IJEDR International Journal of Ecology and Development Research Vol. 1(1), pp. 002-009, March, 2016. © www.premierpublishers.org. ISSN: XXXX-XXXX

Research Article

Causes and possible solutions of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) perceived by char dwellers in

Nazirul Islam Sarker*

*Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Email: [email protected], Phone: +8801816739039

The study was carried out in Guabari and Hasilkandi village of Saghata and dewlabari char and Khatamari char village of Fulcchari upazila under to determine the causes of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) of char dwellers. The study was aimed to ascertain the probable ways for alleviating seasonal food insecurity (Monga) faced by the char dwellers in Bangladesh. One hundred char dwellers were selected randomly of which 25 from each village. Data were collected during January-March, 2015 through interview schedule. Among the 39 causes of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) Lack of job opportunity in Monga season especially September to December in every year, river bank erosion in the char area, frequent flood inundation, no agricultural work, no business activities due to excessive rainfall, dense fogs, hailstorms, severe cold, etc are the main causes of seasonal food insecurity (Monga). Among 31 possible ways of achieving seasonal food security, Creation of year round job opportunities for char dwellers, diversified crop cultivation practices should be introduced, a huge arable land should be brought under cultivation by proper soil management, educational facilities etc came out as the main ways. The study will help policy makers and NGOs to address and analyze the issues for achieving seasonal food security of char dwellers.

Key words: Monga, food security, seasonal food insecurity, poverty, char dwellers, Bangladesh.

INTRODUCTION

Monga is a local term specially used in northern part of Ashwin and Kartik (mid September to mid November) Bangladesh, which means ‘ovab’ or a ‘seasonal food although there is a second lean season before boro3 is crisis. Almost every year, the northwestern part of harvested. As this lean season is usually less severe, it Bangladesh mostly greater Rangpur is hit by this will be called little Monga. (Zug, 2006). seasonal famine-like situation locally called ‘Monga ’ and A Char is a strip of land or a bar which has emerged from literally termed as ‘Mora Kartic’. This situation occurs the river-bed following deposition and accretion of silt and during the Bengali months of Ashwin and Kartic (mid alluvium. Chars can be of two types: attached and island September to mid November), a period between chars. An island char is defined as that land which even transplantation and harvest of Aman paddy. The people in the dry season, can only be reached from the mainland of North Bangal are mostly familiar with this problem. And crossing a main river channel. Attached chars are particularly Monga is the local term of northern part of accessible from the mainland without crossing a channel Bangladesh. The reasons of migration are many and during the dry season. (Sarker et al., 2007). Monga is one such cause of migration in North Bengal. The duration of Monga is limited to the lean season Farmers of five northern districts viz: Gaibandha, preceding the aman harvest in the Bangla months of Rangpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram suffer

Causes and possible solutions of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) perceived by char dwellers in Bangladesh Sarker MNI. 002

