Nov

Project Urbor : Building Resiliency Among Farmers From Dumuriya, Khulna Against Soil Salinity Through Climate-Smart Agriculture

Over 1 million hectares of farmland have become unsuitable for cultivation due to soil salinity resulting from climate change and rising sea levels. Additionally, poor soil management and a lack of climate-smart agriculture practices have exacerbated the challenges faced by farmers. “Project Urbor” aims to empower farmers and enhance resilience by integrating expert knowledge with traditional practices. Over the past three months, the project has directly engaged with 12 farmers in Dumuriya, Khulna, to implement two innovative agricultural methods: Alternative Wetting and Drying and Quick Composting. While maintaining communication with farmers posed a challenge due to limited infrastructure, the feedback received has been overwhelmingly positive. Farmers have reported that these new practices significantly reduce their production costs, demonstrating the project’s positive impact on their livelihoods.

From the outset, the project’s objective has been to empower farmers and enhance their resilience by combining expert knowledge with indigenous practices. By promoting Alternative Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Quick Composting techniques, the initiative has successfully facilitated this goal. After three months of implementation, positive feedback has been received from the twelve participating farmers, who reported a 25% reduction in farming costs primarily due to decreased water usage through AWD. The Quick Composting method has also significantly improved soil fertility by increasing organic carbon content, leading to an anticipated 40% rise in crop yields. Farmers have experienced increased productivity, positively affecting their income and food security. The project has emphasized the delivery of expert knowledge in an accessible manner, with a digital tool providing real-time information on soil salinity and crop recommendations, further empowering farmers to make informed decisions.

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