FLOATING GARDEN AGRICULTURE PRACTICES IN

BANGLADESH

MD. NAZMUL ALAM

SENIOR ASSISTANT CHIEF

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, BANGLADESH

• REQUESTING AGENCY/ ORGANIZATION:

• MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, GOVERNMENT OF

BANGLADESH

• LOCATION: SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICTS OF BANGLADESH

(GOPALGONJ, PIROJPUR AND BARISAL)

GOPALGONJ DISTRICT

BARISAL DISTRICT

PIROJPUR DISTRICT

SITE IDENTIFICATION

• APPROX. SURFACE AREA: 2500 HECTARES;

• POTENTIAL AROUND 2.0 MILL HECTARES

• AEZS:

1. GOPALGONJ-KHULNA BEELS (AEZ 14). DEVELOPED ON

PEAT SOIL BENEATH &

2. GANGES TIDAL FLOODPLAIN (AEZ 13),

• NON SALINE NON CALCAREOUS.

PRACTICE

FLOATING BED (LOCAL DHAP)

UTILIZING LOCALLY AVAILABLE WATER HYACINTH AND OTHER AQUATIC

WEEDS.

THE LAND WITH THE WATER IS USED FOR PRODUCTION OF FISH IN THE

OPEN WATER AND CROPS ON THE FLOATING BEDS.

CONSTRUCTION OF FLOATING BEDS USUALLY STARTS FROM JUNE AND

CONTINUES UP TO AUGUST

SUSTAINABLE AND EASILY ADAPTABLE IN SIMILAR FLOODED CONDITION-

WATER LOGGED AREA

PRACTICE CONTD.

THE UNIQUE PRODUCTION SYSTEM, DEVELOPED IN THE HANDS OF THE

LOCALS, USING TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE FOR LIVELIHOOD.

THE PRODUCTION SYSTEM IS THE MAJOR LIVELIHOOD OPTION FOR ABOUT

60-90% OF THE LOCALS.

BIO-DIVERSE VEGETABLES AND SPICES ARE GROWN SUSTAINABLY OVER

THE YEARS

ON FLOATING SUBSTRATA MADE MAINLY OF LOCAL AQUATIC PLANTS ON

FLOODED WATER.

A LOW INPUT -LOW COST RESILIENT FAMILY FARMING PRODUCTION

SYSTEM.

BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION

• ENSURES A SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF

AGRO BIODIVERSITY,

NATURAL RESOURCES &

MULTIPLE USE OF THE LAND.

PESTS AND DISEASES INFESTATIONS ARE MINIMAL & ABUNDANT PLANT

NUTRIENTS AS A RESULT OF DECOMPOSED PLANT MATERIALS

WITH THE RECESSION OF WATER THE BEDS TOUCH THE GROUND AND

WINTER CROPS ARE GROWN ON THE ORGANIC MATTER OF THE BEDS.

THE PRODUCTION SYSTEM IS ALMOST ORGANIC.

LIVELIHOOD & FOOD SECURITY

ORGANIC PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLES IS OF IMPORTANCE FOR BOTH

LOCAL AND UPSTREAM MARKET.

SCOPE TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY, MARKETING & VALUE

ADDITION OPPORTUNITIES –R & D NEEDED.

PRACTICE IS BASED ON FOOD PRODUCTION FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

VEGETABLES AND SPICES OF DIVERSIFIED NATURE PRODUCED WHICH

SUPPLY FOOD AND NUTRITION

CROPS & CROPPING

• THE MAJOR VEGETABLES CROPS GROWN :

IN SUMMER: OKRA, RIBBED GOURD, INDIAN SPINACH, BRINJAL,

CUCUMBER, RED AMARANTHS, STEM AMARANTHS, GOURD, ETC.

IN WINTER: TURNIP, CABBAGE, CAULIFLOWER, TOMATO, RED AMARANTHS

SPICES CROP: TURMERIC, ONION AND CHILI .

MIXED INTERCROPPING IS THE MOST PREVAILING SYSTEM OF CROP

PRODUCTION.

FAMILY FARMING & WOMAN

• WHOLE FAMILY, ESPECIALLY THE WOMEN ARE INVOLVED IN

• (I) GROWING VEGETABLES,

• (II) MAKING TEMA, A STRUCTURE FOR SEEDLING GROWING,

• (II) ROWING BOAT TO NURSING THE BED,

• (III) HARVESTING AND POST HARVEST PROCESSING OF VEGETABLES,

• (IV) SEED PROCESSING AND CONSERVATION.

CROPS & CROPPING

IN SUMMER: OKRA, RIBBED GOURD, INDIAN SPINACH, BRINJAL,

CUCUMBER, RED AMARANTHS, STEM AMARANTHS, GOURD, ETC.

IN WINTER: TURNIP, CABBAGE, CAULIFLOWER, TOMATO, RED AMARANTHS

SPICES CROP: TURMERIC, ONION AND CHILI .

MIXED INTERCROPPING IS THE MOST PREVAILING SYSTEM OF CROP

PRODUCTION.

CULTURE, VALUE SYSTEMS & SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS

CROP CULTURE IS MAINLY MIXED INTERCROPPING. USE OF AGRO-

CHEMICALS IS MINIMAL.

SO THE PRODUCTION COST IS ALSO LOW AND OPERATES ORGANICALLY.

FORMAL SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS TARGETING DEVELOPMENT OF

FLOATING VEGETABLES IS YET TO DEVELOP

NEIGHBORS HELP ONE ANOTHER IN THE PREPARATION AND

MANAGEMENT OF THE BEDS.

NO SPECIFIC SOCIO-CULTURE SYSTEM IS REPORTED.

THREATS & CHALLENGES

OWING TO SALINITY IS PENETRATING THROUGH THE RIVERS AND CREEKS.

GROWTH OF WATER HYACINTH IS AFFECTED IN SALINE WATER.

AVAILABILITY OF WATER HYACINTH IN FUTURE MAY BE REDUCED AS A

RESULT OF SALINITY INTRUSION IN TIDAL FLOW C.C

MARKETS PAY FOR GOODS; NOT FOR CULTURE, BIODIVERSITY,

SUSTAINABILITY, ETC.

RODENT ATTACK DAMAGES THE CROP

STRONG WIND/WAVE/STORM SOMETIMES DRIVE AWAY/ DAMAGE THE

DHAP

We have UNESCO heritage sites…………

So, let’s have FAO heritage site in Bangladesh

What do you think?

Thank You