Paper Summary
Paperzilla title
Coastal Bangladesh Farmers Battle Drought: Need More Than Smart Farming Tricks
This study explores the challenges and adaptation strategies of farmers in southeastern coastal Bangladesh in response to climate change impacts, especially drought. Farmers reported increased droughts, untimely precipitation, and water scarcity, affecting crop yields. Despite practicing adaptive methods like drought-tolerant crops and rainwater harvesting, they need more support from the government and NGOs. Quantitative climate data (SPEI and STI) corroborates the farmers' experiences, showing increasing drought intensity and frequency during growing seasons.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare that no competing interests exist. Parts of the study's funding were provided by the first author, and other portions received funding from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. The authors have clarified the scope and influence of this support in their funding disclosure.
Identified Weaknesses
Small sample size for qualitative data
The qualitative data is limited by a small sample size of just 2 FGDs with 12 farmers, and 10 KIIs with various agricultural stakeholders. This limited sample size raises concerns about the generalizability of findings to the broader population of farmers and stakeholders in the region.
Reliance on perceptions and experiences introduces potential bias
The reliance solely on perceptions and experiences of the participants in FGDs and KIIs introduces potential bias. While valuable, these perspectives may not fully represent the complexity of the situation or account for variations within the community. Quantitative data is needed to corroborate these findings and assess the actual extent of drought impacts.
Limited assessment of economic impacts
The study lacks a detailed assessment of the economic impacts of drought and climate change on farmers and the community. Understanding the financial consequences of crop losses and the costs associated with adaptation is crucial for effective policy-making and resource allocation.
Generic policy recommendations
The study's recommendations for policy interventions are somewhat generic and lack specific details on how these interventions should be implemented. Providing more concrete recommendations and action steps would enhance the practical value of the research.
Rating Explanation
This study combines both qualitative and quantitative data to provide a nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by farmers in coastal Bangladesh due to climate change. While the mixed-method approach strengthens the study, the limited sample size in the qualitative components and the lack of economic impact assessment restrict the rating to a 3.
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File Information
Original Title:
Climate-adaptive strategies for enhancing agricultural resilience in southeastern coastal Bangladesh: Insights from farmers and stakeholders
Uploaded:
September 04, 2025 at 06:23 AM
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