Vulnerability Comparision
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 1 Perception of drought
important in some intensively cropped, irrigated farming systems such as on the Indo Gangetic plain (Kataki et al. 2001).
2. STUDY OBJECTIVE
The broad objective of the study was to know farmers perception on drought and its impacts in the study areas. Specific objectives of the study were to: i) explore the causes of drought;
ii) know the drought symptoms; iii) know drought frequency and recent drought year; iv) how drought impacted livelihoods; and v) how agriculture is affected by drought
3. METHODOLOGY
The study was concentrated in six villages under six upazila in three districts of Bangladesh over a period of nine months. Based on CEGIS report 2013, Tanore and Godagari Upazila were selected from Rajshahi considering drought severity ranking. Similarly, Nachole and Shibganj Upazila were selected from Chapainawabganj district and Niamatpur and Porsha Upazila from Naogaon district. Six villages were selected from six Upazila randomly (one village from one Upazila). Total 343 respondents (30% women and 70% men) were interviewed using structured questionnaire. The study was also used focus group discussion with the homogeneous group. Total twelve focus groups discussion were carried out with male and female participants separately. In-depth and key informants interview and field observation were made during data collection. Thirty In-depth interviews and fifteen Key Informants Interviews (KIIs) were administrated for the study. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS software and results were presented in the report.
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
area that normally experiences blinking wet and dry periods. Essentially temporary cutback of water/moisture accessibility as a drought is extremely complex and depends upon the time period being considered.
4.2 Causes of drought
Erratic and less rainfall in any season, non availability of ground water and extreme temperature causes drought in the Barind Tract. The respondents do not know the causes of drought clearly. Most of them think that it is a natural disaster given by the almighty God.
Some respondents are informed about global warming and desertification due to deforestation. They told that, drought occur in the hot summer season due to the extreme temperature, lack of rainfall and absence of available soil moisture. Lack of soil moisture associated with agricultural drought. Meteorological drought is associated with the reduction of monsoon rainfall. Hydrological drought is associated with the reduction of ground water level, stream flow and surface water in canal, rivers and ponds. Drought conditions are becoming severe due to lack of moisture retention of the soil, unavailability of ground water, high erratic & low rainfall and low adaptive capacity of the farmers.
Drought in Bangladesh is interlinked with climate extremes, lack of soil moisture and non- availability of ground water and surface water resources. Erratic rainfall or low rainfall is also one of the causes of drought in the study areas. Unwise use of surface water and over extraction of ground water is also important causes of drought. Excess evaporation and transpiration is also making the situation more critical. The depletion of pond, canal and kahriis also limiting the surface water availability. Siltation of ponds, canals and rivers are restricted water flow through the true channel. The direct cause of a rainfall deficiency may be due to several factors including moisture deficiency in the atmosphere or large-scale downward movement of air within the atmosphere which restrains rainfall. Alterations in such factors lead changes in local, regional and global weather and climate.
Increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses have been suggested as causes of erratic and low rainfall, which are, in turn, attributed as climate change. There is strong evidence that climate change will affect the rainfall pattern and as a result, droughts that are more frequent are expected. The local level factors are human-induced activities resulting from vegetation loss due to over exploitation of resources and deforestation.
On an average, more than 97% respondent (n=335) of study area pointed out that drought has been occur due to high temperature followed by lack of ground water ( 97. 38%), lack of soil moisture( 98.79%), less rainfall(93.29%), erratic rainfall (86.595) and environmental hazards (86.59%) respectively (Table 4.1). The people of the study area were believed that drought occur due to number of causes. In Chapainawabganj 100% respondents (n=126) reported that drought occurs due to lack of soil moisture, erratic rainfall, high temperature, less rainfall, lack of ground water and environmental hazards respectively (Table 4.1). In Rajshahi, all the respondents (n=52) from Parisho village were agreed with the same but in Aye-Hi village 100% (n=62) respondents were identified high temperature is the main cause and then 96.8% (n=60) respondent talking about less rainfall followed by 90.3%
(n=56) respondent of lack of ground water, 88.7% (n=55) respondent of lack of soil moisture, 67.7% (n=75) respondent of erratic rainfall and 66.1% (n=41) respondent of environmental hazards. In Naogoan, all the respondents (63) of Bhabicha pointed out that lack of soil moisture and lack of ground water were responsible for the drought. About 98.4% (62) respondents claimed in high temperature and another causes claimed by 81%
(51) respondents was erratic rainfall, less rainfall and environmental hazards were responsible for the occurrence of drought. On the other hand, the respondents of Mollapara pointed out that lack of ground water 92.5% (n=37) was the main cause followed by lack of soil moisture 90% (n=36), high temperature 82% (n=33), less rainfall 77.5% (n=31), environmental hazards 67.5% (n=27) and erratic rainfall 65% (n=26).
Table 4.1 causes of drought
Causes
Study location with respondents (Number and percentage)
Rajshahi Chapainawabganj Naogaon All
N=343 Parisho
n=52 Aye-Hi
n=62 Nizampur
n=75
Chokghorpakhi n=51a
Bhabicha
n=63 Mollapara
n=40
N % N % N % N % N % N % N %
Lack of soil
moisture 5
2 10
0 5
5 88.
7 7
5 10
0 51 100 6
3 100 3
6 90 33
2 96.7
Erratic 9
rainfall 5
2 10
0 4
2 67.
7 7
5 10
0 51 100 5
1 81 2
6 65 29
7 86.5
High 9
temperature 5
2 10
0 6
2 100 7
5 10
0 51 100 6
2 98.
4 3
3 82 33
5 97.6
7 Less rainfall 5
2 10
0 6
0 96.
8 7
5 10
0 51 100 5
1 81 3
1 77.
5 32
0 93.2
Lack of 9
ground water 5
2 10
0 5
6 90.
3 7
5 10
0 51 100 6
3 100 3
7 92.
5 33
4 97.3
Environmenta 8
l hazards 5
2 10
0 4
1 66.
1 7
5 10
0 51 100 5
1 81 2
7 67.
5 29
7 86.5
9
4.3 Types of drought
It is not clear on drought types as perceived by the respondents. They were claimed only agricultural drought, hydrological drought and meteorological drought. They were marked agricultural drought if the soil is lacking from moisture; hydrological drought if there is no water flow in the river; meteorological drought if there is no rainfall for long time. Several literatures were mentioned five types of drought including agricultural drought, meteorological drought, hydrological drought, socioeconomic drought and seasonal drought. Meteorological drought notices when the reduction in rainfall for a specified period of time. Hydrological drought occurs when deficiencies in surface and subsurface water supplies based on measurements of stream flow and lake, reservoir and groundwater levels. Agricultural drought happens when there is no enough soil moisture to meet the needs of agricultural production at a particular time. Socioeconomic drought occurs when physical water shortage starts to affect people. Seasonal droughts are related to deficit soil moisture during certain periods within a season. There are three types of seasonal droughts in Bangladesh during monsoon season likely early season drought, mid season drought and terminal season drought. Early-season droughts are due to delayed start or early breaks in monsoon rainfall. Mid-season droughts are originated by sporadic or extended dry spells.
Terminal-season droughts are rooted by early withdrawal of monsoon rainfall. In the study areas, terminal droughts are more dominant and coincide with the most important growth phases of the rice crop.
4.4 Drought symptoms
Extreme temperature is one of the symptoms of drought as mentioned by the study population. The respondents were reported that, they have to face temperature above 40˚C during drought season. Lack of rainfall is another indication of drought. They were