Bangladesh
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The document discusses the sustainable management and protection of soil resources in Bangladesh, emphasizing the agriculture sector's critical role in the economy and food security. It highlights the challenges such as soil fertility depletion, land loss, and the impact of climate change on soil and crop productivity, particularly in vulnerable ecosystems. Efforts are being made to improve soil health through detailed surveys, fertilizer recommendations, and innovative management practices to support agricultural development and sustainability.
Bangladesh
- 1. Sustainable Management and Protection of Soil Resources S.M. Imamul Huq1 and Md Nazmul Hasan2 1Professor, Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh. President, Soil Science Society of Bangladesh. 2Principal Scientific Officer, Soil Resource Development Institute, Dhaka- 1215, Bangladesh. Focal Point, Global Soil Partnership.
- 2. Introduction • Agriculture is the most important sector of Bangladesh economy contributing to 18.70% of it’s GDP at constant prices (Base: 1995- 96 =100). Crop agriculture contribute to 10.25%. • Agriculture plays a vital role in food security, employment and livelihood of the country. • The sector is dynamic, changing with the demand of people, availability of technology and change of management practices. • Thus it requires regular adjustment with different planning and development. • The Bangladesh economy is transforming towards commercial agriculture with expansion of service sector.
- 3. Location of Bangladesh Bangladesh lies between 20034/ and 26038/ north latitude and 88001/ and 92041/ east longitudes. Located as an interface of two different environments - the Bay of Bengal in the south and the Himalayas in the north. Sits astride the tropic of cancer. Bordered by India in the west, north and east except for a small portion in the south-east by Myanmar. The entire south of the country is occupied by the Bay of Bengal.
- 4. Physiography The three broad physiographic units belonging to three distinct geological ages: A. Tertiary hills occupying 12% area B. Pleistocene terraces covering 8% area and C. Recent floodplains spreading about 80% area of the country. These three physiographic units are again categorized into 20 different physiography considering their geomorphology and origin of soils.
- 5. • Geographic location and geo-morphological conditions have made Bangladesh one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. • Bangladesh has around 310 rivers with a total length of 24,140 km. • Among them, 54 rivers originate from India, all of which eventually flow into the Bay of Bengal. These include three major rivers, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra (Jamuna) and the Meghna, which together constitute the largest river network in the world. • These rivers carry 2.0 billion tons of sediments annually from India and Nepal to the Bay of Bengal.
- 6. • Bangladesh generally enjoys a sub-tropical monsoon climate. • The annual rainfall varies from 1400 mm to 4500 mm and national average is 2427 mm. • More than 70% of the total rainfall of the country occurs during monsoon (June to September). • The average minimum temperature ranges from 12.5 to 25.7 oC and the average maximum temperature ranges from 25.2 to 33.2 oC • Bangladesh is endowed with rich and diverse genetic resources of flora and fauna. • It has 5000 species of flowering plants and 1500 species of fauna.
- 7. • The forest covers about 12% of the total land area but actual tree cover is only 9%. • The Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world is located in the south-western part of the country. • Cyclones are the worst natural calamities. • Tornadoes are more common in the central regions of the country. • Flood in Bangladesh is usually considered a blessing as it brings silt to enrich soil fertility for crop production and also create water bodies for fish production. • However, it becomes the cause of sufferings when it exceeds normal and expected level of inundation and duration. • It not only causes damage to crops, it also affects seriously the livestock and fisheries. • Between 1953 and 2004, there were 42 occurrences of flood of which 28 were significant.
