বঙ্গাব্দের জন্মকথা

 Agriculture in Saline Soils: A new solution to climate change

Daily Earth NewsPaper,
15.03.2026
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BY PROGGA DAS

limate change has become one C of the most widely discussed global issues of our time. Due to climate change, almost every country in the world is facing severe challenges. However, the scale of the problem is particularly greater for developing and least developed coun-tries like Bangladesh. Excessive rainfall, drought, cyclones, storm surges, and ris-ing sea levels that threaten to submerge coastal regions have become increasingly common in Bangladesh. As a result, the coastal districts are among the worst vic-tims of climate change.

Currently, around 1.056 million hectares of land in the country's 19 coastal districts are affected by salinity. In 1973, this figure was only 83 thousand hectares. As time progresses, the climate continues to change rapidly, and salinity is increasing accordingly. A few decades ago, vast areas of land produced rice, vegetables, and a variety of crops. Today, in many places, the soil is covered with a white layer of salt. As a consequence, many farmers have been forced to leave their land uncultivated or shift to other professions.

Yet within this crisis lies a new seed of possibility. If this potential can be proper-

ly realized, the curse of saline land can be transformed into an opportunity. With the right strategies and knowledge, it may become a new path for agriculture in the era of climate change. Agriculture in saline soils can not only open new horizons for food production but can also reshape the economy of coastal regions.

One of the most important strategies for farming in saline soils is the selection of salt-tolerant crops. Agricultural scien-tists have already developed several rice varieties that can produce good yields even in saline conditions. Varieties such as BRRI dhan67, BRRI dhan97, BRRI dhan99, and BRRI dhanll2 can tolerate salinity levels of 10-12 decisiemens per meter. While conventional rice varieties yield around 4-5 tons per hectare, these varieties can produce up to 5-6 tons. At present, these varieties are being cultivat-ed in about 35 percent of the saline-affect-ed coastal areas. As a result, the stress-tol-erant varieties developed by BRRI are contributing approximately 1.525 billion dollars annually to the economy.

If this trend continues and expands fur-ther, coastal regions will be able to make significant contributions to the national economy despite the challenges of salini-ty. However, agriculture in saline land is not limited to rice cultivation alone. Gradually, new opportunities are emerg-ing in this sector.

With the support of Dutch scientists,

Bangladesh has launched the Salt Solutions Project. Through this initiative, coastal farmers are being trained on how to increase crop production even in saline soils. Farmers are learning the Sarjan method, where crops are cultivated on raised beds of soil. They are also being taught techniques such as mulching with straw to retain soil moisture, drip irriga-tion for efficient water use, and rainwater harvesting methods.

In many coastal areas, crops such as potato, carrot, bottle gourd, spinach, watermelon, and sunflower are now being cultivated successfully. Agricultural innovation is not stopping here. Research is also being conducted on halophytes, plants that naturally thrive in saline envi-ronments. These crops have the potential not only to meet domestic food demand but also to create new opportunities for export and foreign currency earnings.

Nevertheless, the path forward is not entirely easy. In many coastal regions, salinity continues to increase, and there is a shortage of freshwater. Many farmers still do not have easy access to modern agricul-tural technologies. In some areas, shrimp farming has further increased soil salinity.

Despite these challenges, hope is emerging through various training pro-grams and development projects. So far, more than 30,000 farmers have learned techniques for cultivating salt-tolerant crops through these initiatives. At the same time, with the cooperation of the

government, NGOs, and international partners, a supportive network is gradu-ally being established. In many cases, trained farmers are now teaching others within their communities.

One of the most significant benefits of this transformation is being experienced by women in coastal areas. Many female farmers are now cultivating crops on their own land and becoming economically independent. As a result, thousands of new employment opportunities are being creat-ed each year.

For Bangladesh, this represents a signif-icant opportunity. If research, innovation, and training are expanded in a planned and strategic manner, Bangladesh could one day become a global example in saline agriculture. The coastal regions would not only serve as agricultural production zones but also emerge as a powerful driv-ing force of the national economy.

The soil of our coastal regions is not merely saline land; it carries the memo-ries of our ancestors and the hopes of our future generations. Every farmer in these coastal areas is a warrior in their own right. If the state, scientists, and conscious citizens of society stand beside them, this saline soil can become the foundation of Bangladesh's development.

Progga Das is a Student, Department of Economics Eden Mohila College She can be reached at

proggadas2005@gmail.com