Farmers’ Understanding about Impact of Climate Change on Cropping Systems and Nutrition: A study on Dingaputa Haor of Netrakona District in Bangladesh

Abstract

With a view to creating an inventory of the existing climatic and nutritional condition of the haor (low-lying land) areas along with their cropping systems, this research was carried out in the Dingaputa haor of the Netrakona district of Bangladesh. The main objective was to study the farmers’ concept of climate change issues and their responses in respect to cropping systems and nutrition. This study is crucial for comparing the existing situation and taking future decisions. The feasibility and strategic direction of the present haor agriculture were evaluated using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis and matrices. The results showed that the farmers’ understanding of climate change was much lower than expected; a maximum of 73.2% farmers pointed out that climate change means frequent flooding, and more than 90% of farmers opined that temperature, early flooding, and lightning have increased over time. They strongly agreed that boro (dry-season-irrigated) rice is affected more frequently by natural hazards than in previous times. Very few farmers (only 14.4%) have taken adaptation strategies, which are less climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive. Only 10.8% of farmers cultivated oilseeds, pulses, and vegetables other than boro rice. A lack of technological knowledge is the main obstacle to practicing climate-resilient, modern cultivation practices. The trends of cultivation and consumption of vegetables by haor farmers are very low, whereas they are agreeable to cultivating nutrition-sensitive and high-value crops if they have technical support. The major strengths of haor agriculture are fertile soil and rice surplus, whereas weaknesses are monocropping and malnutrition.