7.1. Introduction
The
high financial returns from shrimp farm ventures has been a primary factor
behind the rapid change of land use and farmers occupation along the coastal
area of Bangladesh. As a result, substantial areas of vegetation and paddy
fields have been converted in shrimp ponds.
During
the past earlier than 60s, there was no socio-economic conflict between
brackish water aquaculture and rice farmers. In the 1960s, Bangladesh Water
Development Board (BWDB) started building up coastal embankments to prevent
saline water incursion on the land with a view to ensuring year-round
agricultural crop production. During the late 60s, however, export of frozen
shrimp, fish and frog legs from the country started and freezing plants were
setup in Chittagong and Khulna. Realizing the lucrative business in shrimp
export, many local rich people and businessmen engaged in shrimp culture
operations in their suitable lands within the embankment in Satkhira, Bagerhat
and Khulna. This business minded people did make breaches across the
embankments to bring in and drain out saline waters into and out of the Ghers within the embankments.
7.2
Socio-economic Position of the Respondents
7.2.1 Households
Characteristics
The Table
7.1 is revealed that about 94.38% of
the respondents have been living in study area permanently from their
livelihood. The place of origin were mostly around the coastal area. A few of
the respondents moved from other upazila in Bagerhat district (3.54 %), or
other district from Khulna division (2.08 %) to follow their spouse after
marriage.
Thirty seven per cent of the households had less
than national average number of less 5 members. Average family size had been recorded
6.22 persons per household. Majority of the households having 5-8 persons
recorded at 57.49 per cent. About
80.89 per cent of the households members were labour age ( with age
between 16-60 years). Of these, 10.77 per cent were studying, 8.34 per cent had
no work, while 80.89 per cent were working.
As for the respondents education level, about 26.25 per cent have attended primary school,
with 22.25 per cent attended secondary school. A very few of the households
have graduation (3.91%). Near about fifty per cent members of the households have no education
that is one the reason for traditional shrimp rather than scientific shrimp
cultivation. Most of the respondents had been engaged in shrimp culture for more
than 10 years. It could be inferred that the period of staying around the
coastal area and duration of engagement in shrimp farming seemed to be closely
related. The main reason for the shift in occupation to shrimp culture by
farmers inside and outside the study area was the much higher income that could
be achieved from shrimp culture compared to their previous occupation.
7.2.2 Types of
Occupation
Atiur (1994) reported in 1993, agriculture was the
principal occupation of majority of the respondents (38.25%). Only 14 per cent
of the respondents have said that shrimp farming is their first occupation. At
present (1999) this figure have been increased to 22.45 per cent. Majority
members of the household have engaged with more than one occupation which
accounted 62.53 per cent called as secondary occupation. Shrimp farming
occupation dominant (38.41%) over agriculture (35.7%) as a secondary
occupation.
Table 7.1 Household Characteristics
|
Items
|
|
Percentage
|
|
1.
Place of Origin
|
|
|
|
|
a)
Within the study area
|
94.38
|
|
|
b)
Outside the study area
|
3.54
|
|
|
c)
Other districts
|
2.08
|
|
Total
|
|
100.00
|
|
2.
Household size
|
|
|
|
Average
household size = 6.22
|
<
5 members
|
37.43
|
|
|
5 -
8 members
|
57.49
|
|
|
>
8 members
|
5.08
|
|
Total
|
|
100.00
|
|
3.
Educational attachment
|
|
|
|
|
a)
Primary school
|
26.25
|
|
|
b)
Secondary school
|
22.24
|
|
|
c) Graduation
|
3.91
|
|
|
d)
No education
|
47.60
|
|
Total
|
|
100.00
|
|
4.
Active labour force (16 - 60 years)
|
|
|
|
|
a)
Studying
|
10.77
|
|
|
b)
Working
|
80.89
|
|
|
c)
Not working
|
8.34
|
|
Total
|
|
100.00
|
|
4.
Occupation (Primary)
|
|
|
|
|
a)
Agriculture
|
38.25
|
|
|
b)
Shrimp farm
|
22.45
|
|
|
c)
Business
|
12.66
|
|
|
d)
Day labour
|
14.36
|
|
|
e)
Professional
|
12.27
|
|
Total
|
|
100.00
|
|
5.
