Flood-hit Agriculture Needs Urgent Climate Action

Bangladesh’s agriculture is currently facing one of the most severe consequences of climate change. The recent episodes of excessive rainfall, waterlogging and flooding have once again demonstrated that the damage extends far beyond crop losses. It directly affects food security, farmers’ livelihoods, the rural economy and overall inflation. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Agriculture, floods have affected 43 districts across the country, damaging crops on 114,723 hectares of land. Of this, 107,845 hectares-- nearly 90 per cent of the total affected area-- are located in 16 districts. More than 500,000 farmers have been affected, including 456,076 in these 16 worst-hit districts.

The worst-affected crops are Aus rice, Aman seedbeds and seasonal vegetables. Approximately 79,500 hectares of Aus rice, 10,504 hectares of Aman seedbeds, and 17,800 hectares of seasonal vegetables have been damaged. Crops like pulses, maize, papaya, and other high-value produces have also suffered significant losses.  Meanwhile, the fisheries and livestock sectors have incurred losses estimated at around Tk 399 crore. Floodwaters washed away 12,043 tonnes of white fish, 14,000 tonnes of shrimp, 1.8 million fingerlings, and 259 million fish fry. Livestock and poultry farms have also been affected, while animal feed has been severely damaged.

According to preliminary information from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Cumilla, crops on 19,899 hectares have been affected in Cumilla district alone. Of these, 19,477 hectares were standing crops, while crops on 2,671 hectares have already been damaged. Nearly 29,175 farmers have been affected. A crop-wise assessment shows that transplanted Aman rice has suffered the largest overall impact, with 66 hectares damaged out of 16,200 hectares cultivated. Transplanted Aus rice recorded particularly severe losses. Not only staple food crops but also high-value vegetables and spice crops have suffered considerable damage, which may adversely affect future market supply and price stability.

This grim reality clearly demonstrates that floods are no longer merely natural disasters; they have become multidimensional economic crises for agriculture. Therefore, financial compensation alone will not suffice. What Bangladesh needs at this time is a long-term, science-based and policy-driven strategy for agricultural recovery and resilience.
To achieve this, the following measures deserve immediate attention: First, rapid damage assessment and farmer-specific support must be ensured. Modern technologies such as satellite imagery, drones, and digital farmer databases should be used to assess actual losses quickly so that assistance reaches the right beneficiaries. Free or subsidized seeds, fertilizers, seedlings, and rescheduling of agricultural loans should be provided to affected farmers.

Second, a short-duration crop recovery programme should be launched immediately after floodwaters recede. Timely distribution of seeds of short-duration vegetables, pulses, sesame, maize, and other fast-growing crops would enable farmers to recover part of their losses within the same season. Alternative Aman seedbeds should also be established and quality seedlings distributed.

Third, climate-resilient crop varieties must be expanded rapidly. The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) has already developed several flood- and submergence-tolerant rice varieties. BRRIdhan51, BRRIdhan52, BRRIdhan79, and BRRIdhan110 are among the most promising varieties. BRRIdhan110 can tolerate submergence for approximately 15–20 days and has gained popularity for its tolerance to prolonged waterlogging. 

Fourth, region-specific agricultural planning is essential. A single farming strategy cannot serve all parts of the country. Separate cropping calendars, crop selection, and disaster management plans should be developed for haor areas, coastal regions, char lands, hill districts, and riverine floodplains. Agricultural systems tailored to local climatic and geographical conditions will significantly reduce production risks.

Fifth, greater investment is required in waterlogging management infrastructure. In many areas, prolonged waterlogging causes more damage than flooding itself. Re-excavation of canals, modernization of irrigation and drainage systems, integrated water retention and drainage planning, and the formation of community-based water management committees are urgently needed.

Sixth, agricultural insurance and disaster risk financing should be expanded. Smallholder farmers often lose everything during natural disasters and struggle to resume production. Weather-indexed agricultural insurance, disaster recovery funds, and concessional rehabilitation loans would significantly reduce their vulnerability.
Seventh, fisheries and livestock must receive equal priority in rehabilitation efforts. Since floods have caused enormous losses in these sectors, special recovery programmes should provide fingerlings, fish fry, animal feed, veterinary services, vaccines, and financial assistance for small-scale livestock and fish farmers. A comprehensive recovery of agriculture, fisheries, and livestock is essential for restoring the rural economy.

Eighth, the agricultural extension system should be strengthened. Extension officers at the union level should regularly provide farmers with weather-based early warnings, disaster preparedness guidance, post-flood recovery advice, and recommendations on alternative crops. Digital agricultural advisory services and mobile-based extension platforms should also be expanded.

Ninth, greater investment is needed in agricultural research and innovation. Research should focus on developing varieties tolerant to excessive rainfall and waterlogging, raised-bed cultivation, floating agriculture, conservation agriculture, improved drainage technologies and artificial intelligence-based weather forecasting. Equally important is ensuring that research findings are transferred rapidly to farmers.
Finally, climate adaptation must become an integral component of agricultural policy. Sustainable solutions require stronger coordination among the ministries responsible for agriculture, water resources, local government, disaster management, and environment. Dedicated budgetary allocations for climate adaptation and post-disaster agricultural rehabilitation should also be ensured.

Post-disaster recovery programmes can lay the foundation for a climate-resilient agricultural system. The stronger this foundation becomes, the more capable Bangladesh’s agriculture will be of withstanding future disasters while remaining productive, competitive and sustainable.
_________________________________
The writer is Principal Scientific Officer, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI). 
He can be reached at [email protected]