Climate, social pressures pincer Bangladeshi shrimp farmers

Farmer Azizul Islam suffered his first stroke after a 2019 cyclone washed away shrimp worth Tk2.5 lakh ($2,450) from his ponds on the southern Bangladesh coast. The stress damaged his health, said the 34-year-old, who works on the vast stretches of low-lying land, known as ghers, used for aquaculture and rice paddies in Satkhira district. “Then I […]

Climate and social pressures pincer Bangladeshi shrimp farmers

CATCHING CRABS Farmers, meanwhile, have been testing ways of adapting to shifting weather patterns and rising salinity – with mixed results. Some are trying to boost yields using new shrimp varieties, while others are branching out into crab-fattening. Bangladesh has mostly focused on producing giant tiger shrimp up to now, but output has stagnated amid […]

FEATURE-Climate and social pressures pincer Bangladeshi shrimp farmers | Headlines

* Export-led shrimp farming generates income but hurts the ecology * Climate change drives rising salinity, stronger storms * Efforts to adapt, financial support not enough for small farmers Farmer Azizul Islam suffered his first stroke after a 2019 cyclone washed away shrimp worth 250,000 taka ($2,450) from his ponds on the […]