Occupation (Secondary)
|
|
|
|
Only
62.53 % of the total population
|
a)
Agriculture
|
35.70
|
|
have
secondary occupation
|
b)
Shrimp farm
|
38.41
|
|
|
c)
Business
|
9.81
|
|
|
d)
Day labour
|
14.61
|
|
|
e)
Professional
|
1.46
|
|
Total
|
|
100.00
|
Source: Field Survey. 1999
7.2.3
Income Distribution
Equally
skewed is the distribution of the respondents when categorised in terms of
income groups. Salaries people and ghers owner possesses the highest income in
the study area. About 11.8 per cent and 35.4 per cent of the respondents have
an annual income exceeding one lakhs. About 36.8 per cent of salaries people,
37.5 per cent of the business people and 27.9 per cent belong to Taka 20,000 to
50,000 income groups. Whereas
the remaining 36% of them belong to less than Taka. 20,000 income group (Table 8.5).
Table
7.2: Classification of respondents on the basis of yearly income
|
Income Group
|
Percentage of Different Category
|
|||||||
|
|
Salary
|
House Rent
|
Business
|
Wage
|
Agriculture
|
Livestock & Poultry
|
Gher
|
Others
|
|
<10000
|
5.9
|
66.7
|
19.8
|
42.3
|
56.5
|
97.8
|
5.4
|
63.1
|
|
10000-20000
|
20.6
|
33.3
|
35.4
|
29.6
|
24.8
|
0.9
|
8.6
|
18.5
|
|
20000-50000
|
36.8
|
0.0
|
37.5
|
22.5
|
15.2
|
0.9
|
27.9
|
12.3
|
|
50000-100000
|
25.0
|
0.0
|
7.3
|
5.6
|
2.2
|
0.0
|
22.9
|
6.2
|
|
100000+
|
11.8
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
1.4
|
0.3
|
35.4
|
0.0
|
|
Total
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
|
Household number
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
% of total household
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source Field Survey, 1999
|
Category
|
Frequency
|
Income
|
Percentage of total
|
Income per household
|
|
Salary
|
68
|
3724600
|
9.47
|
54773.53
|
|
House Rent
|
3
|
25000
|
0.06
|
8333.33
|
|
business
|
96
|
2304475
|
5.86
|
24004.95
|
|
Wage
|
72
|
2439700
|
6.20
|
33884.72
|
|
Agriculture
|
363
|
5436590
|
13.82
|
14976.83
|
|
Livestock & Poultry
|
316
|
959470
|
2.44
|
3036.30
|
|
Gher
|
279
|
23565260
|
59.89
|
84463.30
|
|
Others
|
65
|
891600
|
2.27
|
13716.92
|
|
TOTAL
|
374
|
39346695
|
100.00
|
105205.07
|
7.2.4 Sources
of Water according to Use
Surface and ground water quality is contaminated
by shrimp farming in the study area. People in the study area use tube wells as
the main source of drinking water. Water bodies such as pond, canal and river
have been used for bathing, cleaning and washing. Livestock are also bathed and
cleaned in the same water. During 1975, about fifty two per cent of the
respondents from the study area were reported that shallow tube well was used
for drinking purpose. As increased salinity by the shrimp farming the sources
of drinking water are changing. Use of deep tube well for drinking purpose was
increased to 33 per cent at 1985 and 46.8 per cent at 1999. Table 7.3 shows the sources of
available water according to different use.
Table
7.3 Water sources and uses for
household purpose.
