Modeling alternative mitigation strategies of salinity intrusion on food production by integrating SWOT and TEAM decision models

Abstract

Salinity intrusion is one of the major concerns for the coastal people of Bangladesh. The impacts of salinity intrusion on food production of coastal districts are likely to severe. Since the extensive shrimp farming cultivation started in the 1970s, it has spread throughout the coastal region, increasing soil and water salinity levels. A mixed-method approach was employed by coupling with SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and threats) models for identifying alternative mitigation strategies of salinity intrusion on food production at coastal districts in Bangladesh. A variety of stakeholders and policymakers were first interviewed, being asked to participate in an exercise identifying their perceptions of the greatest challenges facing coastal districts people due to salinity intrusion on food production. The study results reveal that large part of the land of coastal districts intrude with high salinity and a little part is under moderate and low salinity. Therefore, the agricultural land is decreasing and shifting into shrimp farming and settlements. The salinity intrusion affects the soil surface is to decrease food crop production of the study areas about approximately 0.45 metric tons every year. The integrating SWOT and TEAM models analysis were shown that the indigenous agricultural systems, NGOs activities and community people adaptive potency were the strength whereas sensitive environment and absence of strict law of environmental management and implication gap of policy options were found to be the weaknesses. Foreign aid and research results and shrimp export facilities were found to be the main opportunities. Land scarcity, food security issues and political interventions were found to be the main threats. The SWOT model identified several alternatives mitigation strategies for salinity intrusion in coastal districts context have been identified which are funding opportunities, alternative income generation, sustainable shrimp aquaculture, salinity tolerant crop varieties, climate smart agriculture and environmental education and research etc. In the end, it is a case study that might shed some useful schemes combining scientific assessment models such as SWOT and TEAM, which could feed evidence-based decision-making processes for generating alternatives mitigation strategies of environmental threats.