Evaluation on the impacts of polders on the changes in land use patterns in the south-western region of Bangladesh

Abstract

The objective of the study was to understand the changes in agricultural land use pattern (and people's perception of the projects) as a result of construction of polders in the South- Western coastal belt of Bangladesh. Three polders were selected for in depth study. Rapid Rural Appraisal technique was used to collect information. A checklist/questionnaire covering socioeconomic conditions, occupational patterns, change in overall environment, area and intensity of land use pattern, changes in crops and cropping pattern was prepared during the planning stage of the survey works. Farmers were selected for interviews randomly with attention being paid to their experience in farming and age. The polderisation in the coastal belt was initiated primarily with the aim of tidal flood protection and create environment for improving the agricultural production and thereby improve the socio-economic condition of farmers of the area. People felt secured against periodic inundation by high tides. Prior to polderisation, local people used to construct embankments on temporary basis, every year. Therefore, they were familiar with the technical solution adopted for flood protection. No remarkable change in agricultural land use pattern was observed immediately after the project was completed. Gradually the fallow lands were brought under cultivation and improved varieties of rice were introduced. Before the polderisation less than 30 % of the coastal area are under cultivation and the land was single cropped. The crop area and crop yield increased and double cropping and triple cropping have be.~n possible in certain areas because of the flood protection facility in existence. Changes in land use pattern may summarised as; from fallow to agricultural land; then from low yield variety to High Yield Variety paddy; and very recently from paddy cultivation to shrimp farming. In fact, in many polders shrimp (either freshwater or saline water variety) are prominent land use category. It has been observed that immediately after completion of polders, they functioned properly. But soon conditions deteriorated, in some areas, mainly due to siltation in the out fall channels of drainage regulators. This resulted into water logging and forced into further changes in land use. Fisheries replaced paddy production in such case.