First crops, now animals: Climate change hurts Bangladesh farmers
- Bangladesh's south coast blighted by rising salinity
- Climate-hit farmers adapt to grow salt-tolerant crops
- Concerns grow over impact of salt, heat on livestock
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Earlier this month, in the Pankhali area of Khulna, farmers were testing the salinity level of the soil and water with an EC meter - provided by the Dutch development organisation Cordaid - with the devices helping them to choose the right crops to grow.
More broadly, Cordaid said it works with 10,000-odd farmers in 15 districts to adopt salt-tolerant varieties of seeds of vegetables including bottle gourd, pumpkin or red beet.
"We try to support coastal farmers, from finding the right seeds to getting their produce to the market so that they get a proper price," said Razibul Kader, a coordinator at Cordaid.
One such farmer is Josna Ray, 30, who has adopted the sorjan farming method, which involves planting vegetables on elevated ridges around an area that stores rainwater for the dry season.
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