In rural Bangladesh, growing vegetables and fruits in one’s own yard or homestead garden and consuming fresh produce is a very common practice among villagers. However, this picture is fully different in the Southern coast of Bangladesh. Vegetable cultivation in crop lands and homestead gardens cannot be practiced in this area because the soil is contaminated with salt following saline water intrusion after cyclones and the unplanned expansion of shrimp farming using saline water. As the water evaporates, it leaves excess salt in the soil, increasing the salt concentration every day.
Salinity varies from season to season (salinity increases in the dry season and decreases during the rainy season), even plot to plot. This changes the soil chemistry that makes it difficult to grow crops and vegetables. The local farmers and agriculture extension officers identified high soil salinity, lack of fresh water for irrigation, and lack of appropriate technologies as the major problems in vegetable production.
The reduction in vegetable production in homestead gardens and crop lands is reducing the intake of vegetables which is needed for a healthy diet. What villagers used to grow in their own garden, they now have to buy from the market, which is an added strain on their household budget and the vegetables are often not fresh. Most of the people living in the coastal area drink rain water and desalinised water which does not contain any minerals. So, mineral and vitamin deficiency is an acute problem of this area which leads to malnutrition, stunting, hampers mental growth of the children and also creates different types of diseases. Women and lactating mothers also suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiency.
A group of farmers of Uttar Bedkashi, Koyra with the help of Islamic Relief, Bangladesh, have showcased a number of innovations -- bringing together local knowledge, resources, and scientific know-how to improve vegetable production. To avoid salinity contamination, they sow the seeds in the gunny bag, concrete pot, or cork box. The soil is allowed to bathe in the rain water and sufficient organic matter is added to improve the soil quality. It is important to select crop species which are stress tolerant. The vegetables planted in the summer season are: Lau, (water gourd), chal kumra (white gourd), dharosh (ladies finger), dhundol (sponge gourd), kolmi shaak (water spinach), and puishak (Indian spinach). In the winter season, morich (chili), korola (bitter gourd), tomato, data (amaranth), olkopi (knolkhol), beet, and dhonia (coriander) are planted.
The monsoon cropping season requires no irrigation as there is sufficient rain. In the winter season, low cost drip irrigation technology using rejected infusion bags and mud pots are used. Winter vegetables are grown in the pits made on the shrimp dykes and sacks in homestead gardens. Vegetable cultivation uses both organic and inorganic fertilisers in appropriate doses. The yield for winter vegetables has been good so far, but the production during the monsoon season is much better.
The technologies have created much interest among villagers. The dyke cropping and sack gardening with low cost drip irrigation technology could suitably be expanded and replicated, where growing vegetables is almost absent or very poor due to high salinity. Shrimp farmers have benefited from having extra income from crop cultivation and enough vegetables for their own consumption. This has increased livelihood options as well as providing adequate nutrition for families in the area.
