Salinity on cultivable land and its effects on crops

This study was conducted during the period of May to December2001 in four thanas under three southwestern districts of Bangladesh.In the present study structured interview schedule was used as datacollection tool. In the surveyed area most of the farmers (45%) havingabove 4 acres of land and only 23% farmers had 2 acres of land. Themajor field crop of the study area was rice (aman/boro). Other cropslike jute, sesame, groundnut, potato, mustard, vegetables (especiallywinter vegetables) were also grown in limited areas. About 41%farmers mentioned the salinity intrusion as a major barrier for cropcultivation and 23% farmers mentioned that the increase of salinity inriver water is another major cause for salinity increase in cropland.Different farmers described the consequences of salinity in variousdimensions, the major effect was the reduction in crop yield (34%farmers). The increasing trend of salinity in southwest region ofBangladesh is reducing the farmers' interest to cultivate variousagricultural crops. In the study area, the fruit trees like mango,bettle nut, coconut, sapota, date palm, giant taro, jack fruit, blackberry, wax jambu etc are disappearing gradually. The effect ofsalinity is not only functional on crops but its impact on environmentis now well recognized. Declining tree species, reducing soil fertility,increasing disease and insect infestation in field crops, increasinghuman and animal diseases are the major impact of increasing salinity.Native fish species in open and fresh water bodies are alsodisappearing gradually.