seasonal distress, locally known as Monga. Most people only one or sometimes two annual harvests, in contrast living in these Monga -prone areas are more dependent with three crops per year in more fertile and benign parts either on agriculture or on daily wage earning as of the country. In this setting, local employment is limited agriculture labourers. The percentage of agriculture from September through December in average years. As labours is much higher in these areas compared to other the landless and poorest survive on agricultural wage parts of the country. Severe food shortage and lack of job labor, their opportunities and ensuing incomes drop in opportunity, especially during March-May and this period, and they become trapped in what is called September-November plague their livelihood with Monga, a cyclical phenomenon of poverty and hunger. In starvation and hunger. Besides, these people suffer this context of vulnerability, seasonal food insecurity serious hardship due to malnutrition. The cereal-based manifests itself in all three of its dimensions: availability; cropping system is predominant in these areas. Most access and utilization. The shocks that trigger food farmers grow Aman rice on medium highlands which is insecurity are usually local natural disasters, aggravated normally transplanted in late August and harvested in by the specific vulnerability that the hard-core poor early December. The agriculture labours become jobless endure in economic, social, health, and governance for a long period between end of transplanting and factors. beginning of harvesting (September-November). Delayed harvesting of Aman rice delays planting and harvesting of In particular, the poor northern regions of Bangladesh are potato/wheat, resulting in low yield or rendering larger extremely suffering from food insecurity. These regions areas fallow. Again, from end March onward land are combined of the Northwest, drought prone and remains fallow after the harvest of rabi crops until the Northern chars. The population of this region is closely beginning of transplanted Aman crop. The situation again dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. The poverty brings another span of Monga or seasonal distress for and food insecurity in this region is attributed to a the agriculture labours in the areas. (Haque, 2011). phenomenon called Monga. It is a seasonal food insecurity primarily caused by an income and The 1996 World Food Summit defined food security as employment deficit. The major areas affected by this existing when “all people, at all times have sufficient, safe Monga are: Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, and nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life”. Nilphamari and Rangpur. Previous CLP studies broke down food security into three pillars (Cordier et al, 2013): Food insecurity in the Chars shows that these areas in northern part belong to the poorest settlement among 1. Food availability: food must be available in sufficient whole Bangladesh. Livelihood of Chars is determined by quantities on a consistent basis. the nature of the rivers. Frequent floods and river erosion 2. Food access: households must be able to regularly result in a loss of assets for the population, agricultural acquire adequate amounts of food. activities, hamper of livestock, scarcity of water and 3. Food utilization: consumed food must have positive shortage of fodder. Employment opportunities are nutritional impact on people. decreasing. People are being displaced and their access to work. Land rights are very complicated; consequently, The World Food Summit definition includes the phrase “at poor people are often losing their land to the powerful. all times”. This study relates to this part as it analyses the Besides agricultural day-labouring, share cropping and impact of shocks and stresses on food security at share rearing for absentee landlords, alternative income different times of the year. Each pillar of food security sources are even scarcer than on the mainland. Lower pillars has an aspect of stability. Shocks that affect the literacy rate, inadequate health facilities are making them stability of food security include volatile food prices; poorer socio economically in terms of food insecurity hazards; and political instability. Periods of poor food (Zug, 2006). security, however short, have long lasting impacts on households, particularly the vulnerable such as children The lean season reduces the people’s access to income, and the disabled. which is a shock on their livelihoods. People with low capacities, hit by this seasonal shock, have to reduce The Northern Region of Bangladesh is situated in the their nutritional intake. The seasonal shock, however, is Tista and Jamuna basin, and contains many tributaries of only the trigger of Monga . If people were not chronically these. Topography and climate make the area poor, they would have the capability to cope with this ecologically vulnerable to destabilizing variations shock. Monga is therefore not a problem of food including floods, river erosion, drought spells, and cold availability, but of lacking access to food. waves, all of which occur more frequently and intensely So far no study has been conducted for char dwellers on than in other regions. Amidst these compelling seasonal food insecurity or Monga. conditions, the local economy shows little diversification and is heavily dependent on agriculture – which yields The present study was undertaken to find out the

Causes and possible solutions of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) perceived by char dwellers in Bangladesh Int. J. Ecol. Devel. Res. 003

following specific objectives: it quite easy to understand that human life on these a) To identify the causes of seasonal food insecurity geographical settings is neither convenient nor easy. (Monga) of char dwellers and char dwellers perception Isolation from main land and associated attributes, lack of about it; infrastructure, disaster prone nature, and powerlessness b) To ascertain the probable ways for alleviating seasonal interlock the char dwellers into a downward spiral of food insecurity (Monga); and poverty. This state of deadlocked poverty has been seen c) To make suggestions on the basis of the findings of to be quite persistent due to the lack of adequate the study. institutional intervention (Chowdhury, 1988).

REVIEW OF LITERATURE METHODOLOGY Paul S K, et al (2013) found that with a view to cope with the monga, various coping strategies such as selling of Study area labour with advance payment at cheap rate, borrowing of money, selling of assets, looking for work in other areas, Gaibandha district consists of seven upzilas, Saghata dependency on relief, selling of field crops in advance at and Fulcchari upazila was purposively selected for this cheap rate etc. were adopted by the affected households. study. Then random selection is done for selecting two villages from each upazila. The study was conducted in Shahiduzzaman et al. (2013) found that nearly half of the Guabari and Hasilkandi village of and landless char people were food insecure. The year of dewlabari char and Khatamari char village of Fulcchari schooling, landlessness category, annual household upazila under Gaibandha district. The study areas were income, training experience, and credit received, two island chars in different embedded on extension media contact, involvement in NGO, perceived Jamuna river. The physical, social and cultural heritages strategies to cope with food insecurity and perception of of the people of this area similar in many cases with other organizational food insecurity mitigation initiatives of char areas of the country. Landless char people’s had significant positive relationship with their household food security condition. Measurement of Socio-Demographic Characteristics:

