: http://www.ifad.org/climate/roundtable/index.htm
[15]	Smithers, J., Smit, B. (2009). Human Adaptation to Climatic Variability and Change. In: L. E. Schipper and I. Burton (Eds.), Adaptation to Climate Change, London Earthscan. Pp. 15-33.
[16]	Ervin, C. A., Ervin, D. E. (1982). Factors Affecting the use of Soil Conservation Practices: Hypothesis, Evidences, and Policy Implications. Land Economics, 38 (3):277-292.
[17]	Posthumus, H., Gardebrock, C., Ruerd, R. (2010). From Participation to Adoption: Comparing the Effectiveness of Soil Conservation Programs in the Peruvian Andes. Land Economics, 86 (4): 645-667.
[18]	Gwambene, B. (2007): Climate Change and Variability Adaptation Strategies and its Implications for Land Resources in Rungwe District, Tanzania–M.Sc. Dissertation, IRA, University of Dares Salaam, Dares Salaam, Tanzania.
[19]	UNFCCC. (2003): Bali Action Plan–UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. http://www,unfcc.int/resources/docs/2008awgica1/englishmisc01.pdf, Accessed in December 2011.
[20]	McGregor, D. ( 2004): Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Sustainable Development Towards Coexistence, IDRC. http://www.idec:en:er-64525-201-Do_Topic.html
[21]	BBS (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics). 2010. Year Book of Agricultural Statistics of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Statistics and Informatics Division, Ministry of Planning, Government of Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka.
[22]	SRDI (Soil Resources and Development Institute). (1989). Thana Nirtheshika (in Bangla). SRDI, Dhaka-1215, Bangladesh. 75 p.
[23]	SRDI (Soil Resources and Development Institute). (2000). Thana Nirtheshika (in Bangla). SRDI, Dhaka-1215, Bangladesh. 132 p.
[24]	BRRI (Bangladesh Rice Research Institute). (2012). Annual Report of BRRI 2009-10. BRRI, Gazipur-1701. Bangladesh. 357 p.
[25]	Mertz, O., Mbow, C., Reenberg, A. (2009b). Farmers’ perceptions of climate change and agricultural adaptation strategies in rural Sahel. Environmental Management. 43: 804-816.
[26]	Fosu-Mensah, B. Y., Vlek, P. L. G., Manschadi, A. M. (2010). Farmers’ perception and adaptation to climate change: a case study of Sekyedumase district in Ghana. Tropentag, September 14-16, Zurich. http://www.tropentag.de/2010/abstracts/full/203.pdf, Accessed 11 March, 2013.
[27]	Sarker, M. A. R., Alam, K., Gow, J. (2012). Exploring the relationship between climate change and rice yield in Bangladesh: an analysis of time series data. Agricultural Systems. 112: 11-16.
[28]	Gbetibouo, G. A. (2009). Understanding farmers’ perception and adaptations to climate change and variasbility: the case of Limpopo Basin, South Africa. IFRI Discussion Paper, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC.
[29]	Nyanga, P. H., Johnsen, F. H., Aune, J. B. (2011). Smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate change and conservation agriculture: evidence from Zambia. Journal of Sustainable Development. 4 (4): 73-85.
[30]	GoB (Government of Bangladesh) and UNDP (United Nations Development Program). (2009). The probable impact of climatechange on poverty and economic growth and optionsw of coping with adverse effects of climate change in Bangladesh. Policy Study, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
[31]	Regmi, B. R., Thapa, L., Sharma, G. B., Khadka, S. (2008). Climate change risk, vulnerability and adaptaion strategies at community level, local initiatives for biodiversity research and development (Li-BIRD).
[32]	FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). (2006). Livelihood adaptation to climate variability and change in drought-prone areas of Bangladesh. Rome, Italy.
[33]	Bryant, R. C., Smit, b., Brklacich, M., Johnston, R. T., Smithers, J., Chiotti, Q., Singh, B. (2000). Adaptation in Canadian agriculture to climate variability and change. Climate Change, 45: 181-201.
[34]	Deressa, T., Hassan, R. M., Alemu, T., Yesuf, M. Ringler, C. (2008). Analysing the determinants of farmers’ choice of adaptation methods and perceptions of climate change in the Nile Basin of Ethiopia. IFRI Discussion Paper 00798. http://dspace.cigilibrary.org/jspui/bitstream/123456789/31942/1/IFPRI%20Discussion%20Paper%2000798.pdf?1
[35]	Malla, G. (2008). Climate change and its impact on Nelalese agriculture. Journal of Agriculture environment, 9: 62-71.