Problems in Adaptation to Climate Change Effects on Coastal Agriculture by the Farmers of Patuakhali District of Bangladesh

M. S. Howlader^1, and M. G. R. Akanda¹

¹Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh

Cite this paper:
M. S. Howlader and M. G. R. Akanda. Problems in Adaptation to Climate Change Effects on Coastal Agriculture by the Farmers of Patuakhali District of Bangladesh. American Journal of Rural Development. 2016; 4(1):10-14. doi: 10.12691/ajrd-4-1-2

Abstract

Climate change is the most serious environmental threat to the national economy of Bangladesh, essentially because of its impact on agriculture. The objective of this paper was to identify the major problems to climate change adaptation among farmers of coastal Bangladesh. The paper was based on primary data collected from 124 farming households selected randomly from the coastal region of Bangladesh. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with SPSS [17]. Slightly more than two fifth (42.75 percent) of the farmers had medium problem compared to 34.65 percent of them having low and 22.60 percent high problem were found in this area. The correlation coefficients of 6 variables were significant named age, farm size, farming experience, annual family income, organizational participation and agricultural knowledge. The major problems faced by the farmers adapting to climate change effects were – (a) the unpredicted weather and high frequency of natural calamities , (b) Non-availability of improved variety seeds at local market, (c) lack of information about adaptation strategies, (d) poor fertile land, (e) poor access to market of agro-products, (f) lack of irrigation facilities and schemes, (g) conflicts between fish cultivar and farmers, (h) scarcity and untimely supply of farm input, (i) limited farm size, (j) lack of credit, (k) Low annual family income, (l) Poor agriculture extension services, (m) Unavailability and high cost of farm labor at peak season etc. The paper concluded with the recommendation that farmers’ adaptation capacities to climate change need to be strengthened by extension service so as to obtain sustainable agricultural production and food security even in the event of climate change. These supports could come from governments (GOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and even from farmers’ themselves.

Keywords:
farmers problems climate change agriculture adaptation extension

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