Agro-ecological Practices reduce women’s climate vulnerabilities
by Pavel Partha and Silvanus Lamin
Abstract
The narrative focuses on 60 rural women from 10 villages in the south-western coastal zone of Bangladesh who combat climate-induced vulnerabilities through agro-ecological practices and movements. Facing extreme climatic shocks such as cyclones, floods, heatwaves, tidal surges, and salinity, these women adapt by utilizing local genetic resources, traditional knowledge, and locally-led adaptations. They trial locally adaptive crops, engage in participatory action research and plant breeding for saline and climate-tolerant rice, and prepare bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides. They practice crop rotation, mulching, and initiate nutrition gardens in their homestead to ensure good yields, nutrition, and soil fertility. In order to maintain the availability of native and climate-adaptable varieties, these women have established community seed banks and exchange seeds. They also store food and use traditional forecasting systems. The narrative highlights how these women contribute to climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience through innovative agricultural practices such as high raised beds, hanging gardens, sack gardens, and saline-tolerant rice breeding. These women also engages in climate campaigns and movements to persuade state authorities to adopt appropriate measures and policy reforms to address climate change and promote agroecology. BARCIK believes this narrative provides a clear picture of women-led climate solutions through agroecological practices which ultimately contributes to establishing climate justice.
Introduction
Climate change is one of the major threats which poses risks and problems to the people in Bangladesh. Despite producing only 0.56% of the global emissions, Bangladesh ranks 7th on the list of countries most vulnerable to climate devastation, according to Germanwatch’s 2021 Global Climate Risk Index (CRI)[1]. Due to climate change and other human induced causes, including people in the country the target areas are hit by frequent disasters such as floods, cyclone, thunderstorm, riverbank erosion etc. Climate induced disasters such as floods, drought and cyclones damage the country’s physical infrastructures, crops, lives and livelihoods accelerating its vulnerability and creating economic loss. According to a report, from 2000 to 2019, Bangladesh suffered economic losses worth $3.72 billion and witnessed 185 extreme weather events due to climate change[2]. Furthermore, a U.S. government study report states that 90 million Bangladeshis (56 percent of the population) live in “high climate exposure areas,” with 53 million subjects to “very high” exposure[3].
Satkhira district, located in the coastal region of Bangladesh, is a unique and vibrant area characterized by its rich biodiversity, cultural heritage, and economic significance. The Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world and is located in this area and is home to the famous Bengal tiger, along with numerous other species of flora and fauna. Satkhira, faces the dual challenges of salinity intrusion and frequent cyclones, which significantly hinder agricultural activities. It is highly susceptible to climate change-induced disasters, affecting not only agriculture but also fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism, thereby threatening the livelihoods of the local population. However, in spite of those challenges the community people in this area, particularly women have been practicing local led adaptation in agriculture to reduce their loss, improve their livelihood status and uphold their existence. BARCIK has been facilitating development intervention in the area since 2001 and has documented the adaptation practices, in some cases mitigation initiatives of the coastal communities which help them coping with the climate induced disasters. Nonetheless, the people in the coast generally depend on agriculture for their livelihood. The farmers of the area produce rice, vegetables and other crops to earn their livelihood. BARCIK has documented the stories of 60 women in 10 villages of Satkhira districts who have been practicing environment friendly cultivation systems to produce crops in their lands and homestead gardens. These women prepare organic fertilizers and pesticides by themselves and apply in their crop lands. They conserve seeds and are engaged in participatory action research to select climate tolerant varieties of rice and other crops from the native ones. They cultivate diverse varieties of crops to ensure their food security. These women also use their indigenous knowledge to adapt to climate change by practicing crop rotation, mulching, cultivating vegetable using sacks, and using surface water to irrigate their crops, etc. By adopting this environment friendly way of crop cultivation these women have been able to improve their livelihood status enabling them to cope with the challenging situation caused by climate change.
