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Associated Press
2 days ago
- Climate
- Associated Press
Cyclones, Salinity, and the Fight to Save Farming in Bangladesh
Published by Action Against Hunger. July 3, 2025 New York, NY Please contact [email protected] for inquiries. Bangladesh has been repeatedly battered by cyclones, droughts, tidal surges, and floods, with each disaster leaving a deeper mark than the last on both the landscape and the people who live there. Since May 2024, Bangladesh has been severely impacted by four devastating climate-related disasters, including Cyclone Remal, flash floods in the Haor Region, riverine floods in the Jamuna Basin, and unprecedented floods in the eastern regions. These events have had a catastrophic impact, affecting 18.4 million people. In 2022 alone, over 7.1 million Bangladeshis were displaced due to climate change. Climate disasters in Bangladesh are only expected to worsen. Temperatures are projected to rise rapidly in the coming years, threatening more than 170 million people's homes, safety, and livelihoods. Action Against Hunger is working to build resilience in Satkhira, a district in the south-west region of Bangladesh where most families rely on agriculture to survive — and are struggling to deal with the nature's growing unpredictability. Climate Disasters are Destroying Livelihoods in Satkhira Satkhira borders the Bay of Bengal, one of the most vulnerable areas to increasingly intense and frequent cyclone activity. The region once was thriving with farm fields, but repeated cyclones and tropical storms have mixed saltwater with freshwater, decimating the soil and water sources and making crop farming impossible. The ensuing poverty and food insecurity have forced many farmers to leave their fields. Those who remain struggle with increasing economic and livelihood challenges, as crop yields and availability of arable land dwindle. Khaleda Hossain Moon, an Action Against Hunger expert based in the coastal area of Satkhira, raises awareness about the risks created by changing weather patterns in Bangladesh stating, 'Due to the high salinity of the soil, crop production is very low, and people with low incomes cannot afford to buy food. Thus, many suffer from malnutrition, especially small children.' With no other choice, farmers have abandoned rice cultivation. Men often work as day laborers, leaving their homes for months at a time to find work. At home, women have turned to fish farming to survive, but they frequently suffer from health problems caused by prolonged exposure to highly salty water. With expertise in improving food security around the world, Action Against Hunger was well-suited to step in. We started offering training on climate-smart farming as part of our extensive Food Security and Livelihoods work. The program was developed with an approach tailored to Satkhira's specific needs, harnessing its unique resources for contextualized and sustainable change. Community at the Heart of Climate Resilience Action Against Hunger launched a climate-smart agriculture program in 2021 to support farmers affected by climate disasters in Satkhira. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) explains that climate-smart agriculture aims to sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes; adapt and build resilience to climate change; and reduce and/or remove greenhouse gas emissions. In the context of Bangladeshi farming, a climate-smart agriculture program includes adapting to a new environmental context in which flooding and waterlogging [when soil becomes saturated with excess water] is more common, and the soil is increasingly salinized [salty] soil. 'The food security program we launched in Satkhira creates a solution for those communities who remain in these disaster-prone areas,' explains Sumon Homaun Kabir, Action Against Hunger's Program Manager who supervises food security and livelihoods projects in Bangladesh. Action Against Hunger's training goes beyond improving agricultural productivity with sustainable farming methods; it puts the local people and environment at the heart of the program by embedding agroecological principles. Agroecology is 'a holistic and integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agriculture and food systems', says FAO. By incorporating these principles, Action Against Hunger's program is designed to be farmer-centered, regenerative, and nature-based. The methods taught in our program aim to: Programs like these prioritize eco-friendliness and community involvement for long-term results that strengthen community self-resilience. Our goal in Satkhira is to support families adapting to climate change — a deeply stressful experience that threatens their homes, health, and livelihoods — with the best knowledge and resources available. We work alongside local farmers to ensure that solutions are not only technically effective but also culturally relevant, affordable, and owned by the community. Five Key Methods for Farming in Salinized Soil When floods and cyclones soak soil in salty water, the damage is long-lasting. Even after the water recedes, the salt remains, accumulating more and more with each recurring climate disaster. Salt is highly toxic to plants, even being considered the most dangerous substance for rice, Bangladesh's predominant crop. Salinized soil disrupts plant nutrient uptake and causes stress that can damage the plant on the cellular level, reducing crop growth. 'It is very difficult to produce any vegetables because of the water and soil salinity,' says Sumon. 