Productivity in coastal areas can be doubled: Scientist

Productivity in the coastal areas in Bangladesh can be doubled with coordinated efforts to improved crop productions and mitigate the risks of climate change, said a senior scientist of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), reports BSS.
"Land and water productivity in the polders of coastal Bangladesh have tremendous potential to be improved, profitable, and resilient to problems brought about by climate change," said Dr Manoranjan Mondal, collaborative research scientist under the Crop and Environmental Sciences Division and the Social Sciences Division of IRRI.
The scientist made the observation during a presentation at the 4th International Rice Congress held between October 27 and November 1, 2014 in Bangkok, Thailand.
A delegation of senior scientists of Bangladesh Rice Research Institution (BRRI) took part in the Congress for exchanging ideas, experiences, best practices, and learning about the latest developments in rice science as well as key issues in the rice industry.
Mr Mondal told a seminar of the Congress that more than 130 polders (low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments) in Bangladesh were constructed in the 1950s-60s to prevent tidal flooding and saline water intrusion.
'Despite enormous investment, land productivity remains low and water resources underutilised'.
To unlock the productivity potential in the polders, Mr Mondal suggested making more investment in improved water management, with special emphasis on drainage and infrastructure.
He also discussed the need to organise community-based resource management and link water users with the production system and advised improving drainage in polders, which will increase fresh water availability during the dry season.
Moreover, he said drainage must also be able to avoid prolonged flooding during the aman crop, and allow salt to leach from the shrimp farm prior to transplanting the aman crop.