Sarker et al. (2012) found that Monga stricken people in 1. Age terms of less consumption were higher in Char and rural Age of a respondent was measured on the basis of time areas compared to urban area. Lack of cultivable land, from her birth to the time of interview. A score of one (1) natural calamities, non-availability of working facilities at was assigned for each year of her age. non-agricultural sector, lack of working facilities at agricultural sector due to natural calamities and lack of 2. Education credit availability and high interest rate were opined by The education was measured on the basis of completed the researcher as their causes of Monga. On the other years of schooling by a respondent in educational hand, beef fattening, petty business, plant nursery and institutions. A score of one (1) was given for each poultry farming were addressed as the mitigating completed year of schooling. If a respondent does not activities of Monga undertaken by NGOs. Old-age know reading and writing her score was zero. A score of allowance, Hundred-day job scheme and Vulnerable 0.5 was given to a respondent who only could sign her Group Development (VGD) programme were observed name. as Monga mitigating activities undertaken by GOs in the study area. 3. Family Size Family size of a respondent was measured on the basis Lowest productivity causes from unequal land distribution of the actual number of members in her family. The family and industrialization which is far below the national members included him, wife, and children together with average. Mainly industries are related to the processing dependent members who jointly lived and ate together up of tobacco that is off-farm income for the unskilled rural to the time of interview. The actual number of members poor. The rice and saw mills, brick-field works earth was considered as the family size score of a respondent. works and rickshaw pulling are the alternative For example, if a respondent had four members in her employment opportunities besides agriculture labour family, her family size score was given as ‘4’. here. A major reason for the low employment opportunities is the lack of agricultural diversification 4. Fatalism which is largely based on paddy (Zug, 2006). Fatalism score was computed by using eight items Likert scale. Among eight statements, four were positive and The bio-physical condition and location of the chars make four were negative to fatalism. The respondents indicated

Causes and possible solutions of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) perceived by char dwellers in Bangladesh Sarker MNI. 004