'Action Against Hunger provides technical knowledge to reduce soil salinity and improve soil fertility through agroecological practices.' Here are five agroecological methods Action Against Hunger's program uses for combatting salinized soil in Satkhira: Action Against Hunger teaches program participants how to make and use fertilizer with natural products like manure and compost. The fertilizer helps restore soil health by reintroducing organic matter that supports plant growth and health. Sumon believes that the best results come when traditional practices blend with a scientific approach. 'We don't use chemicals,' he says. 'Instead, we rely on organic fertilizers to preserve soil quality and boost production.' Action Against Hunger opted for training on organic fertilizer because extensive or improper use of chemical fertilizers can degrade soil structure over time and lead to nutrient imbalances. Organic fertilizers are more suitable for Satkhira's farming context because they have microbial benefits that boost the long-term fertility of the soil and can be produced locally. Monoculture farming [the practice of planting only one type of crop] used to be the standard in Satkhira. Farmers would plant exclusively rice, using the harvest to feed their families and sell for income. When climate change brought recurring tidal surges, saltwater intrusion, and unpredictable rainfall, however, rice farming became unreliable. A single crop is particularly vulnerable to total crop failure; a single climate disaster, pest, or disease could wipe out everything. Crop diversification is an alternative method, in which multiple crops are planted at the same time, creating a safeguard against pests and plant disease s. Similarly, crop rotation is when farmers plant different crops from one year to the next. It introduces a greater variety of nutrients into soil, which can result in 10% greater crop yields than monoculture. Action Against Hunger offers training on crop rotation and diversification strategies to open income-generating opportunities and enhance food security. Action Against Hunger encourages the rotation of rice with saline-resilient crops like sunflower, and promotes intercropping vegetables such as okra, spinach, and chili—many of which can withstand moderate salinity and grow in short cycles. This approach is particularly effective in empowering women, who are increasingly involved in homestead gardening and alternative crop production. Training sessions focus on locally adapted techniques, using indigenous knowledge alongside modern agroecological principles. As a result, families can better manage soil salinity, reduce dependency on single-season harvests, and build a more stable livelihood system that is adaptive to Bangladesh's changing climate. In Satkhira, where groundwater is highly saline and unsuitable for irrigation, fresh rainwater is one of the few reliable water sources available to farmers. Rainwater harvesting is an ancient practice that has been used by people around the world to combat water scarcity, and it is ideal for Bangladesh's current environmental context. Action Against Hunger teaches farmers efficient methods for harvesting and using rainwater to best combat water and soil salinity. For example, training is offered on how to dig small ponds or reservoirs on homesteads to collect and store rainwater during the monsoon season. This stored freshwater is then used for irrigation during dry months, enabling year-round vegetable production even in saline-rich environments. Mulching is a powerful method for keeping water trapped in soil, preventing it from evaporating and leaving behind salty, dry soil that harms crops. Mulching is the practice of putting a protective layer over the soil. In Action Against Hunger's program, farmers are trained on how to use mulching to increase crop yields using organic materials like manure. The 2022 study ' Mulching as a Sustainable Water and Soil Saving Practice in Agriculture: A Review ' found that mulching reduces soil deterioration by limiting runoff and soil loss. It helps manage soil temperature for better water retention and reduces the amount of water needed to irrigate crops. Organic materials are prioritized because they are eco-friendly and increase soil nutrients. In the flood-prone area of Satkhira, vertical elevated structures can help protect plants from the onslaught of salt they face on the ground. Action Against Hunger supports farmers in building structures with locally available materials like bamboo, on which they can install hanging containers or raised beds. Not only is this method effective for reducing salt exposure, but it also maximizes land use, making it suitable for small backyard gardens. Rekha's Garden Rekha joined Action Against Hunger's agroecological training in May last year. A wide variety of vegetables now grow around her house. 'I want to grow more vegetables to increase my income,' she says with an enthusiastic smile. 