Organic shrimp aquaculture for sustainable household livelihoods in Bangladesh

Black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) cultivation in gher (modified rice fields or ponds located beside canals or rivers) is widespread in southwestern Bangladesh. Shrimp farming plays an important role in the economy of the country, as it earns foreign exchange and provides employment opportunities. Organic shrimp aquaculture has emerged as an alternative farming enterprise for farmers, especially in the southwestern districts of Bangladesh. In this study, an asset-based conceptual framework known as the sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA) is applied to evaluate the impact of organic shrimp farming on livelihood. Data were collected in 2009 in the Kaligonj and Shyamnagar subdistricts through questionnaire interviews, transect walks, and focus group discussions with 144 organic shrimp farmers. Shrimp farming experience and size of gher have been found to influence the income from organic shrimp aquaculture. In this region, all farmers are highly vulnerable to natural phenomena like cyclones, floods, diseases, as well as contamination of saline water from untreated water sources, and market and price fluctuations that directly hinder the economic growth. The study concludes that more options for shaping livelihoods can be achieved if the farmers’ capacity in coping with uncertain phenomena is increased. The adoption of organic shrimp farming has increased farmers’ assets and has mitigated their vulnerability in ways that make livelihoods sustainable.