for each statements of the scale whether they strongly RESULTS AND DISCUSSION agreed, agreed, undecided, disagreed and strongly disagreed. Score assigned to these responses for Status of the Socio-Demographic Characteristics of positive statements were 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 respectively. the Char Dwellers: For negative statements the scoring system was reversed. Fatalism score of a respondent was determined 1. Age by summing the scores for responses to all the eight The age is one of the most important factors for items in the scale. Fatalism scores of the respondents determining the personality makeup of the char dwellers could range from 8 to 40, where 8 score indicating low which may play a vital role in their poverty alleviation. fatalism and 40 score indicating high fatalism. Age of the char dwellers ranged from 20 to 62 years with an average of 38.36 years and a standard deviation of 5. Agricultural Knowledge 11.53. On the basis of their age, the char dwellers were Agricultural knowledge of the respondents was measured classified into three categories as shown in Table 1. The by asking 18 questions related to agriculture. A score of 2 highest proportion (45 percent) of the char dwellers were was assigned to each question and total of 36 scores middle aged compared to 39 percent of the being young was assigned to all questions. A full score was given for aged and 16 percent old. A close look into the data each correct answer. However, partial score was given to indicates that decision-making regarding food security partial correct answer of a certain question and 0 was activities were mostly in the hands of middle and young assigned for wrong answer. The scores was obtained by aged women. a respondent could range from 0 to 36, where 0 indicating no agricultural knowledge and 36 indicating 2. Education very high agricultural knowledge. The education of an individual helps to make decision, solve farming problems and make favorable attitude towards income generating activities. So, literate people Data Collection can play a vital role to ensure food security. The level of education of the char dwellers ranged from 0 to 8 years The sample size was 100 of which 25 from each village of schooling having an average of 1.27 and a standard namely Guabari and Hasilkandi village of Saghata deviation of 1.68. Based on their educational qualification upazila and dewlabari char and Khatamari char village of scores, the respondents were classified into four Fulcchari upazila under Gaibandha district. The sample categories as shown in Table 1. The highest proportion size was determined by the estimated proportion formula (61 percent) of the respondents had very low education (Cochran, 1977). The interview was conducted by asking i.e. they could only sign their name, while 23 percent had the respective household head or representative. Each low education i.e. they were primary level, 14 percent of respondent was asked for citing five causes of seasonal the respondents were illiterate and 2 percent had medium food insecurity or Monga and five possible ways for education i.e. they were secondary level. During data alleviating seasonal food insecurity or Monga. The collection, it was observed that large proportion of the households are temporarily or permanently residing in the char dwellers could get at sign due to the contribution of char areas. An interview schedule was carefully prepared Total Literacy Movement (TLM) programme. Education is keeping objectives in mind. Simple and direct questions necessary for proper understanding of the information and different scales were used to obtain information. The and development skills for ensuring food security in the information supplied by the respondents was recorded char area directly on the interview schedule. The information was duly checked in order to minimize errors if any. The 3. Family size respondents were interviewed at their leisure time to get Family is a social unit or grouping, the members of which maximum information. After collecting data, the are united by bond or kinship. The importance of the researcher made careful scrutiny in all the schedules. family in determining the character and structure of the The data were collected during January to March, 2015. society is tremendous. Family background directly or All the collected data were checked and cross checked indirectly influences a person’s behaviour, social position before transferred into the master sheets. The data were and outlook of life. It could be a good source of ensuring coded, compiled, tabulated and analyzed to accomplish seasonal food security. The number of family members of the specific objectives of the study. Qualitative data were the respondent ranged from 1 to 13 with an average 5.03. converted into quantitative form by means of suitable Based on the family size, the respondents were classified scoring technique whenever applicable. Secondary data into three categories as shown in Table 1. have been accumulated from different published journals Data presented in the Table 1 show that the highest and books. proportion (43 percent) of the respondents fell under

Causes and possible solutions of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) perceived by char dwellers in Bangladesh Int. J. Ecol. Devel. Res. 005

Table 1. Salient features of the socio-demographic characteristics of the char dwellers.

Selected Measuring Ranges Categories Respondents Mean Std. characteristic unit deviation s Possible Observed No. Percent score score 1. Age Year - 20-62 Young (<35 years) 39 39 38.36 11.53 Middle aged (35- 45 45 50) 16 16 Old (>50) 2. Education Year of - 0-8 None (0) 14 14 1.27 1.68 schooling Very low (0.5) 61 61 Low (1-5) 23 23 Medium (6-10) 2 2

3. Family size Number - 1-13 Small family (up to 40 40 5.03 1.99 4) 43 43 Medium family (5- 17 17 6) Large family (>6) 4. Fatalism Rated 0-40 8-39 Low fatalism (Up to 41 41 17.22 8.61 score 12) 38 38 Medium fatalism 21 21 (13- 25) High fatalism (> 25) 5. Agricultural Score 0-36 8-29 Low (up to 10) 12 12 15.78 5.01 knowledge Medium (11-20) 69 69 High (>20) 19 19

Source: Field survey, 2015

medium family category compared to 40 percent having fatalistic behavior related to birth rate, crop production small family and remaining 17 percent with large family. etc. Such finding is logical in a rural area because various 5. Agricultural Knowledge GOs and NGOs have been discouraging for large family Agricultural knowledge of the char dwellers is the size. foundation of farming activities. Knowledge of a man inspires him to take correct and proper decision. Since, 4. Fatalism most of the char dwellers depend on agriculture, so Fatalism is a mental condition which leads an individual agricultural knowledge is very important to ensure to believe in his fate. Due to fatalistic attitude the farmers seasonal food security. Agricultural knowledge score of do not adopt innovation. They think that their the respondents ranged from 8 to 29 against a possible socioeconomic betterment would happen according to range of 0 to 36, with the average was 15.78 and a the will of Almighty Allah as they are more or less standard deviation of 5.01. On the basis of the score, the religious in nature. One’s fatalism may prevent him to respondents were classified into three categories as participate in various income generating activities and as shown in Table 1. Data presented in the Table 1 show a result, he may fall in seasonal food insecurity. Fatalism that the highest proportion (69 percent) of the score of the respondents ranged from 8 to 39 against a respondents were medium agricultural knowledge while possible range of 0 to 40, with the average was 17.22 19 percent high agricultural knowledge and remaining 19 and a standard deviation of 8.61. On the basis of the percent having low agricultural knowledge. fatalism score the respondents were classified into three categories as shown in Table 1. Causes of Seasonal Food Insecurity (Monga)

