Photo : TDM
The Satkhira district is currently grappling with a pressing concern as its arable land reduces at an alarming rate. The area, situated in a coastal region, is witnessing a significant decrease in cropland due to the encroachment of new settlements, brick kilns, ponds, fishing enclosures, crab farms, and other non-agricultural establishments. These unauthorized constructions are being erected on agricultural land without the requisite administrative approvals.
As the Agricultural Land Protection and Land Use Act remains in a proposed state, opportunistic land grabbers are capitalizing on the situation, leading to a substantial loss of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes. Consequently, this persistent trend contributes to a yearly decline in cultivable land, resulting in a reduction in food grain production.
The Agricultural Land Protection and Land Use Act, despite being in the proposal stage for over seven years, has yet to be enacted into law. This delay has hindered the protection of agricultural land. Demands from stakeholders have arisen for the swift passage of this legislation. The proposed act aims to categorize land across the country into various segments such as agriculture, fisheries, livestock, housing, rivers, irrigation, drainage, ponds, and water bodies.
Adding to the challenge, the district is grappling with the repercussions of climate change, which is causing agricultural lands to become uncultivable due to factors such as cyclones, floods, river erosion, and salinity intrusion. Urbanization, brick kilns, industries, and infrastructure development are further exacerbating this issue.
Satkhira's Statistics Office reveals a distressing trend with a 9,260-acre reduction in arable land over a span of 12 years. Astonishingly, agricultural food production has increased by 164,708 units over the same period. The most recent agricultural census conducted in 2019 highlights this disparity.
Satkhira District's Agricultural Extension Department provides insight into the demographic landscape, indicating a population of approximately 2.2 million people within an area spanning 3,858.33 square kilometers. Comparatively, cultivable land has witnessed a drastic decline from 173,604 hectares to 165,245 hectares over the past 23 years.
Sardar Shariful Islam, Deputy Director of the Satkhira District Environment Department, underscores that housing and industrial development, alongside increasing purchasing power, contribute to the decline of both agricultural land and water bodies. These transformations jeopardize sustainable land use. Additionally, the conversion of freshwater areas to shrimp farms using saltwater exacerbates this problem.
Ed. Azad Hossain Belal, Convener of the Satkhira District Citizens Committee, draws attention to the paradox of using prime agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes such as fish enclosures and shrimp farming. He expresses concern over the lack of planning and accountability leading to this land use shift and calls for government intervention to mitigate the consequences on food production and social equilibrium.
Saiful Islam, Deputy Director of the Satkhira District Agricultural Extension Directorate, acknowledges the migration of land from agriculture to various non-agricultural sectors including roads, businesses, mills, and fisheries. Despite acknowledging the problem of diminishing agricultural land, he highlights that food production has not suffered greatly due to concerted efforts by the agricultural department, including the promotion of salinity-tolerant crop varieties and intensified cultivation techniques.
TDM/AM
