DHAKA: Residents of Lakshmipur, a small Santal village in Sapahar upazila (sub-district) Naogaon – within the Varendra region – once used to cultivate paddy and other seasonal crops.
However, due to rapidly declining groundwater level in the area, the villagers are faced with a crisis of water for cultivation, and forced to gradually change their agricultural practices.
The Varendra region’s unique geology, hot and humid weather, and sparse rainfall further add to the challenges.
In response to the decline in groundwater level and climate change issues, BRAC, the world’s largest southern-led development organisation, initiated its climate adaptive agriculture programme in 2023 in the region.
It helped families sustain their livelihood by setting up small vegetable gardens in their home yards, ensure food security and even create employment opportunities for women.
Alongside, the villagers, as well as other residents in the sub-district, became heavily engaged in growing mangoes in orchards over the past several years. Now it is among the top mango producing areas.
“We used to grow different kinds of crops on our lands, but now water shortage doesn’t allow us to engage in traditional cultivation,” said villager Ganesh Murmu.
“Recently, after receiving training, we started cultivating different vegetables on our yards,” he added.
Another villager, Gita Murmu, echoed him.
Farmers have embraced mango cultivation because the trees require far less water compared to Boro paddy.
The area’s dense mango orchards are both a response to and a consequence of the existing water crisis.
The BRAC climate adaptive agriculture project currently runs in 17 upazilas across eight districts.
Kaniz Fatema Tuz Zohra, programme manager of BRAC’s climate change initiative, explained, “For proper land utilisation, we are promoting multi-cropping. Farmers are now growing turmeric inside mango orchards. This ensures optimum use of land.”
Household vegetable gardening has also been supported by a water-retention technique known as mulching.
“Polythene sheets are placed beneath ponds to hold water, which can then be used instantly for irrigation. People here have been using this method for a year and are benefiting from it,” she said.
The ponds, which previously could not hold water, are now capable of storing up to 1.7 million litres, which can be used for longer periods, directly benefiting farmers, according to Zillur Rahman, area manager of BRAC’s climate change programme.
“Our other climate-adaptive measures to ensure better yields include using drought-resistant seeds that need less water,” he added.
BRAC also set up a one-stop service centre for local farmers in Sapahar in 2021, where the farmers receive soil testing and tailored advice to adopt climate-resilient practices.
A study by Rajshahi University’s Department of Geology and Mining shows that the region’s groundwater level depleted from 30 feet in 2000 to around 55-60 feet at present.
“In some areas farmers were forced to suspend their Boro cultivation this year due to dwindling groundwater level, explained the department’s Professor Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan, who studied the Varendra region’s geology for decades.
"In recent years, due to scarcity of water, mango orchards have been expanding here, and now Sapahar is among the highest mango producer in the region.”
Explaining the root causes of groundwater depletion, Prof Jahan said, “Rajshahi receives 40 per cent less rainfall than the national average – only 1,200-1,300 mm annually compared to 2,500 mm nationally.”
“The region’s clay layer runs around 36 metres deep, preventing rainwater from quickly percolating underground. Moreover, the elevated landforms – with some areas rising 47-48 metres above sea level – cause rainwater to run off into rivers like the Mahananda, Punarbhaba, Padma, and Atrai instead of being retained.” he also said.
“To make the situation worse, heavy reliance on deep tubewells for irrigation, combined with the government’s lack of regulations, has put immense pressure on groundwater reserves,” he added.
Prof Jahan further said, “We are using a four ‘R’ formula – recharge groundwater, reduce use, restore groundwater levels, and recycle water. NGOs are helping to spread awareness about this.”
He warned that this water crisis not only affects crop yields but also contributes to change in livelihoods, as many farmers are being forced to move into other professions like van or rickshaw pulling.
While mango orchards create some employment, those cannot replace the diverse year-round opportunities offered by traditional farming.
Still, community-based solutions are emerging, as evident from the case of Lakshmipur village.
Resilience is possible with the right knowledge and support to communities to adapt to the realities of climate change by blending tradition, innovation, and collective effort. - The Daily Star/ANN