Data presented in the Table 1 show that the highest The respondents were asked to mention the causes of proportion (41 percent) of the respondents had low seasonal food insecurity or Monga they faced, each of fatalism category compared to 38 percent having medium the respondents cited five causes. They have mentioned fatalism and remaining 21 percent with high fatalism. It is thirty nine causes of seasonal food insecurity or Monga observed during data collection that different GOs and which have been presented in table 2. NGOs are designed various programmes for increasing Lack of job opportunity in Monga season especially the awareness of the char dwellers and decreasing their September to December in every year was the top most

Causes and possible solutions of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) perceived by char dwellers in Bangladesh Sarker MNI. 006

Table 2. The Causes of Seasonal Food Insecurity or Monga of Char Dwellers as Perceived by them.

Number of Sl. No. Causes of seasonal food insecurity or Monga Rank citation Lack of job opportunity in Monga season specially September to 49 1 December in every year. 1 2 River bank erosion in the char area. 41 2 No agricultural work, no business activities due to excessive rainfall, 32 3 dense fogs, hailstorms, severe cold, etc. 3 4 Inadequate land for farming due to sandy soil. 21 4 5 Frequent flood inundation 21 4 6 Lack of money or capital or necessary fund 19 6 7 Inadequate training facilities 19 6 8 Lack of knowledge of different aspects of farming enterprises 18 8 9 Inadequate educational facilities 17 9 10 Encroachment of char land by terrorist. 16 10 11 Diseases of cattle, goats and sheep 16 10 12 High rate of interest on borrowing invested by the vested group. 16 10 13 Insufficient credit facilities. 15 13 14 Lack of storage or processing facilities 13 14 15 Lack of contact with communication media 13 14 16 Social and religious restriction. 13 14 17 Lack of cooperative activities. 12 17 No industrial establishment to get opportunity for alternative sources of 12 18 income nor even SMEs to get wage based works 17 19 No scope of self-employment due to financial hardship 12 17 20 Over population 12 17 21 Dowry system 11 21 22 Drought causes food crisis 11 21 23 Poor communication facilities 10 23 24 Diseases and insects attack on crops 9 24 25 Lack of employment opportunity 9 24 26 Laziness of char dwellers 8 26 27 Frequent migration of char dwellers 8 26 28 Diseases of poultry birds 8 26 29 Marriage of under aged people 8 26 30 Bereft from actual wages 7 30 31 Lack of capital for cultivation of crops and business 6 31 32 No purchasing capacity to buy food and medicine 5 32 33 Frequent cyclone 4 33 Migration to other districts for earning income. This is an idea that nobody 3 34 likes in the community. 34 35 Lack of self awareness. 2 35 36 Lack of willingness of service providing agencies. 1 36 37 Running of cases 1 36 38 Inheritance of poverty 1 36 39 Lack of knowledge about land law 1 36

Source: Field survey, 2015 cause of seasonal food insecurity or Monga as cited by of alleviating seasonal food insecurity or Monga they 49 respondents in this study. faced, each of the respondents cited five ways. They have mentioned thirty one ways of alleviating seasonal Possible Solutions for Alleviating Seasonal Food food insecurity or Monga which have been presented in Insecurity or Monga table 3.

The respondents were asked to mention the possible ways Creation of year round job opportunities for char dwellers

Causes and possible solutions of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) perceived by char dwellers in Bangladesh Int. J. Ecol. Devel. Res. 007

Table 3. The Possible Ways for Alleviating Seasonal Food Insecurity or Monga of Char Dwellers as Perceived by them.

