Productivity Improvement Opportunities in the Coastal Polders to Address Food Security Challenges of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has achieved self-sufficiency in rice using the green revolution technologies. But the 1.2 million ha land in the coastal polders have largely been deprived of these technological advancements despite huge efforts from the government, non-government and international organizations. Although there are tremendous opportunities to increase the productivity in the polders of the coastal zone through the adoption of improved cropping system technologies and practices, its wider adoption has been limited by the misperception that the river water is too saline. The results of our study showed that most rivers in the south-central coastal zone will remain non-saline until 2050 with a moderate climate change scenario A1B with 22 cm sea-level rise and a moderate precipitation change; while that in the southwest zone will remain suitable for crop production from July to mid-February (except Satkhira district). The farmer-participatory cropping trials showed the feasibility of intensifying and diversifying cropping having 2-3 times higher productivity than the current farmers’ practice with improved drainage through systematic operation of sluice gates in the polders synchronizing with high and low tides that occur twice daily in the rivers of the coastal zone. Therefore, by adopting appropriate in-polder water management, Bangladesh can make a quantum leap in meeting future food security requirements and subsequently achieving the sustainable development goal within the time frame.