'I already planted seedlings of chili peppers, brinjal (eggplant), tomato, and spinach seeds. I am not leaving any space empty.' Using sustainable, organic techniques, Rekha's garden has become bountiful. She has plant beds rigged with hanging bottles of rainwater to keep her vegetables hydrated. Mulch made with compost from kitchen waste and livestock manure helps Rekha conserve water and preserve soil moisture. Rekha's gardening success inspired her to volunteer with Action Against Hunger and train other women in her village in climate-smart techniques. Her leadership is key to the long-lasting success of the program. Community engagement ensures that Action Against Hunger's training can be integrated with existing knowledge from Bangladesh's centuries of agricultural production and innovation. As time goes on, the passing of peer-to-peer information should become increasingly rooted in local experience and adaptable to climate changes in the region. Beyond the Harvest: Building Financial Safety Nets for Climate Resilience Action Against Hunger's goal is to provide families in Satkhira with as many tools as possible to overcome major setbacks caused by climate disasters. While climate-smart farming can increase the chance of a successful harvest, disasters can still strip away crops and leave families vulnerable to financial and food security difficulties. Livelihood diversification is one strategy for increasing the financial security of households, offering a safety net and an alternative income source. A major success of the program is that all households in Simul Baria, a village in Satkhira, now engage in multiple livelihood activities. These include: Multiple streams of income give farmers in Satkhira a level of insurance against climate disasters. By not relying solely on crop yields, families are better equipped to withstand and recover losses when floods, droughts, or cyclones strike. Diversified livelihoods also bring new skills and opportunities for growth that contribute to long-term resilience. Local Solutions, Lasting Impact Each of the five agroecological methods taught in Action Against Hunger's program is useful for overcoming salinized soil and water. Together, they offer a powerful agricultural approach that can bolster the livelihoods of farmers in Bangladesh for years to come, even in the face of growing climate challenge. As cyclones become more frequent and severe, these practices, as well as livelihood diversification, will become increasingly crucial for families who rely on farming to survive. Action Against Hunger's program uses methods that not only enhance food production in salinized soils but also reduce dependence on external inputs like aid organizations by promoting locally available and eco-friendly solutions—making farming in Satkhira both more sustainable and self-reliant. *** Action Against Hunge r leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Action Against Hunger
Malay Mail
19-06-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
Toxic toll of shipbreaking: New rules may not change dirty and deadly ship recycling business
CHITTAGONG (Bangladesh), June 19 — Mizan Hossain fell 10 metres from the top of a ship he was cutting up on Chittagong beach in Bangladesh — where the majority of the world's maritime giants meet their end — when the vibrations shook him from the upper deck. He survived, but his back was crushed. 'I can't get up in the morning,' said the 31-year-old who has a wife, three children and his parents to support. 'We eat one meal in two, and I see no way out of my situation,' said Hossain, his hands swollen below a deep scar on his right arm. The shipbreaking site where Hossain worked without a harness did not comply with international safety and environmental standards. Hossain has been cutting up ships on the sand without proper protection or insurance since he was a child, like many men in his village a few kilometres inland from the giant beached ships. One of his neighbours had his toes crushed in another yard shortly before AFP visited Chittagong in February. Shipbreaking yards employ 20,000 to 30,000 people directly or indirectly in the sprawling port on the Bay of Bengal. But the human and environmental cost of the industry is also immense, experts say. The Hong Kong Convention on the Recycling of Ships, which is meant to regulate one of the world's most dangerous industries, is set to come into effect on June 26. But many question whether its rules on handling toxic waste and protecting workers are sufficient or if they will ever be properly implemented. Only seven out of Chittagong's 30 yards meet the new rules about equipping workers with helmets, harnesses and other protection as well as protocols for decontaminating ships of asbestos and other pollutants and storing hazardous waste. This photograph taken on February 19, 2025 shows Mizan Hossain, a former employee at a shipbreaking yard who sustained injuries in an accident, posing with his son for photos at his residence on the outskirts of Bangladesh's southern port city of Chittagong. — AFP pic No official death tolls Chittagong was the final destination of nearly a third of the 409 ships dismantled globally last year, according to the NGO coalition Shipbreaking Platform. Most of the others ended up in India, Pakistan, or Turkiye. But Bangladesh — close to the Asian nerve centre of global maritime commerce — offers the best price for buying end-of-life ships due to its extremely low labour costs, with a minimum monthly wage of around US$133 (RM566). Chittagong's 25-kilometre stretch of beach is the world's biggest ship graveyard. Giant hulks of oil tankers or gas carriers lie in the mud under the scorching sun, an army of workers slowly dismembering them with oxyacetylene torches. 'When I started (in the 2000s) it was extremely dangerous,' said Mohammad Ali, a thickset union leader who long worked without protection dismantling ships on the sand. 'Accidents were frequent, and there were regular deaths and injuries.' He was left incapacitated for months after being hit on the head by a piece of metal. 