Char people's farming practices and livelihood status: a case study in Mymensingh district of Bangladesh

Abstract

The study was conducted to explore the farming practices followed by the farmers in char areas (sandbars that emerge as islands) of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh, and determine their livelihood status considering natural calamities. A total of L20 farmers were selected randomly for data collection. Data were analyzed with a combination of descriptive statistics, mathematical and statistical techniques. The results of the descriptive statistics showed that majority of the farmers were engaged in crop-livestock homestead and agroforestry [C-L-HA) farming system (52.5o/o). Profitability analysis reveals that crop, livestock and poultry were found profitable under crop-livestock-poultry [C-L-P) farming system. The differences in productivity of agricultural enterprises between char land and main land were found significant in most of the cases. Food security indices indicated that 68.0% households were food secure [average ca]orie intake 2268.9 kcal) and remaining 32.00/o households were food insecure (average calorie intake 1882.4 kcal). Livelihood framework analysis revealed that livelihood status of the char dwellers incorporating farmers' asset possession, activities and strategies, well being, and external policies and institutions was improved by their production practices. Applying severity ranking model (SRM) and agreement index (AI), river erosion, flood, cyclone and drought were found most frequent in the study areas that caused severe damage to respondents' cultivable land, assets, agricultural enterprises and basic necessities. The study recommended that input subsidy and output price support, and social safety net programmes should be properly implemented by the government to protect the char dwellers in crisis period and enhance their livelihood condition.