Hurricanes highlight importance of climate change adaptation for world’s poorest

New farming techniques are being used to help millions adapt to the devastating consequences of climate change in south Asia.

While hurricanes sweeping the US & Caribbean have dominated headlines in recent weeks, thousands of people have been killed by flooding in Bangladesh and Nepal.

The loss and damage caused by dramatic weather has highlighted the importance of being ready to adapt to the effects of climate change.

Practical Action’s team in Bangladesh is piloting an innovative concept of raising fish in cages and growing vegetables - at the same time.

This farming technique uses water from aquaculture to grow crops or vegetables while it purifies water for fish in the cage or pond. In return, the waste produced by farmed fish supplies nutrients for the vegetables.

Project manager Nazmul Chowdhury said: “I have been working on the front line of climate change for many years and I know it is the world’s poorest who are hit first and worst.

“It is heartbreaking to see people lose everything, year after year, no matter how hard they work during the dry months and we are constantly trying to find techniques which enable people to feed themselves and their families, whatever the weather.

“This latest solution draws on many years of experience we have had in the field and combines two techniques which require large amounts of water to work.

"Cage aquaculture - the farming of fish in cages - has proved a good solution to poor land security in flood-prone areas. Meanwhile floating gardens use materials readily available and fast-growing seeds to grow vegetables within a few weeks.

“The floating gardens are built on rafts made from bamboo, which thrive on floodwaters. Whilst fish are grown in local ponds using a fish cage, also known as a ‘hapa’. A few young fish are put into each cage which floats just below the surface. The cages are made from a few cheap materials and allow people to grow up to 300 fish, giving them a constant supply of fish to eat and sell.”