Comparative assessment of gender perspectives for shrimp and mixed farming practices in a coastal Upazila

Abstract

Intensive shrimp farming practices are adopted in the south-east coastal region of Bangladesh posing threat to the existing paddy cultivation turning into a hard socio-cultural environment. Mixed farming practices are also done by the local farmers to get rid of the impacts of shrimp farming practices. This study was taken up to carry out a gender analysis to see the social impacts of shrimp and mixed farm practices in two coastal unions of Tala upazila and to make a comparison between the two farming practices and their gender impacts. The Harvard Analytical Framework (HAF), a gender analysis tool, was applied and activity profile, access and control profiles of affected women and men of two unions - Kumira with shrimp farming and Jalalpur with mixed farming practices were seen at field levels with “yes’ and “no” responses through predefined questionnaire. The results showed that mixed farming practices are more women friendly and acceptable to men also. “yes” response counts of productive activities of women at Kumira and Jalalpur were found 2 and 9 respectively, demonstrating a clear signature of acceptance my women. Similarly, “yes” response counts of productive activities of men at Kumira and Jalalpur were found 10 and 11 respectively. It means productive activities of men are less influenced than women. Women suffered mostly due to shrimp farming practices. “yes” response counts of reproductive activities of women at Kumira are found 6 while at Jalalpur are 9. “yes” response counts of community management activities for women at Kumira are found 1 while in case of Jalalpur are 3 indicating a very weaker role of women in community management activities in shrimp farming practices, while they are increased by thrice in mixed mode farming practices. “yes” response counts of access and control over resources of women at Kumira are found 0, while at Jalalpur are found 3, meaning a very hard condition for women regarding access and control in a shrimp farm. The condition has been found substantially improved in a mixed farming agriculture indicating a gender friendly environment. “yes” response counts of access and control over decision making at Kumira are found 1 and at Jalalpur 4. Again, it indicates that women in a shrimp farm have no decision power because of land lord type shrimp cultivation. On the contrary, mixed farming practices are women friendly and offer opportunities for them to take up their own decisions. “yes” response counts of access and control over improved living at Kumira are found 2 and at Jalalpur 6. Mixed farming practices enhanced living condition as a whole and especially for women. Mixed farming practices create many opportunities of livelihood improvements like cattle rearing, duck rearing, chicken rearing, fisheries, vegetable cultivation, nurseries, fruit productions, etc. Water supply and sanitation facilities are also improved in mixed farming practices, while they are reduced to a single shrimp cultivation practice. SWOT analysis, one case study from Kumira and two case studies from Jalalpur also reinforced the similar types of positive results found for the case of mixed mode farming practices by the HAF. The mixed mode farming is gender responsive, environmental friendly and socio-cultural sensitive. The study results might be useful in formulation of gender as well as land use policies for coastal Bangladesh. From social perspectives, the results are supposed to provide good guidelines for practitioners to take up appropriate gender actions.