|
Use
|
Sources
|
% of total in 1975
|
% of total
1985
|
Difference in % (1985-75)
|
% of total in 1999
|
Difference in % over 1999-75
|
|
Drinking
|
Shallow
tube well
|
52.30
|
24.55
|
-27.75
|
16.16
|
- 36.14
|
|
Deep
tube well
|
42.34
|
75.45
|
33.11
|
89.84
|
46.80
|
|
|
Pond
|
5.36
|
0
|
- 5.36
|
0
|
- 5.36
|
|
|
Canal
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
River
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
Bathing
|
Shallow
tube well
|
15.02
|
10.67
|
- 4.35
|
5.23
|
- 9.79
|
|
Deep
tube well
|
9.60
|
11.27
|
1.67
|
27.02
|
17.42
|
|
|
Pond
|
75.37
|
78.06
|
2.69
|
67.75
|
- 7.62
|
|
|
River
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
Cooking
|
Shallow
tube well
|
59.42
|
27.35
|
- 32.07
|
18.59
|
- 40.83
|
|
Deep
tube well
|
15.13
|
52.65
|
37.52
|
71.98
|
56.85
|
|
|
Pond
|
25.45
|
20.00
|
- 5.45
|
9.43
|
- 16.02
|
|
|
Canal
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
River
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Source: Field survey, 1999.
8.13 Social Environment and Occurrence of Crime
The people of the study area led a vibrant
socio-cultural life not very long ago. But because of diverse socio-cultural
and other reasons during the one and half decades the scenario of social
environment in Khulna city has markedly deteriorated. Now from theft to
violation of minor girls/women and even murder in the broad day light are
becoming a usual phenomenon in the city. Nobody feels safe from these
miscreants. Prevailing common social crimes in the city are hijacking, vandalism,
looting, dacoities, stealing, toll extortion (forceful money collection),
abduction and trafficking of child and woman. In the city some 15 crime spots
or zones have been identified.
As far as social environment is concerned,
stealing was at the top of the list amounting to a 32 per cent of the total
crime occurred in the city last year (April - June). It is followed by
ransacking (20 per cent), dacoities (14 per cent), and toll extortion (7 per
cent). Among the 31 Wards, worsely affected Wards are 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 18, 22,
25, 26, 27, 29 and 31, where 100 per cent of the sample households acknowledged
that they are in the grip of social evils. On the contrary, as far as social
crime is concerned, the inhabitants of the Ward Nos. 2, 3, 13, 24, 16, 17, 21,4
and 20 feel more safe (Appendix XXXXIII).
Table 8.13.1 shows the types of crimes occurred in
the city during April – June, 1998.
Table 42:
Percentage of the Respondents about occurrences of crimes
|
Types
of
|
Percentage
|
Percentage of
differences
|
||||
|
Incidents
|
1975
|
1985
|
1999
|
1985-75
|
1999-85
|
1999-75
|
|
Theft
|
19.0
|
27.8
|
39.6
|
8.8
|
11.8
|
20.6
|
|
Dacoities
|
3.5
|
4.0
|
6.4
|
0.5
|
2.4
|
2.9
|
|
Murder
|
0.0
|
0.8
|
0.5
|
0.8
|
-0.3
|
0.5
|
|
Plundering
|
2.4
|
3.2
|
5.9
|
0.8
|
2.7
|
3.5
|
|
Snatching
|
1.9
|
4.0
|
6.7
|
2.1
|
2.7
|
4.8
|
|
Court
Case
|
1.1
|
11.0
|
14.2
|
9.9
|
3.2
|
13.1
|
|
Toll
Extortion
|
0.3
|
0.5
|
3.5
|
0.3
|
2.9
|
3.2
|
|
Forcible
Occupation of Land
|
0.3
|
2.9
|
14.2
|
2.7
|
11.2
|
13.9
|
|
Plundering
of Crops
|
0.3
|
1.1
|
4.8
|
0.8
|
3.7
|
4.5
|
|
Total
|
28.6
|
55.3
|
95.7
|
26.7
|
40.4
|
67.1
|
Table 8.13.1: Occurrences of Crimes
|
Type of
crime
|
Numbers
|
Percentage
|
|
Murder
|
8
|
5.3
|
|
Violation
of minor girls / women
|
9
|
6
|
|
Ransack /
Firing / Burning
|
17
|
11.3
|
|
Abduction
/ Kidnap
|
7
|
4.8
|
|
Toll
extortion
|
27
|
18
|
|
Hijacking
/ Dacoities
|
44
|
29.3
|
|
Uncontrolled
Agitation
|
33
|
22
|
|
Child and
women trafficking
|
2
|
1.3
|
|
Child and
women abuse
|
3
|
2
|
|
Total
|
150
|
100
|
Source: The Daily Purbanchal, April-June, 1998
7.3 Cost
Associate with Shrimp Farming
There are two major cost involved in the shrimp
farming. Ghers construction and equipment cost is the initial amount for
development of farm and machinery needed for it. In Rampal, most of the farms
are situated on the paddy field. On this field, a ‘vheribadh’ (embankment of
the paddy field about height 3-6 ft for the purpose of shrimp culture) with a
shape of square or rectangle is constructed to develop a shrimp farm. The other
associated cost invested within the gher for the development of shrimp and
shrimp farm is called operational cost are describe below
Operational Cost
The operational cost included shrimp pond
preparation, land preparation, collection of shrimp fry, water purification,
food, medicine and fertilizer. Harvesting and marketing of the shrimp also
included in this cost. In some cases, it is included of land rental or lease
cost. Lease cost for shrimp farming is increased gradually. The farmers have to
pay Taka 20,000-25000 per ha per year. Usually the lease cost is fixed for a
given period of time i.e. the lease contact period which is commonly one- three
years. Average lease rate from 19975-99 in Rampal Thana is shown in Table 7.5.