- 8. Status of Soil Resources of the Country Land Use/Land Cover Area in hectare Yearly average change in hectare 1976 2000 2010 1976-2000 2000-2010 Cropland 9,761,450 9,439,541 8,751,937 -13,413 -68,760 Forest 1,754,917 1,311,121 1,434,136 -18,492 12,301 Mangrove 452,444 486,791 441,455 1,431 -4,534 Aquaculture 582 143,506 175,663 5,955 3,216 Salt pan 11,789 24,306 36,022 522 1,172 Rural settlement 885,637 1,458,031 1,766,123 23,850 30,809 Urban + Industr 26,799 47,495 87,616 862 4,012 Land loss from crop agriculture at the rate of 0.73%/year Per capita crop land is 0.052 hectare
- 9. Status of Soil Resources of the Country Soil Fertility Status of Bangladesh Soil Nutrient Element Critical Level (CL) Area(mha) below CL Nitrogen 0.12% (Kjeldahl method) 8.75 Phosphorus 8.0µg/g(modified Olsen Method) & 5.0 µg/g(Bray & Kurtz method) 3.70 Potassium 0.12 meq/100g (N NH4OAc extraction) 2.72 Sulfur 10.0µg/g(Calcium dihydrogen phosphate extraction) 3.31 Calcium 2.0meq/100g (N NH4OAc extraction) 0.30 Magnesium 0.5meq/100g (N NH4OAc extraction) 0.30 Zinc 0.6µg/g (DTPA extraction) 2.75 Boron 0.2µg/g (Calcium Chloride extraction) 2.49 Organic Matter <1.7 %(Wet oxidation) 3.64
- 10. Agro-ecological Zones (AEZ) of Bangladesh Bangladesh is divided into 30 agro-ecological zones and 88 subzones. This zoning is based on 33 layers of information under four major heads: - landform resources, - soil resources, - inundation resources and - climatic resources inventory. These zoning has been catering the country for about two decades as these zones are considered as Resource Management Domain (RMD) in some respect, though more precise RMD (about 5,000 location specific RMD) is created by semi-detailed soil survey.
- 11. Unfavorable Ecosystem There are many types of production constraints that exists in unfavorable ecosystems: • Coastal saline area • Piedmont plain • Charlands (accreted land) • Peat basin • Haors (saucer shaped low lying basins) • Hills and • Terrace (Barind and Modhupur tract). Little attention has been paid to improve soil health and productivity in these vulnerable areas.
- 12. Main Issues and Soil Threats • All agricultural planning including soil management needs database on soil and land resources of the country. • At present per capita crop land is only 0.05 ha and agricultural land is shrinking day by day at the rate of 68,760 ha or 0.73 percent per year (SRDI, 2013). • Judicious and profitable use of soil resources, keeping healthy and productive land for future is the main challenge of Bangladesh. • SRDI conducted RSS for the whole country during 1963-1975, and semi-detailed survey during 1985-2002 and published maps and reports. • Second round of semi-detailed soil survey is going on to update the existing database.
- 13. Land Resources characterization/inventory Agriculture is the most important sector of Bangladesh economy This sector is dynamic, changing with the demand of people, availability of technology and change of management practices. It requires regular adjustment with different planning and development. The Bangladesh economy is transforming towards commercial agriculture with expansion of service sector. To cater the need of the country in the perspective of 2021 and beyond, more detailed database is needed.
- 14. Soil Organic Matter Management • Soil organic matter is a key factor in maintaining long- term soil fertility • Depletion of soil organic matter is a major constraint to higher crop production in Bangladesh. • Status of organic matter is below 1 percent in 0.76 million ha and between 1-1.7 percent in 2.87 million ha of land. • Depletion of organic matter has arisen due to increasing cropping intensity, higher rate of organic matter decomposition under prevailing hot and humid climate situation, use of lesser quantities of organic manure. Almost no return of crop residues and little or no use of green manure practice.
- 15. Soil fertility and fertilizer management • Depletion of soil organic matter, unbalanced use of fertilizers, minimum use of manures, increasing cropping intensity, high pH and low pH, nutrient leaching and light textured soils have accentuated nutrient deficiency in Bangladesh.
- 16. Soil management in unfavorable ecosystem Coastal saline area: • More than 30% of the cultivable land in Bangladesh is in the coastal area which is about 2.86 million hectares. • Farmers mostly cultivate low yielding, traditional rice varieties during wet season. • Most of the land remain fallow in the dry season (January- May) because of soil salinity, lack of good quality irrigation water and late draining condition.
- 17. Soil Salinity: A comparative study of the salt affected area between 1973 to 2009 . 1973 2000 2009 Salt affected area increased during 2000-2009 Salt affected area increased during 1973-2009 Salt affected area ( 000’ha) 833.45 1020.75 1056.19 35.44 (3.5%) 222.74 (26.7%)
- 20. Soil management in unfavorable ecosystem Piedmont Plains: • Constraints include sandy soils, high permeability, low organic matter content, low pH, iron and aluminum toxicity, macro and micro nutrient deficiencies, stone lifting in some area and flash flood in depressions. Causes of soil fertility depletion are: increasing cropping intensity, high yielding irrigated crops, unbalanced fertilizer use and little or no addition of organic matter to the soil. The extent of the region is about 0.4 million hectares. Terraces: • Sparsely and deeply dissected terrace soils have high permeability, face drought in dry season and have soil fertility with problems of phosphate fixation and sulfur and boron deficiency. Extent of the area is about 1.2 million hectares.