'When there's an accident, you're either dead or disabled,' the 48-year-old said. At least 470 workers have been killed and 512 seriously injured in the shipbreaking yards of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan since 2009, according to the Shipbreaking Platform NGO. No official death toll is kept in Chittagong. But between 10 and 22 workers a year died in its yards between 2018 and 2022, according to a count kept by Mohamed Ali Sahin, founder of a workers' support centre. There have been improvements in recent years, he said, especially after Dhaka ratified the Hong Kong Convention in 2023, Sahin said. But seven workers still died last year and major progress is needed, he said. The industry is further accused of causing major environmental damage, particularly to mangroves, with oil and heavy metals escaping into the sea from the beach. Asbestos — which is not illegal in Bangladesh — is also dumped in open-air landfills. Shipbreaking is also to blame for abnormally high levels of arsenic and other metalloids in the region's soil, rice and vegetables, according to a 2024 study in the Journal of Hazardous Materials. This photograph taken on February 18, 2025 shows workers cutting down metal parts at a shipbreaking yard of the PHP Ship Breaking and Recycling facility in Bangladesh's southern port city of Chittagong. — AFP pic 'Responsibility should be shared' PHP, the most modern yard in the region, is one of few in Chittagong that meets the new standards. Criticism of pollution and working conditions in Bangladesh yards annoys its managing director Mohammed Zahirul Islam. 'Just because we're South Asian, with dark skin, are we not capable of excelling in a field?' he told AFP. 'Ships are built in developed countries... then used by Europeans and Westerners for 20 or 30 years, and we get them (at the end) for four months. 'But everything is our fault,' he said as workers in helmets, their faces shielded by plastic visors to protect them from metal shards, dismantled a Japanese gas carrier on a concrete platform near the shore. 'There should be a shared responsibility for everyone involved in this whole cycle,' he added. His yard has modern cranes and even flower beds, but workers are not masked as they are in Europe to protect them from inhaling metal dust and fumes. But modernising yards to meet the new standards is costly, with PHP spending US$10 million to up its game. With the sector in crisis, with half as many ships sent for scrap since the pandemic — and Bangladesh hit by instability after the tumultuous ousting of premier Sheikh Hasina in August — investors are reluctant, said John Alonso of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Chittagong still has no facility to treat or store hazardous materials taken from ships. PHP encases the asbestos it extracts in cement and stores it on-site in a dedicated room. 'I think we have about six to seven years of storage capacity,' said its expert Liton Mamudzer. But NGOs like Shipbreaking Platform and Robin des Bois are sceptical about how feasible this is, with some ships containing scores of tonnes of asbestos. And Walton Pantland, of the global union federation IndustriALL, questioned whether the Hong Kong standards will be maintained once yards get their certification, with inspections left to local officials. Indeed, six workers were killed in September in an explosion at SN Corporation's Chittagong yard, which was compliant with the convention. Shipbreaking Platform said it was symptomatic of a lack of adequate 'regulation, supervision and worker protections' in Bangladesh, even with the Hong Kong rules. This aerial photograph taken on February 18, 2025 shows a general view of a shipbreaking yard at the PHP Ship Breaking and Recycling facility in Bangladesh's southern port city of Chittagong. — AFP pic 'Toxic' Trojan horse The NGO's director Ingvild Jenssen said shipowners were using the Hong Kong Convention to bypass the Basel Convention, which bans OECD countries from exporting toxic waste to developing nations. She accused them of using it to offload toxic ships cheaply at South Asian yards without fear of prosecution, using a flag of convenience or intermediaries. In contrast, European shipowners are required to dismantle ships based on the continent, or flying a European flag, under the much stricter Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR). At the Belgian shipbreaking yard Galloo near the Ghent-Terneuzen canal, demolition chief Peter Wyntin told AFP how ships are broken down into '50 different kinds of materials' to be recycled. Everything is mechanised, with only five or six workers wearing helmets, visors and masks to filter the air, doing the actual breaking amid mountains of scrap metal. A wind turbine supplies electricity, and a net collects anything that falls in the canal. Galloo also sank 10 million euros into water treatment, using activated carbon and bacterial filters. But Wyntin said it is a struggle to survive with several European yards forced to shut as Turkish ones with EU certification take much of the business. While shipbreakers in the EU have '25,000 pages of legislation to comply with', he argued, those in Aliaga on the western coast of Turkiye have only 25 pages of rules to respect to be 'third-country compliant under SRR'. Wyntin is deeply worried the Hong Kong Convention will further undermine standards and European yards with them. 'You can certify yards in Turkiye or Asia, but it still involves beaching,' where ships are dismantled directly on the shore. 'And beaching is a process we would never accept in Europe,' he insisted. Illegal dumps Turkish health and safety officials reported eight deaths since 2020 at shipbreaking yards in Aliaga, near Izmir, which specialises in dismantling cruise ships. 