Role of Information in Farmers’ Response to Weather and Water Related Stresses in the Lower Bengal Delta, Bangladesh

Uthpal Kumar, Saskia Werners, Sharmishtha Roy, Sadia Ashraf, Long Phi Hoang, Dilip Kumar Datta and Fulco Ludwig
Additional contact information
Uthpal Kumar: Water Systems and Global Change, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Saskia Werners: Water Systems and Global Change, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Sharmishtha Roy: Environmental Science Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, 9208 Khulna, Bangladesh
Sadia Ashraf: Environmental Science Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, 9208 Khulna, Bangladesh
Long Phi Hoang: Water Systems and Global Change, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Dilip Kumar Datta: Environmental Science Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, 9208 Khulna, Bangladesh
Fulco Ludwig: Water Systems and Global Change, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 16, 1-24

Abstract: Farmers in the lower Bengal Delta around the city of Khulna, Bangladesh, are particularly vulnerable to hydro-climatic variability. Phenomena such as heavy rain, drought and salt intrusion increasingly affect their crop production, with far-reaching socio-economic and environmental impacts. Reliable hydro-climatic information service received in a timely manner could help farmers improve their responses to hydro-climatic variability, thus improving their agricultural decision-making. However, significant challenges persist regarding information uptake and the role of information from the available sources. We designed an explorative research framework combining different participatory methods and analysis of climate data. Our aim was to examine three key research questions: (i) what information is currently available to farmers for agricultural practices and decision-making? (ii) what is the perceived quality of the available hydro-climatic information in response to water and weather related stresses? (iii) how does the available information influence farmers’ decision-making? We found that farmers had access to information from five main sources: informal contacts, formal contacts, education and training programs, traditional media (like television) and modern ICT tools/social media. However, informal contacts, particularly with peer farmers and private input suppliers, were the farmers’ main source, in addition to their own previous experiences. Farmers perceived hydro-climatic variability as high and the quality of available hydro-climatic information as poor. They indicated a need for more accurate, time-specific, trusted and actionable information for improving agricultural decision-making. We conclude that there is high potential and need for hydro-climatic information services tailored for farmers in the study area.

Keywords: hydro-climatic information; agricultural decisions; Bengal Delta; Bangladesh (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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