Abstract: This paper focuses on scoping studies, to assess the feasibility of aquatic-agricultural research in
coastal saline area of Bangladesh. To reveal the rural communities requirement, a scoping study
has been done in very high saline area of southwest coastal area in a bottom up approach. The
location of the scoping study was in four villages (Khanjia, Shehara and Gopalpur, Soalia) of
two polders (polder 3 and polder 5), respectively. Structured questionnaire was used to interview
50 male and female participants in all villages along with the government and private sector
official. Questions were on water issues, major cropping systems, livestock, aquaculture,
homestead farming, women participation, environment, nutrition, training, sources of inputs and
overall constraints. It was observed Polder 5 is very high saline, among which Soalia is extreme
saline than Gopalpur. Polder 3 is also very high but Khanjia is less saline than Shehara. In all
location fresh water for household is a constraint, drainage is not sufficient that increases salinity
and water governance conflict among elite exists. People are not aware of advanced agricultural
and fish farming technologies. They have limited excess to good seeds, fingerlings and training.
To solve this issues field research, motivation, policy and institutional level work need to be
done.
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