Number of Sl. No. Possible ways for achieving seasonal food security Rank citation 1 Creation of year round job opportunities for char dwellers. 53 1 2 Control of river bank erosion by constructing dam. 41 2 3 Diversified crop cultivation practices should be introduced. 37 3 A huge arable land should be brought under cultivation by proper 29 4 soil management. 4 A proper coping strategy should be introduced by the Government 21 5 and NGOs for survival of char dwellers at flood situation. 5 6 Educational facilities should be ensured by the Government. 20 6 Char dwellers should be given the opportunity to acquire loans at 19 7 low interest rate. 7 8 Increasing cultivable land by proper management. 18 8 Training facilities should be ensured by the Government and NGOs 17 9 especially for income generating activities. 9 10 Communication and transport facilities should be increased. 17 9 11 Control of diseases of cattle, goats and sheep. 16 11 Providing knowledge of different aspects of farming enterprises 15 12 through frequent training arrangement by GOs and NGOs. 12 13 Control of land encroachment by enforcing law. 15 12 Control of high rate of interest on local borrowing money from 14 14 Mohajon (money lender) by law enforcing agency. 14 15 Capital for cultivation of crops and business should be ensured. 14 14 Sufficient credit facilities should be ensured for char dwellers by 13 16 GOs and NGOs. 16 17 Self awareness among char dwellers should be increased. 13 16 18 Storage or processing facilities should be developed in char areas. 12 18 19 Control of diseases of poultry birds. 12 18 20 Population growth control. 12 18 21 Protect dowry system. 11 21 22 Control of diseases and insect attack of crops 11 21 23 Embankment should be constructed to protect flood 10 23 24 Control of under aged marriage 10 23 25 Awareness about land law among char dwellers should be created. 9 25 26 Flood rehabilitation shelter should be constructed. 9 25 27 Need service providing agencies 9 25 28 Regular migration should be protested. 8 28 Infrastructure in char areas should be developed by GOs and 7 29 NGOs. 29 Service providing agencies should be worked willingly for char 6 30 dwellers. 30 Community and religious leaders should be shared knowledge 2 31 about superstition and other farming and off-farm activities. 31

Source: Field survey, 2015 is the top most ways of alleviating seasonal food Due to riverbank erosion every year unemployment, insecurity or Monga for char dweller. Poverty and landless and poverty are increasing which is responsible idiosyncratic flood risk are positively correlated and highly to country wide unstable condition (Rahman, 2010). It significant (Rayhan, 2010). Above 16 to 70 percent of has been estimated that tens of thousands of people are flooded households fall into poverty after flood depending displaced annually by river erosion in Bangladesh, on the situation and locations (Rayhan, 2010). Houses possibly up to 100,000. Aftermath flood disease causes are damaged during floods and their assets like livestock, severe health hazards of human and animal. The disease crops and boats are in risk every year. This increases the causes loss of production and economy that lead to vulnerability of the local population. seasonal food insecurity (Monga) of char dwellers.

Causes and possible solutions of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) perceived by char dwellers in Bangladesh Sarker MNI. 008

Deprive from actual wages was another cause of poverty Need based training facilities should be arranged for as responded by 9% households in the study area. Wage increasing awareness, management ability and laborers often suffer during floods, because the scopes of operational ability for practicing diversified farming work and wage rates shrink at that time. It is estimated activities in achieving their household food security may that real wages fall by more than 10 percent during the be arranged. floods (Azam 1993). Char dwellers should have opportunity to be involved in The most direct disastrous impact of flooding in project formulation and implementation. Bangladesh arises from damage to standing crops, Arranging motivational campaign using group and mass affecting the small farm holders significantly. As a media to inspire family members to co-operate each consequence, poorer households fall into debt and lastly other as well as to minimize social and religious choose to migrate in nearby cities to enhance their restriction and increase personal interest. livelihoods. Historic studies from the mid 1980s indicate Government should acquire several policies for road that in some slums in Dhaka more than 40% of the construction and some other private association that will population named river erosion as primary cause for their facilitate to communication and transports. migration into slums. In a study by Islam (2012) the Granary should be established for storage and better majority (65.21%) of the respondents were migrated due conservation of food crops. to river bank erosion of Tista flood plain areas. Family planning methods that could attempt to reduce The problems of Monga thus highlighted by the population growth to acceptable levels that can households appear to be serious matters of concern and conveniently allow for sufficient and efficient resource policy decisions. The problems of floods and flash floods allocation and utilization by all. coupled with river erosion not only made them homeless, Credit availability should be increased GOs and NGOs assetless and cropless but also stopped their all for farming and off-farm activities according to demand of economic activities apart from disruption of road the char dwellers. communication networks, immense suffering of health- related issues causing them sick and idle, including livestock and poultry rearing also. REFERENCES

