Economic Losses and Damages Induced by Climate Changes on Rural Livelihood of Northern Part of Bangladesh: AnExploratory GIS Based Study

Abstract

Bangladesh have generally a sub-tropical monsoon climate and maximum rainfall is recorded in the coastal areas of Chittagong and northern part of Sylhet district, whereasSundarganjUpazila of Gaibandha district is positioned in northern part belongs to the drought prone area in Bangladesh. Due to climate change agricultural land affected by drought,water scarcity and temperature variation. GDP growth rate of Bangladesh mainly depends on the performance of the agricultural sector [5]. Due to natural calamities like drought,losses of production crops are almost a regular phenomenonwhich induces sufferings of economically and environmentally. From field observation total area of SundarganjUpazilla is about 410.83 sq.kmwhere total agricultural land is 298.38sq.km or 29838 hectares and total drought prone area is 113.23 sq. km/11323 hectares which is the 27.56% of total land area [8]. In 2006 there main crops was Boro rice, Aman rice, wheat, potato and can but in 2012 observed that all crops production are decreases for temperature rise and water scarcity by drought[8].This paper aims at bringing up the reality of climate induced economic losses and damages mainly on agricultural crops in the SundarganjUpazila of Gaibandha district.