Presented by: Syed Rabiul Alam, Deputy Director(DS)

,DNCRP (under ministry of commerce) , Khulna

Sl No.-12, 94
th
ACAD, BPATC

Abstract
In Bangladesh 1 million hectare of rice lands are currently
affected by salinity mainly in the coastal 13 districts and further
degradation will have detrimental consequences on food security
due to limited land resources.
About 53% of the coastal areas are affected by salinity.
Agricultural land use in these areas is very poor, which is much
lower than countrys average cropping intensity.
Salinity causes unfavorable environment and hydrological
situation that restrict the normal crop production throughout
the year. The dominant crop grown in the saline areas is local
transplanted Aman (wet season) rice crop with low yields.
Salinity problem received very little attention in the past. Now as
it is adversely affecting our staple crop yield , it is posing a
serious threat and causing a grave imbalance in our total food
security system

The purpose of this paper is to show nature of salinity,
constraints of paddy production due to salinity,
different measures suggested by researchers to combat
this menace and maintain stable paddy production in
these affected areas and formulate an unhindered food
security system.
Based on mainly secondary sources, this study finds
that devastating impact of salinity can successfully be
minimized, if not fully overcome.
Some recommendations have been suggested to tackle
the problem of salinity and ensure a total food security
system in southern Bangladesh.

INTRODUCTION
The coastal regions of Bangladesh covers 29,000 sq km
or about 20% of the country. On the other hand these
coastal areas cover more than 30% of the total
cultivable lands of the country.
About 53% of the coastal areas are affected by different
degrees of salinity. This includes 13 coastal Districts
covering 2.5 million ha of land.
Of these, nearly one million ha are affected by varying
intensities of salinity ,resulting in very poor land
utilization and meager amount of paddy production.
Rice production is very vital to Bangladesh Economy , as
it contributes about 50% of the total agricultural value
and employs over 65% of the total agricultural labor force.
Rice is grown on about 10.71 million hectares of land in
Bangladesh . Rice provides about 71% of the total calories
and 51 % of the protein intake of the peoples diet. Rice
also accounts for nearly 18 % of the Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) of Bangladesh.
Rice accounts for 75 % of the total area of agricultural
crops, and 93% of the total area planted to cereals. The
modern rice varieties cover about 62 % of the total rice
areas, which contribute to about 77 % of the total rice
production of the country.

Salinity causes unfavorable environmental and
hydrological situation that restricts the normal paddy
production throughout the year.

The dominant crop grown in the saline areas is local
transplanted Aman rice crop with low yields. The
cropping patterns followed in the coastal areas are
mainly Fallow-Fallow-Transplanted Aman rice.
As a result food security in Bangladesh is under grave
threat , because slight decrease in paddy production will
have devastating impact on our staple food supply. At
present Bangladesh can barely produce enough rice grain
to feed the population.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of this paper is to identify the
impact of intrusion of saline water and increase of
salinity in coastal belt soil and its adverse effects on
paddy production and also to know the real scenario of
the saline coastal zone. How these obstacles can be
overcome and how a safe, sustainable food security
system can be achieved, are other objectives of this
assay.
Rationale Of The Issue /Topic
Rice is the principle crop and food of Bangladesh.
After independence, keeping pace with population
hike, paddy production has increased at least three
times.
Any shortage of grain production seriously hampers
overall food security in our country.
Apart from flood, drought and tornado/cyclones ,
salinity increase in the 13 coastal districts is a grave
hindrance to optimum paddy production.


If we can minimize the intensity and adverse effects of
salinity on rice production in our southern districts , it will at
least eliminate a major impediment to optimum crop yield.


A successful food security milieu is very much essential for
favorable and harmonious condition of the country and also
for good and visible governance.



Therefore, everybody should be aware of the salinity
problems in southern regions and be amply prepared for
combating this obstacle.

Methodology
The principal source of information and data of this
paper is secondary source, i.e., a few published
research papers and articles in news papers . However
some of the personal knowledge of the author have
been reflected in the paper.
Characteristics of Saline Soil
Soil reaction values (pH) range from 6.0 to 8.4 ,i.e.
most of the soils are moderate to strongly alkaline, the
pH values of the surface soils being lower than those of
the sub-surface soils.
Very low organic matter content in the top soils
ranging from less than 1% to 1.5%. This is responsible
for poor physical condition of the coastal soils.
Salinity range is normally 4 dS/m or above , percentage
of exchangeable Na is less than 15 % : the presence of
Na
+
, Mg
++
, Ca
++
cations and SO
4
=
,
HCO
3
-
,
Cl
-
anions are more than enough.



Vital nutrients like N and P are quite lacking in saline
soils, but micronutrients, such as Cu and Zn are
widespread.

Saline soil contains an excess of soluble salts, especially
sodium chloride( NaCl) and sodium sulphate( Na
2
So
4
).

Due to a number of environmental factors the coastal
soils are slightly moderately saline on the surface, and
highly saline in sub-surface layers and substrata
Causes of salinity in the soil
Cyclone and tidal surge along the coastal belt.
Upstream withdrawal of the Ganges water by the
neighboring countries.
Widespread brackish water Bagda shrimp cultivation
in the southern districts.
Irrigation with saline ground water.
Salts in water seepage from upslope.





Salts from upward capillary movement of ground water
close to the soil surface.
Continuous accumulation of salts from tidal flooding.
Natural disaster or high water pressure or breakage in
the coastal embankment contributes to the intrusion of
saline sea water into fresh land.
Bangda Shrimp Gher are being established here and
there in a very unplanned way, as bagda culture requires
saline water , the area under bagda cultivation are
gradually been rendered saline and unproductive.