Table 7.5
Average, minimum and maximum lease cost per ha per year from 1994-99
|
Annual lease cost Taka per ha
|
1975
|
1985
|
1999
|
|
Average
|
2316
|
5096
|
6023
|
|
Minimum
|
1782
|
2376
|
2376
|
|
Maximum
|
2851
|
7603
|
9504
|
Source: Field Survey, 1999
The average operational cost for the households
with their owned ghers was 33,341 Taka/ha/crop. The average operational cost
for households with rented ghers was 38,258 Taka/ha/crop. The operational cost
by items is shown in Figure 7.1. The
price of shrimp fry, pond preparation and labour wages were the first, second
and third highest items in terms of operational cost.
Table 7.1
Distribution of shrimp farming operational cost by items
|
Items
|
Cost in taka
|
|
Lease
|
6023
|
|
Pond preparation
|
4256
|
|
Land preparation
|
1464
|
|
Fri collection
|
13146
|
|
Water purification
|
373
|
|
Liming
|
247
|
|
Fertilizer
|
578
|
|
Wage
|
9184
|
|
Food
|
603
|
|
Medicine
|
487
|
|
Harvesting
|
1136
|
|
Marketing
|
760
|
|
Total
|
38258
|
Shrimp
farming operational cost excluding lease cost of land
|
Items
|
Cost in taka
|
|
Pond preparation
|
4256
|
|
Land preparation
|
1464
|
|
Fri collection
|
13146
|
|
Water purification
|
373
|
|
Liming
|
247
|
|
Fertilizer
|
578
|
|
Wage
|
9184
|
|
Food
|
603
|
|
Medicine
|
487
|
|
Harvesting
|
1136
|
|
Marketing
|
760
|
|
Total
|
32235
|
Shrimp production
Harvesting of matured shrimp started after 2-3
months of first stocked fry in the farms. And after that in every ‘gons’ (occur
every 15 days interval on the basis of full moon and new moon) farmers harvest
their produce on regular basis. Generally, when the size of shrimps are 15
grade (15 shrimps make one kilogram), or 20 grade or 40 grade, farmers are
harvested with out any hesitation. Most of respondents informed that they sell
their produce from the farm/gher gate as soon as it is harvested. Production
of shrimp was increased after changing from traditional extensive
cultivation to improve extensive cultivation. Average production of shrimp was
87.25 kg/ha in 1975 and increased at 179.86 kg/ha. Shrimp production by the
year 1999 was 202.92 kg/ha/yr and calculated increasing rate during 1975-99 was
132 per cent (Table 7.6).
Table 7.6
Production of shrimp in different years
|
Fish
|
Production in kg per Hectare
|
Increasing rate (%)
|
||||
|
|
1975
|
1985
|
1999
|
1975-85
|
1985-99
|
1975-99
|
|
Shrimp
|
157.94
|
179.86
|
202.56
|
13.87
|
12.62
|
28.25
|
Source:
Field Survey, 1999
Different prices for different sizes of shrimp
were found in the study area. The local market price depends on the
international market price. In 1999 the average price of 15 grade shrimp was
500 Taka, at the same time minimum and maximum prices was Taka 425 and Taka 550
respectively (Table 7.7).
