Changes in farming practices with changes in flow and salinity of Gorai river

Abstract

The elosure of lhe Gorai off take after the commi"ioning of Farakka barrage in 1975 has resulted in a number of hydro-morphological and enviromnentaJ impacls. In 1998199,a major dre<lgingprogramme was initiated, By early 1999, lhe river off lake was re-opened. A :;econd an<l thir<l season of dredging wa:; undertahn in 199912000 and 200012001. Waler availability in the upper reachcs of lhe Goral River system increased and salinity in tile lower and middle reaches <lecreased. The:;e changes have an influence on lhe fanning practices. This study was undertaken to investigate the change~ ill pa<ldy,bagda and golda farming practices due 10change in flow and :;alinity ofGorai River. Three different villages namely Talbunia Ullder Batiaghata union located in Khulna district, ChollO Bishnupur under Bemarta union located in llagerhal <lislric:tand Ambaria under Gazirhat union located in Khulna di,lricl have jbeen selected to .J!1'yestigate the changes in Bagda, Golda and Paddy cullivation re:;pective[ The ~ites were :;elected on the ba;is of some representative criteria, ample size was delermined through the approach based on precision rale and confidence level. Total sample size wa~ 102 (37 for paddy, 25 for bagda and 40 for goJda). Stratified random sampling has been applied for the sampling proccdurc. The 10lal sanlple population i.e. the households are categorized into three groups based on their land ownership. The three groups are small (0.01 10 1.00 hal, mcdium (i ,01 to 2.00 hal and large famls (2.01 ha and above). Data were collected from the,~ three types of farmers by ~truclured qucstiollllaire. HYV paddy cultivation started ullhe study area ill year2000 due 10d~creasc in rivcr waler ;alinily. Before 2000, fields remained fallow in dry season. Ferlilizers, peslicides input was found increasing. U:;e of plough in field preparation has been replaced by power liller. Increaslllg production was found in Ihe SIIlc!Yarea. Average paddy production was 3.65 lonlha and 4.58 tonlha in year 2000-01 and 2003-04 respectively. The net bcnefit in year 2000-01 and 2003-04 was 5,233 Tklha and 7,4461klha respectively. Bagda cullure is hampercd due to virus dIseases. The increase in viru~ diseases may be hnked to less salinily. DiffcrClllfood inputs were foulld to be used after dredging works to prolecl bagda from diseases, Decreasing prodU~li(}1lwag found in the srndy area. Average bagda production was 378 kg/ha, 291 kglha and 263 kgllJa in year 19%-97,2000-01 and 2003-04 respeclively. Net benefll was found decreaging siglllflcantly. The nel benefil in year 1996-97, 2000-01 and 2003--04 was 1,78,545 Tklha, 63,428 Tklha and 23,510 Thlha respeetively. Golda cnlture using river waler is found in the ;Iudy area duc 10 decrease in river waler salinity. Golda culture Slarted in year 2000. Befm" year 2000, lhose fields were used for bagda culture. Now bagda and golda mixed culture is practiced. Increasing production was found in lhe study area. Average golda production were 180 kglha and 237 kglha in year 2000-01 and 2003--04respectively. Thc nel benefit in year 200)-01 and 2003-04 "as 21,601 Tklha and 31,328 Tklha rcspectively.