Gradual rise of sea water level due to climatic changes.
Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to sea level rise. UNEP
(1989) predicted a 1.5 m sea level rise by 2030 which will
inundate 16% of total land mass and effect 15 million
people, whereas world Bank (2000) predicted a rise of 10
cm, 25 cm and 1 m by the year 2020, 2050 and 2100
respectively which will likely to inundate 2%, 4% and
17.5% of total land mass respectively. Sea level rise has
direct influence on salinity intrusion in the exposed and
interior coast.
Salinity Infested Areas of
Bangladesh(1973-2009)
Year of Survey of Soil Salinity
1973 2000 2009
8,33,450 ha 10,20,750 ha 10,56,260 ha
Soil salinity Classification
Salinity
class
Degree of
Salinity(EC
dS/m)
Impact on Crops
Non-saline Less than 2 Usually on effect on crops
Very
slightly
saline
2-4
Very low impact except on extremely
salinity sensitive crops
Slightly
saline
4-8 Production of many crops hampered
Moderately
saline
8-12
Only salinity resistant varieties
survive
Strongly
saline
12-15
Only strongly salinity resistant
varieties grow well
Extremely
saline
More than15
Even strongly salinity-resistant
varieties fail to grow
Impacts of salinity on Paddy
Paddy grains fall down immaturely before ripening.
Sometimes Rice grains do not mature at all, as a result
blank grains ( Chita Dhan ) are produced.
Rice grains lose desired taste, flavor or color.
Farmers cannot recover the total cost of production
because of poor paddy yield and low market price.
Salinity causes reduction in panicle number and
panicle length of rice and sterility which are the major
causes of yield loss.

Salinity-affected Rice Field
Impediments of paddy production in
salinity-inflicted coastal Districts
o Coastal saline soils being silty clay/clay in texture, gets
hard on drying, Cracks develop and making tillage
operation difficult .
o Water table too deep to lift irrigation water during
seedling planting in rainy season.
o Saline water remains within one meter from soil
surface all the year round.
o Insufficiency of micronutrients, other than S and K.
Acute dearth of N and K. Micronutrients such as Zn
and Cu are of very little amount in saline soil.

Soil does not become tillable in time, i.e. moisture
content in soil remains decreased.
Water becomes stagnant in saline areas and water-logging
condition persist .
Lack of proper irrigation system due to scarcity of fresh
water.
Expansion shrimp cultivation in the coastal districts has
worsened the salinity condition and there is no or little
co-ordination between all sectors.
Most of the rice land kept fallow except Aman season due
to the extreme presence of salinity of the southwest
coastal region.

SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
Introducing salinity resistant paddy varieties such as
BRRI Dhan-47 , BBRI Dhan-40 , BBRI Dhan-41 , BRRI
Dhan-53, BRRI Dhan-54 and other well-adapted and
salinity resistant local varieties. BRRI Dhan- 47 can
withstand 12-14 dS/m of salinity while they are tender,
and 6 dS/m in their entire lifespan of 152-155 days. The
expected yield is 6-7 tons per hectare or around the
same as regular rice. Another new salt tolerant rice
variety developed by Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear
Research , (Binadhan-10) can tolerate up to 12 dS/m of
salinity.


Raising of protective embankment in order to prevent
intrusion of saline water. In this sector, embankments
must be built at least 2-3 meters high above the high tide
level during full moon or new moon.
Embankments should be quipped with sluice gates at
every convenient place to drain out excess water and
wash out salt crusted tops during March and April with
monsoon rain.
Slight variations land relief cause salt accumulation in
the raised spots (As a result of capillary rise ).Therefore
proper leveling of the ground should be done by the
farmers to prevent accumulation of water in the low-
lying patches in the paddy fields.


A proper sub-surface drainage system has to be installed to
keep the ground water at least one meter below the soil
surface. This will help reducing soil salinity by leaching
salts. This technology is effective but somewhat expensive.

Enhancing cultivation of well-adapted local T-Aman rice
varieties etc .

Keeping lands fallow leads to high salinity in soil due to
evaporation of soil moisture. Therefore it is suggested to
avoid fallowing of lands during Rabi season. Salt tolerant
crops of short life-span(eg.Dhaincha) should be chosen and
grown. This will lower profile salinity.


Fertilization of Gypsum and Potash helps to reduce salinity.
Monsoon rain water should be harvested in the canal,
ditches and blocked rivers to irrigate during dry period.
Making high (25-30 cm) ails to store rain to protect saline
increase (through capillary rise too) due to drought.
Winter is relatively short in the coastal region. So the
establishment of Boro season a month earlier might help to
avoid higher salinity during April-May.
Straw mulching conserves water and reduces capillary rise
of saline water and prevents forming saline crust.
Soil flashing (washing soil with fresh water) for four times
is good for reducing soil salinity from 4 dS/m to 0.49 dS/m
During Boro season, one time flashing during
reproduction phase is quite useful for the crop.
CONCLUSION
Soil salinity is a world -wide problem, Bangladesh being no
exception to this phenomenon. Increase in soil salinity will
have serious negative impacts on agriculture. Presently
practiced rice varieties may not be able to withstand
increased salinity. The food production does not seem to
have a better future in the event of a climate change. In
Bangladesh, rice production may fall by 10% and wheat by
30% by 2050 . Rice being the staple food of the country ,
decreased paddy production in coastal belt poses a great
threat on overall economy. The farmers are becoming
poorer , losing their land by leasing out for shrimp
cultivation. As a result food security in these areas are
greatly threatened. The importance of Shrimp cultivation
can not be ignored, because it is a major source of foreign
exchange. Therefore there should be a well-coordinated
efforts from all quarters to combat this threat.