Table 7.7 Price per kilogram of shrimp on
different sizes in 1999.
|
Price
level
|
15 grade
Taka ($)
|
20 grade
Taka ($)
|
30 grade
Taka ($)
|
40 grade
Taka ($)
|
|
Average
|
500 (10.0)
|
450 (9.0)
|
400 (8.0)
|
300 (6.0)
|
|
Minimum
|
425 (8.5)
|
375 (7.5)
|
325 (7.0)
|
250 (5.0)
|
|
Maximum
|
550 (10.5)
|
475 (9.5)
|
450 (9.0)
|
350 (7.0)
|
Source: Field Survey, 1999
Net annual income
In
this study, the net income is calculated by deducting operation cost from gross
income. The gross annual income is obtained from multiplying the production of
the total crops by the sale price. The annual operational cost is computed by
total annual cost had been incurred by starting of shrimp to marketing of the
harvested shrimp. It should be emphasized that the capital cost and the loss of
opportunity cost are not included in the calculation.
The
net annual income of the households with their own ghers was 2,4998 Taka/ha. Table 7.8 shows the summary of the
cost-benefit statement of shrimp in the study area.
Table
7.8: Cost-benefit statement of shrimp
|
Crop
|
Operational
cost /ha
|
Gross
income/ha
|
Net
income/ha
|
|
Shrimp
(own gher)
|
32,235
|
58,336
|
2,4995
|
|
Shrimp
(Rented gher)
|
38,258
|
58,336
|
2,0078
|
Source: Field Survey, 1999
7.3 Cost
Associate with Agricultural Farming
Table 7.1 Distribution of agricultural farming
operational cost by items
|
Items
|
Year
|
|||||
|
1975
|
1985
|
1999
|
||||
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
|
|
Land preparation
|
599.08
|
33.26
|
1010.44
|
23.45
|
2105.71
|
29.34
|
|
Seed
|
174.73
|
9.70
|
339.29
|
7.87
|
581.62
|
8.11
|
|
Transplantation
|
561.89
|
31.19
|
820.72
|
19.05
|
1485.19
|
20.70
|
|
Fertilizer
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
382.79
|
8.88
|
718.22
|
10.01
|
|
Weed
|
360.00
|
19.98
|
597.62
|
13.87
|
820.58
|
11.43
|
|
Pesticides
|
237.50
|
13.18
|
342.00
|
7.94
|
506.81
|
7.06
|
|
Harvesting
|
641.95
|
35.64
|
816.41
|
18.95
|
957.94
|
13.35
|
|
Total
|
1801.34
|
100.00
|
4309.29
|
100.00
|
7176.07
|
100.00
|
Agricultural Production
Agricultural
production in the study area is classified rice based shrimp farming.
Transplanted aman rice is the most
dominant cropping pattern in the study area. Table 7.11 depicts wheat, jute and
sugarcane were badly affected and now is not possible to grown due loss of
fertility in the soil by the presence salinity.
Table
7.11: Trend of major crop yields per m. ton from 1975-99
|
Types of crops
|
Yearly production in m. ton
|
Growth rate
|
||||
|
1975
|
1985
|
1999
|
1975-85
|
1985-99
|
1975-99
|
|
|
Paddy
|
3.42
|
2.12
|
1.04
|
-38.01
|
-50.94
|
-69.59
|
|
Wheat
|
0.84
|
0
|
0
|
-100.00
|
-
|
-100.00
|
|
Jute
|
0.85
|
0
|
0
|
-100.00
|
-
|
-100.00
|
|
Oil Seed
|
0.73
|
0.57
|
0.36
|
-21.92
|
-36.84
|
-50.68
|
|
Sugarcane
|
0.99
|
0
|
0
|
-100.00
|
-
|
-100.00
|
|
Pulses
|
0.66
|
0.59
|
0.53
|
-10.61
|
-10.17
|
-19.70
|
|
Pepper
|
1.44
|
0.76
|
0.62
|
-47.22
|
-18.42
|
-56.94
|
|
Vegetables
|
2.74
|
1.2
|
0.83
|
-56.20
|
-30.83
|
-69.71
|
|
Fruits
|
2.54
|
1.19
|
0.78
|
-53.15
|
-34.45
|
-69.29
|
Source:
Field Survey, 1999
Though the people in the study
area were trying hard to produce only one paddy crop (aman). But during field survey in 1999, the respondent reported
that after transplanting of aman
paddy the farmers failed to interest harvesting of the paddy due to very poor
yield.
