Water Logging

Water can be a source of joy and heartache in Bangladesh. Normally the crops here are covered in a small amount of water but during the rainy season they can become covered in as much as 5 or 6 feet of water. This so-called water logging occurs in Bangladesh because of the heavy rainfall it receives, and heavy water drainage from the Himalayas. We were taken to a village to see its negative effects.


The rainy season is fast approaching.


A farmer showing us how high the water came up in this crop last year. In some other areas that we saw, the water came up past the road and overflowed into the next crop. One village actually became isolated last year from the main road and the villagers had to swim over the crop to get out.


For miles and miles and miles you will see people working in the fields all day. In Bangladesh, about 75% of the population is rural. Also, trees are being cut down daily to make room for more crops to accommodate the growing population.

The positive thing is that GouF is helping the farmers get new ideas for alternative sources of income during the rainy season. For example, more crops could be converted into fish hatcheries. The fingerlings in one pond cost about 1 Taka. The fisherman can raise it and then sell it in the market for 20 Taka, making a nice profit. This project is just in its infancy however so there is a lot to be done.