Bangladesh’s economic growth is largely dependent on the growth of the agricultural sector. Agriculture, directly and indirectly, provides basic human needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. Agriculture contributed 13.47% to Bangladesh’s gross domestic product or GDP directly and indirectly in 2020-2021. At the same time, about 50% of the people of Bangladesh are engaged in agriculture. But in recent decades, Bangladesh has been facing a low growth rate in agriculture due to global climate change.
Rising temperatures have made the climate and weather conditions abnormal and unstable, with adverse effects on agriculture. This is because the growth of a particular crop requires a moderate number of natural elements such as temperature, rainfall, humidity, airflow, and so on. Due to climate change, the temperature is changing, which leads to a change in the amount of rainfall and type. Eventually, this change created an adverse effect on agricultural work.
Climate change has created an adverse effect in the Bangladeshi agriculture sector in many ways. Let’s deep dive into it.
The impact of climate change
Although climate change is a regular natural phenomenon, it is greatly influenced by human actions. Various human activities have accelerated climate change. Overall global warming and climate change affect developing countries like Bangladesh. The effect of climate change in Bangladesh has already begun; it has already hit the agriculture sector.
According to a research report published, the sea level rise has been observed at a rate of 7.8 mm per year of the coast of Cox’s Bazar. In the last four decades, around 3000 km2 of land area under Bhola island have been submerged into the Bay of Bengal. After reviewing various research reports, it can be seen that by 2100, the sea level could rise 1 meter, which could submerge 18.3 percent of the total area of Bangladesh.
Impact of floods on agriculture
Due to climate change, sudden flooding has become a common phenomenon in Bangladesh that affects agriculture. About 1,400 sq km in the southeastern part of the country and 4,000 sq km in the northeastern part of the country face flash floods. However, flash floods are more harmful than regular floods. As for the regular flood, it starts slowly, and the farmers can estimate a time. On the other hand, the sudden flash flood impacts the crops as well as the effect on the lands.
Tidal floods caused extensive damage to coastal areas. Saline water creates water logging in the land and makes the soil unsuitable for plantation and crop cultivation. Districts like Sunamganj, Sylhet, Netrokona, Nilphamari, etc., are usually affected by flash floods. Due to the flash flood every year, thousands of acres of ripe Boro paddy get affected. Bangladesh is affluent in water resources, but the impacts of climate change are causing excess rainfall, floods, and water logging. At present, about 2.6 million hectares of land in Bangladesh are flooded every year.
Impact of temperature on Agriculture
Rising temperatures will reduce the yield of upland rice and increase the rate of diseases in wheat. Moreover, wheat cultivation will not be possible in Bangladesh if the temperature rises by 2 degrees Celsius than the current temperature. The increasing level of carbon dioxide and rising temperature hamper the regular growth of the rice plants. The common problems are weakening seedlings, turn yellow, and prolong crop life. As a result of climate change, various plant diseases is increasing alongside the incidence of insects.
Infestations of millibugs, aphids (sucking insects) and bacteria (bacterial diseases) and fungal diseases are more prevalent in various crops.
Excess heat and humidity play a role in increasing fungal diseases of plants and similarly increase the number of insects and carriers of various diseases. In addition, if warm flow occurs in the winter season, the yield of more sensitive crops like wheat is greatly reduced, and wheat production becomes unprofitable. Increasing the temperature increases the perspiration or water discharge of the plant. It results in the scarcity of irrigation water.
Impact of drought in agriculture
Drought occurs in an area where the evaporation rate is higher than the rainfall. Agricultural drought refers to the disruption of the biological activity of the crops due to a lack of water in any stage of the crop life cycle. It happens due to an increase in weather regulators such as rainfall, temperature, humidity, evaporation, etc. If there is no rain for 15 days between April and mid-November, there is a possibility of drought, which is one of the most common natural disasters in agriculture.
Every year 1.2-2.32 million hectares of land are affected by various levels of drought.
If there is a lack of regular average rainfall in the growth stage, the plant faces dehydration. This can damage the plant. Aman paddy is cultivated in 60% of the 83 lakh hectares of drought-affected cultivable land in the country. In addition, drought-affected Autumn rice and Boro paddy, jute, pulses, and oil crops, potatoes, winter vegetables, and sugarcane. Furthermore, if there is no rain in March or April, it becomes difficult to cultivate the land on time. As a result, sown man, autumn paddy, and jute cannot be cultivated in time.
Saltwater infiltration and increase in salinity in agriculture
Saltwater infiltration is a serious problem in Bangladesh. In 1973, about 1.5 million hectares of land were affected by mild salinity that increased to 2.5 million hectares in 1997. Currently, 3 million hectares of land are affected. Due to the obstruction of water on the coaster area, the saline land is increasing. It mainly happens due to water flow from upstream and low rainfall. If things stay like that, it will create more problems in the future.
Bangladesh’s geographical location, socio-economic infrastructure, and dependency on natural resources are the main reasons for having negative effects of climate change.
Source: United News of Bangladesh