The rising trend of shrimp cultivation with its negative consequences on environment, ecology and agricultural land is becoming a major concern for the country's south-western region. Despite the immediate gains from local marketing and exports, the present method of shrimp cultivation is fraught with dangers. Here, such immediate benefits, as experts believe, will prove very costly for the overall livelihood of millions of people inhabiting in the region. In this connection, absence of a national policy and strategy on sustainable shrimp cultivation is identified as a fundamental problem. The National Shrimp Cultivation Policy 2014 is largely blamed for not doing the needful for bringing about the desired change in the method of cultivation pursued by most farmers, big or small.
It is generally recognised that the salinity-prone southern region of the country is fast turning into an arid, infertile land mass due to increasing salinity in agricultural lands from unabated saline water shrimp farming. It has already rendered thousands jobless, besides taking away the support that could be had from growing crops, rearing livestock and getting engaged in other forms of farm activities. At a recent roundtable deliberation held in the capital, threats of irresponsible shrimp farming were highlighted by the participants. Speakers there pointed to the fact that much of the evil is prompted by the present policy about shrimp cultivation. This only takes note of the cash returns from the on-going unscientific farming practice ignoring the adverse effects on environment, livelihoods, agriculture and public health. Studies have shown that beside the hard cash that goes to a section of the rich, the social and economic costs of saline water shrimp firming are overwhelming against the well-being of the vast majority of people in the areas. There is thus the unquestionable need to formulate policies to ensure a departure from the on-going practice of shrimp cultivation around human habitats and agricultural lands and also to devise a scientific method that must not interrupt with crop cultivation and livelihoods of farmers.
Shrimp is no doubt precious for Bangladesh given its commendable contribution to the economy over the decades. Coastal aquaculture in the country is mainly based on shrimp cultivation, and shrimp accounts for a lion's share in the export of frozen foods. The prospect of growth in shrimp export is also immense because overseas buyers take special fancy for some unique varieties of shrimps from Bangladesh. While all this is indisputable, ignoring the damage caused by the present method of shrimp firming may prove disastrous ultimately.
The signs of such damage are already beginning to be visible through the deterioration of soil and water quality, depletion of mangrove forest, decrease of local variety of rice and fish, saline water intrusion in ground water, local water pollution and so on. It is thus in the greater interest that the concerned quarters should put their heads together in addressing the situation. This is to say, appropriate strategy has to be evolved so that shrimp cultivation is free from the dangers posed to lives, livelihoods and environment.
Need for sustainable shrimp cultivation
FE Team | Published: June 05, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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