In the marshy region of Nazirpur Upazila, Pirojpur district, prolonged waterlogging has made traditional farming challenging for families. In response, many have turned to the age-old method of cultivating crops on floating rafts. A method that was invented two hundred years ago, passed down from their ancestors.
Farmers in this area have achieved remarkable success in seed production and growing agricultural products using this local technique in land that is otherwise submerged underwater. Not only that, this unique approach to cultivating crops and vegetables on water has been gradually gaining popularity.
In recent years, this innovative farming method has become a symbol of success for a densely populated country, where millions of people live below the poverty line. In 2015, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) recognised floating vegetable farming as a globally important agricultural heritage system.
Bangladesh, being one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, faces rising water levels due to storms, floods, and river erosion. With increasingly unpredictable monsoons, floating agriculture has become even more essential. This agro-technique proves invaluable in combating food shortages caused by climate change. As the world’s largest delta with significant wetlands, adoption of this cultivation method in Bangladesh not only helps in adapting to climate change, but also mitigates its effects, such as rising sea levels.