- 21. Soil management in unfavorable ecosystem Peat basin: • Peat soils occupy about 0.13 million hectares. The bulk density of peat soils are between 0.20 to 0.30 gm/cc. The soils have low bearing capacity when wet, strongly acidic, low nutrient status specially N, K, S, Zn and B, and C:N ratio is very wide. The region is seasonally moderately to deeply flooded by clear water and basin centers remains wet throughout the year. Charlands (Accreted Lands): • These areas occur along the major river system and cover about 0.55 million hectares of land occupying 3.7 percent of Bangladesh. Soils are light textured, low to very low in organic matter content, low soil fertility and low moisture content. Fresh sediments are also deposited in every year. Flooding in the wet or summer season, low soil fertility and organic matter and low moisture holding capacity, river bank erosion and flood is the main constraints for agricultural development.
- 22. Soil management in unfavorable ecosystem Haors (saucer shaped deeply flooded basin): • Haors occupy 932,793 hectares i.e., about 6.32% area of Bangladesh. Early flood or flash flood, deep to very deep flooding, heavy rainfall, slow drainage at basin center and poor soil qualities are the main constraints for agricultural development in this area. • Hills: • Hilly areas of Bangladesh occupy about 1.7 million hectares, which is about 12% of the country’s area located in the south-eastern, eastern and northern part of the country.
- 23. Land susceptible to erosion in the hilly areas of Bangladesh. Affected areas Mod. susceptible to erosion Highly susceptible to erosion Very highly susceptible to erosion Total ( Sq. Km) Chittagong Hill Tracts 350 1814 10765 12929 Chittagong & Cox’s Bazar 414 949 954 2317 Greater Sylhet 161 462 964 1587 Other districts - 35 102 37 Total 925 (5%) 3260 (20%) 12785 (75%) 16970
- 24. Climate change and environmental hazard effect on soil: • It is not unlikely that tomorrow’s agriculture would be significantly influenced by the global climate change that includes increase in CO2 content, increased emission of gases like CH4, NO2 etc. which would lead to an increase of temperature of the earth and rise in sea level. The climate change would have a direct effect on crops, water balance, soil organic matter content, salinity intrusion, surface energy balance and indeed, the range of soil properties. Heavy metals and other unfriendly elements in soil ecosystem: • It is reported that ground water is contaminated by arsenic in many areas of Bangladesh. Arsenic contamination is linked with ground water; though pot-ability of As-contaminated ground is of much concern, it is however, adversely affecting the soil-crop system because of the dependence on ground water irrigation. Localized contamination of Pb, Cd, Cr and Ni are also reported in the area near to the industrial area.
- 25. Ongoing activities • Land and soil resources inventory: Semi-detailed soil survey to update existing database of Upazila wise “Land and Soil Resources Utilization Guides” and soil salinity survey at 5 years intervals is going on. • Soil fertility investigation: SRDI is conducting soil fertility investigation through collection of soil samples during semi-detailed soil survey, soil fertility monitoring program, mobile soil testing service and farmers’ service and analyze the samples in the laboratory. Thus, it is creating huge database on soil fertility and soil pH. These databases are being used in balanced fertilizer application including application of organic manures.
- 29. Fertilizer Recommendation System: • BARC publishes “Fertilizer Recommendation Guides” at 5 years interval. Different research institutes under National Agricultural Research System (NARS) are conducting research on soil test based fertilizer use for different crops and SRDI has generated database on soil fertility of the country. Based on which Fertilizer Recommendation Guides are developed. • Upazila wise “Land and Soil Resources Utilization Guides” are also used for crop selection and soil fertility based fertilizer recommendations. • Mobile Soil Testing Laboratory is operating to popularize soil test based fertilizer use. SRDI is also providing balanced fertilizer recommendation services to the farmers by analyzing soil samples through its 15 static laboratories. • SRDI introduced On Line Fertilizer Recommendation System (OFRS) in the country. • Beside this, very good networks have been developed for fertilizer distribution. Government established many laboratories to ensure quality of fertilizers through analysis. • Research is also being conducted on soil fertility and fertilizer management in different universities of Bangladesh.