Recommendations for achieving seasonal food Azam JP (1993). The impact of floods on rural real wages security in Bangladesh, The Bangladesh Development Studies, XXI 1 :1-14. A short duration rice variety should be introduced with Chowdhury EH (1988). Human adjustments to river bank plantation and harvest of potato/ wheat in time in Char erosion hazard in the Jamuna floodplain, Bangladesh. areas. Human Ecology 16 (4):421-37, doi: 10.1007/ An appropriate cropping pattern should be followed like BF00891651. Rice-Potato/wheat-Mungbean. Cochran WG (1977). Sampling Techniques, 3rd Edition, Job opportunities should be created through introducing John Wiley, pp 75. off-farm activities. Cordier L, Kenward S, Islam R (2013). A study to assess Farmers should be given the opportunity to acquire loans the outcomes of the CLP on Food security; Chars at low interest rates and create off-farm activities for Livelihoods Programme. themselves to improve their revenues and purchasing Haque MM (2011). Monga Mitigation through Adoption of power, thereby reducing food insecurity and poverty. Intensive Cropping System, Krishi Gobeshona Pricing and marketing reforms should be reviewed. Foundation. No. 01, 2011. Market prices for food crops need to be stabilized so that Islam M (2012) Impact of char development on the farmer is sure to sell his surplus at a profitable price. agricultural productivity, livelihood status and This will motivate them to diversify and intensify food crop environmental adaptations of char land dwellers around production. the Tista flood plain areas of Rangpur district. MS Public infrastructure such as well equipped hospitals, thesis, Department of Environmental Science schools and markets should be established. Health care Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202. centers should incorporate into syllabus specially on Paul SK, Hossain MN, Ray SK (2013). Monga in northern childcare, better nutrition and sanitation methods. region of Bangladesh: a study on people’s survival Through this morbidity and mortality due to malnutrition, strategies and coping capacities. Rajshahi University under nutrition and poor sanitation conditions could journal of life and earth and agricultural sciences .Vol. reduce. 41: 41-56. Government strategy should be redefined regarding Rahman MR (2010). Impact of riverbank erosion hazard property tenure so that sharecroppers who in fact in the Jamuna floodplain areas in Bangladesh Journal cultivate can make choice concerning farming activities of Science Foundation, 8(1and2): 55-65. and obtain equal part of benefits from the crops. Rayhan MI (2010). Assessing poverty, risk and vulnerability:

Causes and possible solutions of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) perceived by char dwellers in Bangladesh Int. J. Ecol. Devel. Res. 009

A study on the Flooded Households in Rural Bangladesh. Journal of Flood Risk Management, 3(1). Sarker JR, Mian MRU, Roy SS (2012). Farmers' perception about causes and remedies of Monga in Hatibandha upazila of . J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 10(1): 107–118. Sarker MNI, Kashem MA, Rahman MZ (2007). Poverty alleviation of rural people through chars livelihoods program. Journal of Bangladesh Society of Agricultural Science and Technology, 4(3and4): 203-208. Shahiduzzaman M, Rahman MZ, Hoque MJ, Arefin MS (2013). Food security condition of landless people in a char area of Rangpur district; Progress. Agric. 24(1 and 2): 281 – 289. Zug S (2006). Monga -seasonal food insecurity in Bangladesh: bringing the information Together" in The Journal of Social Studies, No. 111, July-Sept. 2006, Centre for Social Studies, Dhaka.

Accepted 17 February, 2016.

Citation: Sarker MNI (2016). Causes and possible solutions of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) perceived by char dwellers in Bangladesh. International Journal of Ecology and Development Research, 1(1): 002-009.

Copyright: © 2016 Sarker MNI. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are cited.

Causes and possible solutions of seasonal food insecurity (Monga) perceived by char dwellers in Bangladesh