TY - JOUR
T1 - Climate-adaptive strategies for enhancing agricultural resilience in southeastern coastal Bangladesh
T2 - Insights from farmers and stakeholders
AU - Al Mamun, Abdullah
AU - Li, Jianfeng
AU - Cui, Aihong
AU - Chowdhury, Raihana
AU - Hossain, Lokman
N1 - This work was supported by the research grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China [project number RFS2223-2H02]. Parts of the work were funded by the first author for data collection.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Mamun et al.
PY - 2024/6/21
Y1 - 2024/6/21
N2 - Climate change impacts crop production worldwide, and coastal regions
are particularly vulnerable to its adverse effects. Given the projected
rise in temperature and shifting precipitation patterns, it is crucial
to examine the current challenges faced by farmers in coastal
Bangladesh. Using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant
Interviews (KIIs), we assessed the perceptions and experiences of
farmers and stakeholders regarding the existing agricultural practices,
the challenges they face in crop cultivation, and the adoption of
climate-adaptive practices in 2 sub-districts in the southeastern
coastal region of Bangladesh. Moreover, using the Standardized
Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and the Standardized
Terrestrial Water Storage Index (STI), we assessed the frequency and
intensity of different climatic conditions in these two sub-districts.
Results show that 100% of the respondents reported an increase in dry
climatic conditions, the occurrence of untimely precipitation, and a
decline in irrigation water during the cropping season. All the
respondents in the FGDs expressed a loss of crop production because of
these climate-induced disturbances. Despite these challenges, farmers
have been implementing several climate-adaptive practices. Among the 9
mentioned climate-adaptive practices, 50% of FGD respondents utilize
organic fertilizers, 42% cultivate heat- and drought-resilient crop
varieties, use improved irrigation and harvest rainwater, and 25%
cultivate integrated crops. The results of quantitative analysis of 3-
and 6-month SPEI and STI values show that this region experienced
frequent and intense dry climatic conditions during the growing-season,
which supports the farmers’ and stakeholders’ concern about the
increasing occurrence of droughts during crop growing periods. The
results suggest that despite adopting climate-resilient practices under
increasing growing-season droughts, farmers require support from the
government and NGOs in capacity-building training and input support
(e.g., stress-resilient seeds). This study holds practical implications
for government, NGOs, and policymakers for ensuring sustainable
agricultural productivity in the coastal region of Bangladesh.
AB - Climate change impacts crop production worldwide, and coastal regions
are particularly vulnerable to its adverse effects. Given the projected
rise in temperature and shifting precipitation patterns, it is crucial
to examine the current challenges faced by farmers in coastal
Bangladesh. Using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant
Interviews (KIIs), we assessed the perceptions and experiences of
farmers and stakeholders regarding the existing agricultural practices,
the challenges they face in crop cultivation, and the adoption of
climate-adaptive practices in 2 sub-districts in the southeastern
coastal region of Bangladesh. Moreover, using the Standardized
Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and the Standardized
Terrestrial Water Storage Index (STI), we assessed the frequency and
intensity of different climatic conditions in these two sub-districts.
Results show that 100% of the respondents reported an increase in dry
climatic conditions, the occurrence of untimely precipitation, and a
decline in irrigation water during the cropping season. All the
respondents in the FGDs expressed a loss of crop production because of
these climate-induced disturbances. Despite these challenges, farmers
have been implementing several climate-adaptive practices. Among the 9
mentioned climate-adaptive practices, 50% of FGD respondents utilize
organic fertilizers, 42% cultivate heat- and drought-resilient crop
varieties, use improved irrigation and harvest rainwater, and 25%
cultivate integrated crops. The results of quantitative analysis of 3-
and 6-month SPEI and STI values show that this region experienced
frequent and intense dry climatic conditions during the growing-season,
which supports the farmers’ and stakeholders’ concern about the
increasing occurrence of droughts during crop growing periods. The
results suggest that despite adopting climate-resilient practices under
increasing growing-season droughts, farmers require support from the
government and NGOs in capacity-building training and input support
(e.g., stress-resilient seeds). This study holds practical implications
for government, NGOs, and policymakers for ensuring sustainable
agricultural productivity in the coastal region of Bangladesh.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85196799642&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0305609
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0305609
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 38905289
AN - SCOPUS:85196799642
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 19
JO - PLoS ONE
JF - PLoS ONE
IS - 6
M1 - e0305609
ER -