'If we have a fatality, work inspectors arrive immediately and we risk being shut down,' Wyntin told AFP. In April, Galloo lost a bid to recycle a 13,000-tonne Italian ferry, with 400 tonnes of asbestos, to a Turkish yard, Wyntin said. Yet in May, the local council in Aliaga said 'hazardous waste was stored in an environmentally harmful manner, sometimes just covered with soil.' 'It's estimated that 15,000 tons of hazardous waste are scattered in the region, endangering human and environmental health due to illegal storage methods,' it said on X, posting photos of illegal dumps. In Bangladesh, Human Rights Watch and the Shipbreaking Platform have reported that 'toxic materials from ships, including asbestos' are sometimes 'resold on the second-hand market'. In Chittagong, everything gets recycled. On the road along the beach, shops overflow with furniture, toilets, generators and staircases taken straight from the hulks pulled up on the beach a few metres away. Not far away, Rekha Akter mourned her husband, one of those who died in the explosion at SN Corporation's yard in September. A safety supervisor, his lungs were burned in the blast. Without his salary, she fears that she and their two young children are 'condemned to live in poverty. It's our fate,' said the young widow. — AFP
Reuters
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Myanmar's leader expected to attend regional summit in Bangkok, Thailand says
BANGKOK, April 2 (Reuters) - Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing will attend the regional BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok this week, Thailand's foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura did not specify if Min Aung Hlaing would attend the meeting in-person or remotely. here. The summit of BIMSTEC, or the Bay of Bengal initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, is due to take place from April 2-4. The grouping includes Thailand, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.
Zawya
02-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
6th BIMSTEC Summit to convene in Bangkok on April 4, focusing on trade, security, regional cooperation
Dhaka: The 6th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is set to take place on April 4 in Bangkok, Thailand, under the theme "Prosperous, Resilient, and Open BIMSTEC," a release from the BIMSTEC Secretariat stated. The summit, hosted three years after the 5th Summit held virtually in Colombo IN 2022, will be preceded by a meeting of BIMSTEC Senior Officials on April 2 and a meeting of BIMSTEC Foreign or External Affairs Ministers on April 3. According to the release, the summit aims to strengthen collaboration among the seven member states--Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand--to tackle shared security and developmental challenges. It will feature a robust agenda, including the adoption of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit Declaration, reflecting the leaders' vision and directives, and the Bangkok Vision 2030, a pioneering roadmap for future cooperation among member states. Key agreements slated for signing include the Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation, aimed at boosting cargo and passenger transport across the Bay of Bengal to enhance trade and travel. Additionally, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) will also be inked between BIMSTEC and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) as well as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), marking the beginning of new developmental partnerships, the release stated. The summit will also see the adoption of the Rules of Procedure for BIMSTEC Mechanisms, complementing the BIMSTEC Charter to solidify the institutional framework for regional cooperation, and the Report of the Eminent Persons Group on the Future Direction of BIMSTEC. The group, after six meetings in 2024 and consultations with stakeholders, finalised its recommendations in September 2024, with member states already initiating implementation steps. In the context of a rapidly changing global political and economic landscape, the 6th BIMSTEC Summit is expected to reinforce the organisation's role as the sole regional body in the Bay of Bengal, fostering cooperation to address security and sustainable development challenges. Bringing together five South Asian and two Southeast Asian nations, BIMSTEC is poised to emerge as a dynamic regional entity. Since its inception in June 1997, BIMSTEC has held five summits--in Bangkok (2004), New Delhi (2008), Nay Pyi Taw (2014), Kathmandu (2018), and Colombo (2022)--with the upcoming summit marking a pivotal moment in shaping its future agenda across seven key sectors: Agriculture and Food Security, Connectivity, Environment and Climate Change, People-to-People Contact, Science, Technology and Innovation, Security, and Trade, Investment and Development, alongside eight sub-sectors including Blue Economy and Disaster Management. © Muscat Media Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
All leaders due to attend BIMSTEC summit, Myanmar junta chief unclear, Thailand says
BANGKOK (Reuters) - All leaders of member countries of the BIMSTEC grouping are still scheduled to join this week's summit in Bangkok, although the attendance of Myanmar's junta leader remains unclear after an earthquake in that country, host Thailand said on Tuesday. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing could still attend remotely, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told a regular briefing. The summit of BIMSTEC, or the Bay of Bengal initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, is due to take place from April 2-4. The grouping includes Thailand, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.