Methodology
The methodology employed in this article is comprehensive and multifaceted, ensuring a strong collection of information regarding the coastal region of Bangladesh. The approach is divided into two main categories: primary and secondary data collection. Primary data has been collected through a series of focus group discussions, structured meetings and interviews with various stakeholders, community leaders, and representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In addition to general interviews, key informant interviews were conducted with individuals who possess specialized knowledge or experience related to the coastal ecosystem, economic activities, and environment. Secondary data were collected through reviewing literatures. This involved analyzing a wide range of sources, including newspapers, scholarly articles, and books available on the internet. Secondary information was also extracted from reports published by BARCIK and other NGOs. Websites and online resources were utilized to access relevant documents and reports. Once the data was collected, a systematic analysis was conducted to identify patterns, themes, and correlations within the information gathered. This involved qualitative analysis techniques to interpret the insights from focus groups and interviews, as well as quantitative methods where applicable.
Result with analysis
With an underlying objective of reducing risks and vulnerabilities to climate change impacts, the national adaptation plan of Bangladesh envisions to build a climate-resilient nation through effective adaptation strategies that foster a robust society and ecosystems and stimulate sustainable economic growth.[4] BARCIK, a non-governmental organization has been working to build a climate resilient society through promoting agroecology, which includes nature based and organic. To encourage the farming community adopt agroecology, BARCIK advises farming communities conserving native seeds, use of organic manure and bio pesticides and biodiversity conservation to counter climate change effects. Due to this mobilization and encouragement today the farming communities of one of the areas in the coastal region has started to yield some benefits. While working to promote agroecology BARCIK always involves the local farming organizations in the process and takes initiatives to develop the capacity of the members of those organizations on different thematic issues including sustainable agriculture principles.[5] Hence, through the joint initiatives of BARCIK and farming communities farmer’s led applied research was conducted to select climate adaptable crops varieties as well as conserve the almost extinct native varieties. The farming communities through their efforts and BARCIK’s supports conserve seeds and biodiversity and selected climate adaptable (Saline tolerant, deep water rice) varieties. The farming community, particularly women have been able to cope with climate induced disasters through adopting the principle of agroecology. They also apply their indigenous knowledge and innovations in coping with these climate induced disasters. They cultivate crops through elevating beds in water logged and flooded situation. Some of them use sacks and racks to cultivate crops during floods adopting organic methods. The overall initiatives of women farmers with the facilitating supports from BARCIK plays significant role to increase crop diversity, agricultural produces and seed diversity in the area and increase their climate resilience. Below are some climate change adaptation practices of some women among the selected 60 women in the coast that enable them to produce crops to improve their livelihood status and ensure food security of their family including earning cash that elevates their social status fostering their empowerment.
Agroecological Practices Strengthen Climate Resilience
Agroecological practice enhances climate resilience of women in the coastal region. Aditi Rani (44) of Kalmegha village in Shyamnagar Upazila in Satkhira has been contributing to restoring biodiversity of the region through her agriculture practice. She plants diverse vegetable, spinaches and native fruits, woods and medicinal trees in her homestead land. She produces vegetable and crops using compost and vermicompost in her lands. At the same time, she uses organic pesticides and sex pheromone trap technology to suppress crop pests. She said, “I conserve the seeds of all the crops that I grow every year. I can even produce crops in spite of different climate disasters. I distribute seeds to 15-20 people every season and provide technical support to others in making vermicompost. I received technical support from BARCIK to continue practicing agroecological practices. This helps me to produce crops in spite of being hit with frequent climate disasters”. Chakina Begum of Kochukhali, Sujata Barman of Paschim Jelekhali and Rozina Begum of Purchekhali villages are vibrant characters in the area in term of agroecological practices who have improved their livelihoods through cultivation of diverse crop without harming the nature.
Nature-Based Agriculture Sustains Livelihoods and the Environment
Parul Rani (36) of Borokupot village of Shymnagar in Satkhira has been adapting with the climate induced disasters adopting indigenous knowledge based agriculture. She inherited this sort of nature based food production system from her ancestors. She produces vegetable in her homestead land in different seasons through the year. There are vegetables and medicinal plants as well as uncultivated plants in her homestead. Parul Rani grows all these vegetables and crops adopting environment friendly method. She does not use chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides. There is a fresh water pond next to the vegetable field that she uses to irrigate her crops throughout the year. Apart from growing vegetable Parul Rani also rears livestock which meets her protein demand. Parul Rani said, ‘I try to maximize the use of my lands by growing crops and vegetable throughout the year adopting nature based agriculture. I farm all kinds of vegetables in my lands prioritizing my choice. I also earn additional cash by selling the surplus of my produce in the market which financially benefits me. Since I do not use chemical,, I contribute to keeping the environment and nature alive and healthy.’ Including Parul Rani Arpita Rani of Purba Jelekhali, Purul Mondal of Paschim Dhankhali and Sazida Begum of Kalinagar villages of Satkhira enriched theirs with diverse crops and plants. This rich biodiversity has contributed to protecting and conserving the agricultural heritage, culture and sustainable livelihood of the coast. This nature based farming has also enabled these women to produce crops in spite of being hit with frequent disasters.