- 30. Guides and MSTL
- 31. Online Fertilizer Recommendation System
- 32. Soil and Land Resource Database of SRDI
- 33. Lat-long Sample no Organic matter pH N P K S Zn Mg Mn - - Lat-long District Upazila Union Physiography Land Type Texture Drainage Sampling point Soil Map Attributes
- 35. • Developed a smart web based software named Online Fertilizer Recommendation System to generate location specific fertilizer recommendation for selected crops analyzing this national nutrient database developed by SRDI. • The software needs only location and land type information to generate crop specific fertilizer recommendation.
- 36. Software database Upazila Union Physiography Landtype Nutrient Crops Fertilizer Physiography and land type wise union level data extraction Averaging nutrient data Soil Nutrient Status determination Select Crop Nutrient requirement of selected crop Nutrient requirement assessment Convert to Fertilizer requirement Location Specific Fertilizer Recommendation for Selected Crop Select Location (Upazila, Union) Select Physiography and Land Type Flow Chart of Software Operation
- 41. • Research on soil fertility management: Research is being conducted in the NARS institutes on soil fertility and fertilizer management. Universities are also conducting research on the same. • Research on soil salinity and management: SRDI is conducting research on salinity management. It has developed technologies on saline soil management such as mulching, double mulching, pitcher irrigation, furrow and ridge system of cultivation and assessed surface water quality in some area. • Research on soil conservation and watershed management: SRDI through its Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Center is conducting adaptive and basic research on soil conservation and watershed management. Among the technologies generated are jute-geo textiles for reclamation of degraded land, gabion check dam, bench terracing, hedge row, submersible earthen dam for water conservation for dry period etc.
- 42. Bench Terrace
- 43. Hedge Row
- 44. Gabion Check Dam (Front View & Back View with Apron) The whole depth of gabion is filled with earth transported from the upper end during the rainy season
- 45. 45 The whole depth of gabion is filled with earth transported from the upper end during the rainy season
- 48. • Analytical services to the farmers: SRDI is providing analytical services to the farmers through its static laboratories and mobile soil testing laboratories. Annually more than 30,000 farmers are getting balanced fertilizer recommendation based on soil test and crop requirement. • Academic courses in university and colleges: Soil survey, soil chemistry, soil physics, soil mineralogy, soil microbiology have good share in the curriculum of different universities and colleges at undergraduate and post graduate level. Huge number of research is also conducted on soil fertility and fertilizer management. • Unfavorable ecosystem management: SRDI has implemented “Food Security Programme-2006, Soil Fertility Component (FS-SFC)” Project with financial assistance from the European Union aiming at sustainably enhancing production and access to nutritious food for vulnerable households through the promotion of optimal farming practices and crop diversification with subsequent improvement in soil fertility. The project was executed in 6 ecologically disadvantaged areas (unfavorable ecosystem) viz., coastal region; active flood plain and char land; haor area; peat basin; and old Himalayan piedmont plain.
- 49. • Human resource development: SRDI along with other NARS institutes is conducting regular training program skill development and human resources development. SRDI itself provides training to more than 12,000 farmers annually on balanced fertilizer, soil sample collection techniques, identification of adulterated fertilizers, crop and soil management. SRDI also imparts training to extension personnel on the use of land and soil resource data and information in selecting suitable crops and cropping patterns and balanced fertilizer use. • Dissemination of technologies: Dissemination of technologies is done through demonstration, poster, festoon, billboards, documentaries etc. through DAE and NARS institutes. • Policy: National agriculture policy and agriculture extension policy is quite in favor of soil health and productivity. Government is giving price subsidies in fertilizer, which results in increase of balanced fertilizer uses.
- 50. National priorities for sustainable soil management • Soil Organic Matter Management. • Soil fertility and fertilizer management: Soil fertility evaluation and GIS mapping at 5 years interval, increase nitrogen use efficiency, popularize integrated nutrient management for crop and cropping patterns and liming to increase soil pH at desired level, balanced fertilizer use and ensure quality fertilizer. • Soil management in unfavorable ecosystem. • Climate change impact. • Land Resources inventory at semi-detailed soil survey to update existing database and detailed soil survey to prepare “Land and Soil Resources Utilization Guide” at union level (lowest administrative unit) and soil salinity survey at 5 years intervals. • Generation of GIS based information on land and soil and soil fertility. • Technology dissemination. • Human resource development. • Farmers’ service.
- 51. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME UR TIME Principal Scientific Officer Md. Nazmul Hasan