Case Study Floating Gardens

Question 1

Location?

Answer 1

Bangladesh

Question 2

Bangladesh problems, rainfall?

Answer 2

Monsoon season lasts from June till November and 160 cm of rain falls at average.
Homes and fields are flooded and normal cultivation is impossible

Question 3

Project: plants?

Answer 3

Water hyacinth is a floating plant that can be collected locally and is reinforced with bamboo to create rafts
Rafts are 1m wide by 8m long

Question 4

Project: food grown and training?

Answer 4

• Soil is put on top of raft and food such has gourd, okra and leafy vegetables can be grown.
• Training is also provided in new techniques to cope with conditions in order to grow more and better crops throughout year e.g. organic pest control, organic composting

Question 5

Effects on development: positive - individual income?

Answer 5

• Rafts and new techniques mean that enough food can be grown to eat and any excess can be sold
• Monsoon is time of national food shortage so good prices are guaranteed
• Extra income can be used to by necessities and so improve standard of living
• Raft techniques can be used to generate income in future years

Question 6

Effects on development: positive - virtuous cycle of development?

Answer 6

• Extra income not only helps individual farmers
• Income will be spent which promotes a cycle of development that boosts the economy
• This is particularly valuable as monsoon is a time of national economic slump

Question 7

Effects on development: negative - agriculture reliance?

Answer 7

• Does not encourage industrial development but promotes continued reliance on agriculture
• Without Industrial Revolution, significant and long-term economic development is unlikely

Question 8

Economic sustainability: positive - income?

Answer 8

• Individual income and virtuous cycle of development points
• Non-farmers who may also have lost their jobs due to Monsoon flooding can use these techniques to generate income at a time when few jobs are available

Question 9

Economic sustainability: positive - cost?

Answer 9

• Initial cost v low (T500 or £4) because bamboo and water hyacinth is grown locally so can be collected for free
• Long-term costs are low because locals are taught the necessary skills to pass these on
• Practical Action does not have to keep investing every year

Question 10

Economic sustainability: negative - initial cost?

Answer 10

• Charity workers must be trained and then sent out to Bangladesh to teach the skills and new techniques
• 10 high yielding varieties of fast growing vegetables and groundnut seeds are given to each farmer and this cost is covered by Practical action

Question 11

Economic sustainability: negative - agriculture reliance?

Answer 11

• See point before about not very long-term sustainable

Question 12

Social sustainability: positive - provides food?

Answer 12

• Rafts provide cheap food at time of national food shortages when prices are high
• Food is fresh and varied so provides wide range of nutrients than stored or purchased food
• Income from selling excess crops can further supplement diet and people will be healthier so less need for medical care
• This is good as there are only 0.4 doctors per 1000 people and especially useful in vulnerable age groups as infant mortality is 47.3 per 1000 live births

Question 13

Social sustainability: negative - annual replacement?

Answer 13

• Rafts have to be replaced every year

- Time and labour required which could be focused elsewhere e.g. Childcare or finding other work

Question 14

Social sustainability: negative - dangerous?

Answer 14

• Does not control flooding or protect locals from flooding
• Encourages locals to work in and on water so leading to drowning or catching waterborne disease such as dysentery and diarrhoea

Question 15

Environmental sustainability: positive - limited CO2 emissions?

Answer 15

• Bamboo and water hyacinth grow locally therefore no CO2 production due to manufacture or transport of raw materials
• Water hyacinth continues to grow while holding raft together, absorbing CO2 by photosynthesis
• Old rafts can be rotted down a sun used as fertiliser for next year’s rafts rather than being burnt, reducing CO2 emissions

Question 16

Environmental sustainability: positive - local biodiversity?

Answer 16

• Boost for it
• Water hyacinth continues to grow while holding raft together, providing habitat for local biodiversity
• Use of organic pest control/fertiliser minims knock on effects on the food chain such as eutrophication

Question 17

Environmental sustainability: negative - CO2 emissions?

Answer 17

• Some CO2 emissions due to transport of aid workers by airplane which burns fossil fuels
• A return flight to Bangladesh, per person produces same amount of CO2 as the average on-flier produces in a whole year
• Further CO2 released by airplane is twice as effective in causing climate change as it is released at altitude