Bangladesh faces up to climate change
10 September 2008
The duck lady of Katakhali
The sound of a quacking duck rings out across the yard. You’d be forgiven for
thinking it was made by one of the many ducks swimming in the nearby pond but in
fact the sound comes from the small woman standing by the edge of the water.
When Reeba Sarkar, of Katakhali, Kesobpur, goes to feed her flock of 20 ducks
she calls out to them by quacking – and the near-perfect imitation prompts the
birds to swim directly towards her.
They clearly know that the Reeba’s quack means that it’s feeding time and as
they come towards her, Reeba’s face breaks out into a wide smile.
Ducks are becoming an increasingly common sight in Bangladesh. Where chickens
used to be roam free in almost every village, now more and more people are
turning to ducks.
It is an immediate response to the changing climate – and it works. Chickens
struggle in heavy rainfall, but ducks simply swim. Chickens are also more prone
to disease.
Reeba has just started duck rearing. Her flock was given to her by DFID’s local
partner organisation, Shamadhan. She is like a new mother and is immensely proud
of her new ducks, expecting them to provide her and her family with a good
income through the sale of their eggs.
"This area is now under water," she explains. "For rearing hens you need dry land.
"These ducks will provide eggs and I'll be able to get a good amount of money. I
am new to looking after ducks and need to get some more experience but I'm very
happy," she says.
Before the ducks arrived, Reeba had been struggling to survive. Her family was
badly hit by the waterlogging of their land, and, unable to grow crops, they
tried to make ends meet by fishing the waterlogged land.
She says: “For the last seven years, we have not been getting any crops from the
land. We cannot get good clothes, good food or a good education. But things will
be different with the ducks. We are trying to increase our income through them."
Reeba says the changing climate has greatly affected the village’s life.
"There is a lot of fluctuation in the weather. It is now very hot, but a few
days ago it was cold. Because of the changing weather, people are getting
more illnesses. Soon it will be the rainy season and there is a strong
possibility there will be heavy and continuous rain.
"There were six seasons previously - now there are only four. People are being
forced to migrate to get away from this problem."
But for Reeba, the ducks are offering a future. She says she believes that other
people should move into duck-rearing.
"People can already see the improvement in my life. I feel I am an example to
others in the community."
Links
- Bangladesh country profile
- How we fight poverty: Climate
- Degrees of separation: Poverty and climate change