Local solutions to climate change related problems
Saline water intrusion after cyclones, unplanned expansion of shrimp farming using saline water and water logging forced many farming families to abandon agricultural production. But some women in the coastal region have found some ways to solve their climate change related problems using their knowledge, observation and experiences. Anita Rani Mondal (41) of Betangi village in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira district is one among these women. She spends several hours a day in her homestead where she has been cultivating a variety of vegetables round the year using her innovative ideas. Anita Rani realized when saline water evaporates; it leaves excess salt in the soil, increasing the salt concentration every day. To avoid salinity contamination she used to sow the seeds in the gunny bag, sacks and concrete pots etc. She has been using cork boxes to grow vegetable as gunny bags are not as durable as cork boxes. Cork boxes are available because there are many shrimp farms-which use it for carrying shrimp fry from market to farms. Anita found difficulties due to regular natural disasters like heavy rain inundated her court yard that made gunny bags unusable. She come into a new idea and developed the new strategy using cork boxes instead of gunny bags for growing vegetable round the year even her courtyard inundated. This is how Anita Rani has been successful in adapting to climate change situation and finds local solutions to climatic problems. She said, “I have used my observation to cope with the climate related problems and now have been able to produce crops in spite of the salinity. Now I am supporting my family and my children’s education by selling vegetables.” Anita’s case is unique in the region.
Native Seed Conservation: A Lifeline for Coastal Agriculture
The culture of seed conservation and exchange has faded away in coastal area due to natural disasters and practice of modern agriculture. But there are still some farmers, particularly women in the coastal region of Bangladesh who still adapt sustainable agriculture and try to bring back rich agriculture tradition and heritage of the coast through conserving and protecting the native seeds ensuring seed diversity in the area. Alpana Rani Mistri is one among the farmers. She has dried some types of vegetable seeds in her yard which she conserved. In her yard different types of vegetable seeds are kept in different containers. Her initiative to conserve seeds and practice sustainable agriculture has attracted the attention of other farmers. So far she has exchanged seeds of more than two and a half hundred varieties of medicinal plants in her house with other farmers of the village. Farmer Alpana Rani Mistry said, ‘we are losing local seeds due to climate induced disasters and high prevalence of hybrids.’ According to her, native seeds and biodiversity conservation will keep the coast safe and this will enable farmers to find varieties which are resistant to climate stress. Lakshmi Rani Mandal of Badghata, Rabeya Parveen of Antakhali, and Madhuri Sarder of Mothura villages of Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira also collect, conserve and exchange native seeds among others to contribute in restoring the seed diversity of the coast. According to these women, native seeds
Innovative Solutions for Surviving Disasters
Anita Rani Mandal is a woman farmer from Betangi village in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira district. Due to regular climate induced disasters and heavy rains, her vegetable fields which is located comparatively in low lands were getting damaged leading her to count huge loss. However, in order to cope with the changed situation as well as to reduce the loss Anita Rani devised a new strategy. She said, ‘I have a fish farm, I buy carry fish in the plastic made basket to release the prawn in the farm. After releasing the fish, I would throw away the plastic basket in the open nature. But I found that the plastic basket never gets mixed with the soil and nature.’ She went on saying, ‘So I decided to make the proper use of it to recover my loss due to heavy rain and disasters. Since all my vegetables are being damaged due to extra rains for several days in a row, I filled this plastic made basket with soil and applied organic manure on it. After that I planted vegetables in this plastic made basket. Today I discover my vegetable does not get damaged in spite of heavy rain. I can farm vegetable throughout the year using these basket. There are spice, ginger and lemon and some other spinaches which I planted using the plastic basket as base.’ Anita Rani added, ‘I used to fill the sacks with soil and plant vegetables but after a few days the sacks are damaged and the soil is gone. That’s why I am using the plastic basket. By using the plastic basket which does not get rotten and mixed in the nature and soil in one hand, I recover the loss due to heavy rain on the one hand, I am contributing in maintaining the balance of the environment.’ Seeing the success of Anita Mandal Deepali Joarder of Terokati, Mita Rani Mandol of Shiltola and Ambia Khatun of Vetkhali village replicated their learning in their areas after visiting Anita Rani’s house.
