Farmer and fisherman Kumar survives in the haor by facing the climate crisis. A two-day workshop on “Climate Change, Agroecology and Haor Adaptation Strategies” was organized by the non-governmental research organization Bangladesh Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK) and in collaboration with donor organization Oxfam at Gobindashree Shantipara Agroecology Learning Center.
The workshop, organized by the non-governmental research organization Bangladesh Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK) and in collaboration with Oxfam, was presided over by Krishani Minara Akhter, President of the Talar Haor Farmers’ Organization. Madan Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Mahmudul Hasan Mizan was present as the chief guest, and Syed Ali Biswas, Director of BARCIK, was the trainer. In addition, Gobindashree Union Parishad member Bhikkhu Mia and BARCIK regional coordinator Md. Ahidur Rahman spoke. 25 farmers, women, youth and girls from different villages of Madan Upazila participated in the workshop. They highlighted the real experience of haor and said that early floods, damage to crops due to dam collapse, lack of local seeds, irregular rain and temperature, crop diseases and labor shortage are now big challenges. In addition, soil fertility and fish reproduction are decreasing due to excessive use of pesticides. The folk adaptation methods that farmers are using to deal with the problem include – storing water in ponds and ponds and irrigating them during Chaitra-Baishakh, using cow dung and earthworm compost instead of chemical fertilizers, preparing and applying organic pesticides, protecting the homestead by planting trees like Venna, Ujaori, Hijal-Karach etc. around the house, seed conservation, vegetable cultivation in sack and tower systems, storing dried fish and seeds for the rainy season, and storing straw in the Ugar system.
Finally, winter vegetable seeds and agricultural inputs were distributed among the participants.