An exploratory study on farmer's vernacular knowledge about the land characteristics, soil quality and crop suitability in Lower Ganga Flood Plain: Bangladesh Perspective
Abstract
Local people and small scale farmer had abroad understanding of their land characteristics and soil quality to choose crop. Though Maximum farmers in our country are illiterate and little educated; they have no enough scientific knowledge about land type, soil quality and crop suitability. But they possess vast indigenous knowledge by living in a same environment for along period of time. They have developed some strategies that helped them to attain a higher degree of satisfaction in farming. So therefore it is very important to explore the farmer’svernacular knowledge about the land type, soil quality and crop suitability. To address this indigenous knowledge this study investigates the farmer’svernacular knowledge about the land type, soil quality and crop suitability in Lower Ganga FloodPlain in Bangladesh. The information was collected from one Mouza in Nagarkanda upazila, Faridpur district Lower Ganga FloodPlain in Bangladesh. Qualitative and quantitative both data were used in this study. The data were collected from primary sources (such as questionnaire survey, FGD) and secondary data sources (such as books, journals, and published and unpublished research reports). Data were analyzed by exploratory statistics. Graphs and graph tables were created by MSexcel. By analyzing the Field data it was investigated that farmers of the study area recognized four elevation levels of land; i). HighLand (Vitta) ii). Medium Land (Taner Jomi) iii). LowLand (Nall/Dhop) iv).Very Low (Beel) based on its elevation, flood depth, land use, and crop suitability. The farmers of the study area possess considerable knowledge of the soils quality, moisture conditions of that area. The farmers of the study area distinguish soil into three categories primarily on the basis of color, texture, organic matter content, drainage, and fertility of soils. They use indigenous methods such as visual observation while color, tasting by tongue, feeling, vegetation cover and rubbing with fingers to determine various soil properties. Thus Farmers’ knowledge of soils is, therefore, avast resource we summarized in this paper.
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Introduction
Bangladeshis one of the most densely populated countries in the world with an area of 147,570 sq. kilometers. The economy of Bangladesh primarily is dependent on agriculture [6]. To meet the increasing demand of growing population crop field is used intensively where farm characteristics, soil quality are the main prerequisites for sustainable crop production. The success of maintaining or enhancing land, soil quality and crop suitability depends on our understanding of how the soil responds to agricultural land use and crop pattern. Concern about land type, soil quality and are not limited to agricultural scientists, natural resource managers, and policymakers, but also farmers have a vested interest inland type soil quality crop suitability [1]. Local or indigenous cultures and people hold significant knowledge of soils, land and crop suitability, attained by experience and testing through many generations of living close to the land [10]. The environmental knowledge embedded in local cultures provides a long-term perspective on land use and management not otherwise available. The long-term experience of local cultures with resource use and management, including successes and failures, is embodied in local cultures and can help in evaluating land use in relation to soil quality and sustainable agriculture. (Sandor, 2002). Local soil knowledge is clearly across or mix between knowledge and practice, and the two are frequently difficult to separate. Abetter understanding of the diversity among the farmer’slocal knowledge of land, soil management and crop suitability is essential to formulate a sustainable national agricultural development policy [2].
Historically, agricultural researchers and policymakers of Bangladesh have neither recognized the importance of farmers’ local knowledge of soil management nor integrated them in farming systems research. Therefore, the potential contribution of such avast resource to achieve sustainability of the country’sfarming systems remained untapped, and the agricultural researchers have not been very successful in developing a sustainable farming system that is suitable for different environmental conditions. Farmers possess vast knowledge of local soils and land management, and practice multiple cropping under different environmental conditions [2]. The challenge for researchers is to investigate farmer’sindigenous knowledge about land characteristics and soil quality for crop suitability to achieve high production. Several participatory approaches have been developed to involve farmers in an interdisciplinary approach to agricultural research. These give greater attention to actual farming practices, farmers’ needs and farmers’ knowledge. Although many studies have investigated the indigenous knowledge of farmers to improve agricultural sustainability, but there were no in-depth investigation in lower Ganga floodplain in Bangladesh. This study attempt to explore the farmer’svernacular knowledge about the land characteristics, soil quality and crop suitability in Nagarkanda Upazila (Lower Ganga Flood Plain) in Bangladesh.
Conclusion
Farmers’ knowledge of land is inherited, acquired through generation-long in situ practical experience and is reflective of their close interaction with the physical environment. Despite their lack of scientific knowledge about topology, physiography and land characteristics of the study area, the farmers are highly knowledgeable in various land type of the study area. Thus, the farmers’ knowledge of land has greater utility toward the sustainability of agriculture in the village. Farmer assessment about the soil quality, soil fertility is very much important in agriculture spatially cropping pattern of my study area. Though their local knowledge about soil is much different from scientific research, Farmers’ interest in soils is to sustain higher yield of crops of their choice; hence they classify soils on the basis of topsoil conditions. They have traditional local knowledge about the crop suitability of that area. Depending on their local knowledge they cultivate different types of food and cash crops. Though their local knowledge about crop suitability is not wrong but if we can add scientific knowledge with their local knowledge then this knowledge will be better than the local knowledge. So from the above discussion it can be said that combined knowledge (local and scientific) is more suitable and useful than local knowledge.
