Bangladesh: Floating gardens may be a sustainable solution to flooding
Bangladesh
Published Jul 4, 2021
Tridge summary
Floating gardens are made of native aquatic plants like water hyacinths. Farmers arrange the plants together in a river, forming floating raised beds about three feet deep. This farming approach is traditionally used to produce food in the wetlands, especially during the rainy season. Okra, spinach, eggplant, turmeric, and ginger are the common crops grown over the hyacinth beds.
Original content
The concept of floating gardens existed hundreds of years ago. This practice has been observed not just in Bangladesh where it is considered a tradition, but also in other countries like Myanmar, Cambodia, and India. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) labeled Bangladesh’s floating gardens as a globally important agricultural heritage system (GIAHS). A study by the Journal of Agriculture, Food and Environment (JAFE) shows that floating gardens could be a solution to mitigate food insecurity and boost the income of rural families, especially those residing in flood-prone areas. With the impacts of climate change, including the fluctuating water level in rivers, the gardens have been a sustainable alternative for small-holder rice farmers to continue their production amid extreme weather conditions. The study found that floating gardens are linked to the stability of income and food among families who use this farming method. Growers mostly use hybrid ...
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