Can shrimp farming unlock a sustainable future?
This project considers how Bangladeshis might adapt to the adverse effects of climate change by switching from agriculture to shrimp production or brackish aquaculture.
Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. Even under optimistic assumptions about the path of climate change, scientists predict that cropland will decrease by 6.5% by 2040 (Rigaud et al., 2018). Previous research suggests that while seasonal migration rates are high, rural Bangladeshis are unlikely to migrate permanently (Bryan et al., 2024). As such, one promising method of local adaptation is to switch from agriculture to shrimp production or brackish aquaculture, both of which are superior in high-salinity settings. As climate change lowers yields and sea levels rise, this method of adaptation warrants further study.
This project will help policymakers better understand how they can support rural populations in adapting to the adverse agricultural effects of climate change. Throughout the project, we will be engaged with the BRAC Climate Change Programme as they design interventions for south-west Bangladesh to help farmers respond to changes in the environment.
We will conduct focus group discussions with a variety of stakeholders in the shrimp and aquaculture industries including farm owners, farm labourers, and exporters. Based on the findings from these focus group discussions we will design a survey module and conduct a short survey to validate the findings from the working groups.