Nutrition Banks: Pioneering the Safe Food Movement
Family level Nutrition Bank is a method to grow diversified vegetables in an environment friendly manner where farmers are very conscious about safe food and nutrition value of the productions. Through the Nutrition bank model rural women are facilitated knowledge about nutrition. Apart from this, these women also consider safe food and gender aspect of the food.[6] Nonetheless, through this model BARCIK selected and facilitated 400 houses in its 4 working areas and these 400 houses are known to farmers and others as Nutrition Banks. Famers, particularly women are encouraged to maximize their courtyard, adjoining area of their house for food safe food production adopting organic method. They are encouraged to organize courtyard meetings and discussions and conduct movements to fight for their rights. Neela Rani (45) of Abad Chandipur village of Satkhira has developed her house as an integrated agricultural farm being inspired from the Nutrition bank model. She has been able to produce crops adapting with the climate change situation due to adopting nature based agriculture practices. She cultivates various types of vegetables and crops. All kinds of vegetables and crops are produced through intensive cultivation and care in an environment friendly manner without using external inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Neela Rani conserves all types of crop seeds so that she could cultivate in the next year or can help others who face seed crisis. She plants fruit trees such as mango, banana, coconut, guava, sabeda, jamrul, lemon, date, kul etc. Neela Rani said, “If you produce diverse crops it enables you to have nutritious foods. Consuming nutritious foods helps to increase our health immunity.” Dipali Rani of Kholpetua River in Sadar Union of Satkhira also practices sustainable agriculture to improve her livelihood and ensure nutrition foods for her family members. Her house is also treated as ‘Nutrition Bank’ to other farmers. However, production of diverse crops, rearing livestock and farming fishes in a sustainable way surely meets the nutrition demands of the communities. BARCIK intends to facilitate farmers making their own house as ‘safest store’ of nutritious foods. Alike Neela Rani and Dipali Rani, Kohinur Begum of Sonamugari, Delowara Begum of Badghat, Koruna Rani of Betangi, Shefali Begum of Datinakhali and Nilima Rani of Arpangashia adopt Nutrition bank Model and have been able to produce vegetable ensuring safe foods for family members coping with the climate change situation.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. The adverse effects of climate change have a particularly devastating effect on agriculture, tourism and aqua culture of Bangladesh leading the farming communities facing immense problems in food production. However, some Bangladeshi women communities have developed indigenous knowledge based agricultural adaptation strategies to cope with climate variability and extreme events. These women have been able to cope with climate induced disasters through intensive practicing agroecology that include using organic fertilizers, pesticides, involving in applied research to select climate tolerant rice and crop varieties and planting diverse crops, practicing crop rotation etc. Additionally, they have been successfully applying their indigenous knowledge and innovations in coping with climate extreme through practicing crop farming in sacks, boxes and elevating beds as well as using cork boxes. These practices should be expanded and shared among other communities in other areas and encourage them to replicate these in their perspective areas to cope with climate induced disasters. However, some of these practices may need to be adjusted to face additional climate risks associated with climate change. The major constraints to applying agricultural adaptation practices in Bangladesh is lack of knowledge, expertise and data on climate change. Therefore, in order to minimize the gaps in knowledge and expertise it needs to further develop the capacity of the farming communities and enhance their knowledge through conducting trainings and fostering more research works. Furthermore, initiative needs to be taken to improve and strengthen human capital, through education, outreach, and extension services, improves decision-making capacity at every level and increases the collective capacity to adapt to climate change.
[1] https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/how-climate-crisis-impacting-bangladesh
[2] https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/how-climate-crisis-impacting-bangladesh
[3] FRAGILITY AND CLIMATE RISKS IN BANGLADESH, 2018, USAID)
[4] National Adaptation Plan of Bangladesh (2023-2050)
[5] BARCIK annual progress report
[6] https://www.barcikbd.org/barciks-nutrition-bank-model-to-fight-against-covid-19/
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