Table
7.7 Price per kilogram of different agricultural crops in 1999.
|
Types of
|
Average
price
|
Minimum
price
|
Maximum
price
|
||||||
|
|
1975
|
1985
|
1999
|
1975
|
1985
|
1999
|
1975
|
1985
|
1999
|
|
Crops
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paddy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wheat
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jute
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oil seed
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sugarcane
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pulses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paper
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vegetables
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fruits
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Field Survey, 1999
The gross income from rice production is presented
on the Table 7.9 and more detail
from the Appendix 7.1. It was found
that the average gross income decreased from Taka 44/ha/year in 1975 to Taka 42/ha/year in 1999 (or %).
Table
7.8: Cost-benefit statement of agricultural crops
|
Crop
|
Operational
cost /ha
|
Gross
income/ha
|
Net
income/ha
|
|
Paddy
|
7176
|
9521
|
2345
|
Source: Field Survey, 1999
Homestead Garden
Production
Homestead gardening is also an important
agricultural activity in the area and is the sources of household income. In
the study area, homestead gardens area includes mango, jackfruit, coconut,
banana, papaya, betel nut etc., are mentioned (Table 7.11) in the previous chapter and some kinds of vegetables
for some home consumption or selling.
Animal Husbandry
The animals in the study area comprises of cattle,
buffaloes, goat, ducks and chicken which are kept by most families for various
purposes. Duck and chicken either for consumption or cash.
7.3.3 Crop
Yield
Crop
production in saline soils is constrained by salt accumulation and
concentration in the crop root-zone. Crop production is possibly affected when
the salt concentration in the root-zone is diluted or leached below the
root-zone (Z. Karim and et. al. 1990;
Flowers 1999). The crop tolerance limits (2,000 micromhos) in the saline
affected areas surpassed causing phenomenal decrease in crop yield (Flowers
1999) in the region. Rice suffer 10 percent yield reduction when the salinity
tolerance limit of 2,000 micromhos is exceeded and when water salinity exceeded
4800 micromhos yield is reduced by 50 percent (Ayers and Westcot, 1976). Table 7.9 below shows the soil salinity
classification on the basis of plant growth condition.
Table
7.9: Soil Salinity Classification on the basis of Plant Growth Condition.
|
Salinity
Class
|
Ec x 103
|
Plant
growth condition
|
|
|
dS m-1
|
|
|
None
saline (S0 )
|
<2
|
Salinity
effects mostly negligible
|
|
Slightly
saline (S1 )
|
2 - 4
|
Yields of
very sensitive crops may be restricted
|
|
Moderate
saline (S2 )
|
4 - 8
|
Yields of
many crops are restricted
|
|
Saline (S3
)
|
8 - 16
|
Only
tolerant crops yield satisfactorily
|
|
Highly
saline (S4 )
|
> 16
|
Only very
tolerant crops yield satisfactorily
|
Source:
Karim, Z. et al. 1990
Early vegetative stages are sensitive to high
salinity (Table 7.10). Seventy five per cent of yield reduction has been
recorded from rice field at soil crop ECextract 14 dSm–1,
maintained during the early vegetative stages.
Table
7.10: Per cent Decrease of yield due to soil salinity at early Growth and
reproductive stages of rice
|
Stages
|
ECextract Values
(dSm–1)
|
|||
|
|
3
|
8
|
14
|
21
|
|
Early
growth stages
|
0
|
50
|
75
|
96
|
|
Reproductive
stages
|
0
|
0
|
10
|
52
|
Source: Karim Z. 1990
(Compiled from Das and Mehrota 1971; BRRI 1983 and BARC (1981-82, 1982-83)
Thus,
about 97 percent of the respondents in the affected area think that the
productive land of study area, which once used to yield bumper crops, has now
been salinized by prolonged water congestion (Jalal, 1990) and that its
productivity has been drastically reduced (Mahmud, 1988). Indeed most croplands
have become completely fallow, as they are no longer productive (R. Atiur,
1995).
