Climate change induced salinity intrusion and its implications for agriculture
An estimated 1.06 million hectare of arable land in Bangladesh and 6.7 million hectares in India is affected by salinity. Salinity intrusion adversely affects the livelihoods of farmers, especially rice cultivators and fisherfolks, vegetations, soil quality, and infrastructure in these areas. The net cropped area in coastal Bangladesh has been decreasing over the last few years due to several factors and many studies have identified salinity as the chief cause for yield reduction in coastal agriculture. Groundwater contamination due to saline water and similar adverse impacts on agriculture and livelihoods are also increasing in coastal India, especially in Kerala, Karnataka, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. The extent and intensity of salinity in the coming years are likely to increase due to climate change induced saltwater intrusion.
