Drought Prone Areas Crops Management in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is an agro based country. Mostly farms of our country are small-scale and fragmented, with an average area of less than one hectare. Over time, our country is self-sufficient in food under the visionary leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter, Honourble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh ranks 3rd in rice production, 3rd in vegetable production, 7th in mango production, 8th in potato and guava production. Food security is often threatened by droughts during rice production. Rice is cultivated in the three rice seasons (Aush, Aman, and Boro) including irrigated, rain fed upland, rain fed lowland, and deep water in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is self-sufficient in rice production.

 The country has made remarkable progress in domestic rice production through the dissemination and farmers’ adoption of technologies. Technology, dissemination and adoption of technologies by farmers are the basis for sustainable agricultural productivity. Seed, fertilizer, management and irrigation technologies known as “Green Revolution technologies” have long played major roles in the growth of agricultural production in Bangladesh. The population of Bangladesh will reach near about 215 million in 2050. So food grain rice must be increased for upcoming future generation. If, we able to ensure community participation to address climate change situation, hope food and nutrition security will be achieved.

Drought is a very well known natural calamity in Bangladesh. Scarcity of sufficient soil moisture for normal growth of plant and desirable crop production is drought. If evaporation rate is higher than that of rainfall of a particular area then it caused drought. There have three classes of drought.eg. Weather related drought. Drought due to shortage of sub-surface water and Agricultural drought. Agricultural drought means water scarcity due to the fluctuation of weather elements like rainfall, temperature, humidity, evaporation etc. which hamper the normal physiological activities in any stage of crop life cycle.

In Bangladesh, around 7.15 million hectares of T.Aman and 4.1 million hectares of other crops damaged by drought during mostly in Kharif season. Drought mainly affected our T. Aman crop besides that T. Aus, Boro rice, jute, pulse, oilseeds, potato, winter vegetables and sugarcane also attacked by drought. Even some fruit trees (like Jackfruit, Coconut, Litchis and Banana) may be dying due to severe attack of drought. So, drought is big threat for our agricultural production. However it is a natural calamity we have to overcome this type of problem to ensure our production by introducing some management practices and adoption of drought tolerance crop varieties in drought prone areas.

Drought in the dry season is a very common natural calamity in Bangladesh, but the type and extent varies according to the quality and type of precipitation. Generally western part of the country and hilly areas in Chittagong,Sylhet, Gazipur are more prone to drought. Droughts are also common in the northwestern districts of Bangladesh (e.g. Barind Tract), in recent decades. Barind tracts covers most parts of the greater Dinajpur, Rangpur, Pabna, Natore,Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Bogra, Joypurhat and Naogaon. Rainfall is comparatively less in Barind tract than in other parts of the country. Every season we are lose a huge amount of production due to the attack of drought.

If no rainfall for 15 days or less than 2.5 mm. with in April to November in the certain period then drought occurs in different areas of Bangladesh.eg. April to mid November-different districts of eastern part of Bangladesh, mid April to mid November- different districts of middle part of Bangladesh., May to mid November- different districts of western part of Bangladesh and Drought intensity becomes higher for crop and soil during March to May than that of other time of the year due to hot weather. The most common factors causing of drought- Drying of soil moisture., Scarcity of irrigation water., Scorching sun light., Reduction of relative humidity., Strong windy weather., Less water holding capacity of soil., Uncovered sandy and sloping land., Rapid reduction of soil moisture in clay soil., If the soil texture of upper layer is clay, silt-clay and clay-loam., Less soil permeability., Less organic matter in the soil., Increase of evaporation rate of soil and plant/crops., and scarcity of sub-surface water and if underground water level is going down etc. 

Due to drought 30-70% yield lose may be occurred. In case of severe drought total crop may be damaged. Drought reduces the overall crop production. Drought hampers the production of T. Aman, Rabi crops in month of October. Seedlings are badly affected by drought, drought causes dropping of flowers and fruits also hamper pollination of rice. Water scarcity during booting stage of rice and flowering stage of other crops reduces the production. Drought hampers the timely land preparation and sowing. Salinity increased in saline soil due to drought. Shallow tap rotted crops more affected due to drought. Shallow sandy soil more affected by drought.

Rice is sensitive to high temperature, especially at booting and flowering stages. Rice varieties tolerant of high temperature are rare, and only a few heat-tolerant rice varieties have been identified (BR 20,21,23,24, BRRI dhan 27, BRRI dhan 42,BRRI dhan 43, BRRI dhan 55, BRRI dhan56, BRRI dhan57, BRRI dhan 65,BRRI dhan66, BRRI dhan71, BRRI dhan83 and BINA dhan19 are resilient to drought. In drought prone areas, early T. Aman (BRRI 33, 39 and other suitable) can be cultivated; after these pulses can also be grown.To ensure conjunctive use in drought-prone areas, mini ponds can be made to store rain water for irrigation purpose also can be added rice cum fish culture. Ails of T.Aman and T.Aus rice plot should be repair or maintain regularly to store rain water in order to avoid the drought in reproductive stage also ensure supplementary irrigation.

Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to the worst effect of climate change. Drought is one of the effects of climate change in our agriculture. Natural calamities relate to climate change is not so easy to address but we can take some adaptation options. But we can minimize the impact by taking some preventive safety measure in our agricultural practices to reduce the losses of crop production. Timely transplantation of T.Aman can be ensured by making dry seedbeds if there is no rain during making T.Aman seedbeds. Wastage of water can be avoided in Boro season by improving irrigation drain. Wastage of water can be avoided by irrigating Boro rice only when needed. Wheat, Maize might be introduced in cropping pattern instead of Boro rice to skip irrigation water. Supplementary irrigation should be done in T. Aman rice to avoid the yield loss. Mulching should be done to avoid the excessive loss of soil moisture. More organic matter should be applied in the soil to improve water holding capacity. Cultivation of drought-tolerant fruits, e.g. Apple kul, BAU kul. Drought-tolerant Chick pea, Mung bean, Til, Tisi, Dragon fruit, Avocado, Orange, Coffee, Cashew nut, Melon etc should be cultivated. Vegetable can be grown in the homestead gardens all the year round to ensure nutrition. Rain water harvesting for irrigation, supplementary irrigation in T. Aman cultivation and also use drought tolerant verities.

So, drought is big threat for our agricultural production. We have to adopt with the climate change situation like drought. We have many management practices of adaptation options for drought, supplementary irrigation, mini pond along with suitable varieties in T.Aman season. However it is a natural calamity we have to overcome this type of problem to ensure our safe food production in drought prone areas.

 
Dr. Jagot Chand Malaker
is ex Additional Director, Department of Agricultural
Extension, Dhaka.