Livestock
and poultry play a crucial role in the traditional agricultural economy of
Bangladesh. Cattle and buffaloes provide draught power for ploughing, hauling,
road and farm transport, threshing and crushing. About 20 per cent of input for
crop production is provided by draught power (BBS, 1986). Goats and sheep
contribute meat, skin and some wool. Poultry provide eggs and meat. This sector
also provide fuel and manure through dung and cash income through the sale of
live animals, meat, skin, hide, milk products, eggs and hiring out of draught
animals. Livestock and poultry account for 5 per cent of the gross domestic
product (BBS, 1986). Table 7.12
gives the 1983-84 information on livestock nationally, regionally and locally.
The bovines per household in these three units were 2.51, 4.14 and 4.09
respectively compared to national average of 1.60. Similarly were the cases
with buffalo, goat and poultry.
Table
7.12: Livestock and Poultry Structure
|
Name of area
|
Total household
|
Bovine per household
|
Sheep & Goat per
household
|
Poultry per household
|
|
Bangladesh
|
13817646
|
1.6
|
1.03
|
5.33
|
|
Khulna
Region
|
618746
|
1.90
|
1.02
|
4.03
|
|
Bagerhat
Dist.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rampal
Thana
|
|
|
|
|
Source:
Bangladesh Census of Livestock: 1983-84, Vol. I, BBS, 1986, pp. 109-12 and Zila
Series, Bagerhat, BBS 1988, pp. 148-50.
It
is of course, very difficult to isolate the effects of shrimp culture from the
general trends like those stated all over the country. But certainly, the
coastal area has been witnessing sharp declines in the production of livestock
and poultry. It is also reported that ducks are not allowed into shrimp farms
and poultry birds are not finding their grazing field. There is definitely some
pressure on poultry and duck raising in the shrimp producing areas. Due loosing
the grazing land by shrimp cultivation it is reported that about 9 cores 12
laks taka livestock resources were damaged (The daily Ittefaque 16th
May’99).
Livestock fodder is very rarely available in the
study area due to limited agriculture in the shrimp farm areas. Thus,
availability of paddy straw is very difficult. So the number of various types
of livestock have suddenly declined substantially. Before shrimp cultivation,
there were on average 5 cows per household in the study area. Now (1999) the
number has come down to 2 (Table 7.13).
The goats are useful income-earning animals that can be reared by younger
children and women in a sustainable way with out much effort. But in the study
area natural environment is not even hospitable to these small animals. Thus,
average number per household has drastically declined due to non-availability
of grazing land.
Table 7.13: Average number of livestock and
poultry in the study area
|
Livestock/poultry
|
Average number per household
|
Percentage of change
|
||||
|
1975
|
1985
|
1999
|
1975-85
|
1985-99
|
1975-99
|
|
|
Cattle
|
6.88
|
3.89
|
1.56
|
-43.55
|
-59.74
|
-77.27
|
|
Buffalo
|
1.85
|
0.80
|
0.25
|
-56.58
|
-69.33
|
-86.69
|
|
Goat
|
3.45
|
1.87
|
0.69
|
-45.85
|
-63.18
|
-80.06
|
|
Duck
|
35.57
|
14.63
|
9.48
|
-58.89
|
-35.19
|
-73.36
|
|
Chicken
|
22.99
|
13.41
|
10.52
|
-41.68
|
-21.56
|
-54.25
|
Source:
Field Survey, 1999
Table 7.14 shows that number of livestock and poultry have
been decreased. Growth rate of livestock and poultry most of the cases were
found highly negative. Decreasing rate in the year 1999-75 was mostly double of
the year of 1985-75. Thus, if the trend of the growth continued like this way,
the livestock particularly buffalo and goat will be vanished after the year of
a century.
Most of the respondents from the study area said
that the number of poultry birds had declined due to water logging in the
shrimp. Population of various wild animals such as mongooses, squirrels, wild
cats, foxes, cobra, turtles, vultures is reported to be dwindling because of the
destruction of bushes and jungles, water logging and encroachment of higher
salinity.
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