奇速英语

孟加拉国农民建设“浮动农场”克服洪灾

Rivers in northwestern Bangladesh rise quickly during the rainy season causing months of flooding on farms and villages. This hurts the rural poor who depend on agriculture to live. When the floods cover their lands they cannot grow crops or raise animals. But local farmers may have found a way to deal with the seasonal weather. Some are building small farms that float on top of the floodwaters.

Hafiza Khatun is gathering eggs from the ducks on her floating farm. The farm is made of bamboo plants. It is near the bank of a river near the village of Charbhangura. Women also raise fish and vegetables on the floating farm.

25-year-old Hafiza Khatun could not make money during the rainy season before she had her floating farm. Ms. Khatun has two small children. She does not have any education. Her husband is a factory worker. But he does not work when rains fall from July to October. During that time, the Gurmani river rises at least three meters.

Three years ago, an organization called Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha brought small floating farms to the village. The farms are 17 meters long and almost five meters wide. They are made of both recycled and local materials.

Ms. Khatun says when the water comes, her house goes underwater. There is no place to go, no place to stay, she says. There is water everywhere.

But now she can grow food on the floating farm and make money from selling some of it. Five to ten women work on one farm. Depending on the size of the farm, together they can earn about $1,700 a year. That amount of money can buy a lot of food in Bangladesh.