3.2 Case Study - Rice Farming in Bangladesh

Question 1

Location

Answer 1

• Bangladesh (South Asia) is located in the delta of the Padma (Ganges) and Jamuna (Brahmaputra) rivers.
• Bangladesh is bordered by the Bay of Bengal, and the countries of India and Burma (Myanmar).
• Its capital is Dhaka.

Question 2

Climate of Bangladesh

Answer 2

Bangladesh has a subtropical monsoon climate characterized by wide seasonal variations in rainfall, high temperatures and humidity.
* There are three distinct seasons in Bangladesh:
* a hot, humid summer from March to June;
* a cool, rainy monsoon season from June to October;
* and a cool, dry winter from October to March.

Question 3

Alluviums

Answer 3

fertile soil containing earth and sand left by rivers or floods.

Question 4

What can monsoon rains provide?

Answer 4

30 to 50% of the country is flooded:
* Refill groundwater
* Provide fertile soil for farming with alluviums
* Provide fish
* Reduce the need for artificial fertilisers

Question 5

Farming population in Bangladesh

Answer 5

• Total population 160 million (2017)
• Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
• Agriculture remains the most important sector of Bangladeshi economy, contributing 20% to the national GDP and providing employment for over 60% of the population.

Question 6

Physical factors for rice cultivation

Answer 6

• 21°C and over through the year allowing two crops to be grown annually – rice needs a growing season of only 100 days.
• Monsoon rainfall over 2000mm providing sufficient water for the fields to flood, which is necessary for wet rice cultivation.
• Rich alluvial soils built up through regular flooding over a long time period during the monsoon season.
• A important dry period for harvesting the rice.

Question 7

Why is rice farming intensive? (3)

Answer 7

• Rice farming is extremely water intensive, 90% of agricultural water in Asia is used for rice production.
• It takes 5000 litres of water to produce one kilogram of rice.
• Much of Asia’s rice production is intensive subsistence where the crop is grown on very small plots of land using a very high input of labour, using traditional techniques.

Question 8

Rice terracing

Answer 8

• Rice is either grown in the fertile silt and flooded areas of the lowland or cultivated on terraces on the hillsides.
• A terrace is a levelled (flat) section of a hilly cultivated area, known as the padi-field.
• Terracing is a method of soil conservation and preventing irrigated water from running away rapidly.

Question 9

Process of rice cultivation

Answer 9

• At first, rice is grown in nurseries. It is then transplanted when the monsoon rains flood the padi-field.
• Water buffalo are used for work. They also provide an important source of manure in the fields.

Question 10

Problems of rice farming in Bangladesh (2)

Answer 10

• Agriculture in Bangladesh is heavily dependent on the weather, and the entire harvest can be wiped out in a matter of hours when cyclones hit the country.
• Bangladesh is among the most vulnerable countries to climate change, which is a threat to the farming, particularly in areas affected by flooding, saline intrusion, and drought.