Losing homes twice to Jamuna erosion, Kazipur char women rebuild with sheep, goats and homestead vegetables

River erosion takes away homesteads and swallows crop land. The women of the chars in Kazipur upazila of Sirajganj have changed address again and again in the face of that erosion. Yet they have not given up. One started with three sheep and now owns seven; another's home has nine sheep. Another started with five goats and has raised the number to 20.

Some are also earning Tk 8,000 to 10,000 by growing vegetables in their homestead yards. Small initiatives such as raising goats and sheep and growing vegetables are bringing solvency back to their households and raising their confidence.

Momota Khatun of Goal Batan char in Nishchintapur Union has lost her own home to river erosion twice. Her struggle did not stop amid the hardship and uncertainty of building a home anew. She started with three sheep; with care, the number has grown to seven. She also grows leafy vegetables in her yard, and after meeting the family's needs she sells the surplus to add income to the household.

Momota Khatun said: “I lost everything, house and home, to river erosion twice. I was neglected before. After getting sheep, I am now moving towards self-reliance. I started with three sheep; now there are seven. Alongside, I grow vegetables. After our own consumption, I sell the extra vegetables in the market and earn.”

Safia Begum, a housewife of Natua Para char, lost her homestead to erosion and once lived in a house built on someone else's land. Starting with five goats, her farm now has 20 goats. Safia Begum said: “After losing everything to river erosion, I once lived in a house on someone else's land. Even in that hard time I did not give up. I started with only five goats. Gradually those five goats have become 20. I sold some goats, saved money and bought 10 decimals of land in the char. Once I worried about a place to shelter; today I have my own land.”

The land of Ferdousi Begum's husband, of Uttar Rehaishuriber village in Natua Para Union, has disappeared into the river. With the land went a major support of the family's financial security. Sheep rearing brought a new possibility to her life; her home now has nine sheep, and she has sold some of them to meet family needs. Ferdousi Begum said: “Our family's financial condition was once very bad. After getting sheep, I now have nine. I sold some of them and solvency has returned to the family.”

In the same upazila, Bulbuli Begum of Godarebag char in Khasrajbari Union saw her husband's house and crop land disappear into the river before her eyes. She now lives in a house built on what little space remains. After receiving training, she began growing vegetables by modern methods. Bulbuli Begum said: “After the training, I am producing vegetables at my homestead by modern methods. This year I got Tk 8,000 to 10,000 by selling vegetables. This income has been very useful for the household.”

To make disadvantaged women of char areas economically self-reliant, various activities are being run under an integrated livestock development project in 86 disadvantaged areas of the northern region and river-washed char areas. As part of it, women are being given free sheep, training and support for production-oriented work.

Project director Nanda Dulal said: “Work is being done to make disadvantaged women of char areas self-reliant through sheep rearing. Under the project, 720 sheep have been given to them free of cost. Alongside, an initiative has been taken to develop improved breeds by crossbreeding local sheep with improved breeds in the Kazipur chars. We hope this will play a role in the economic development of people in disaster-prone areas.”

Alongside sheep rearing, women are also being encouraged to grow vegetables in homestead yards. Kazipur upazila agriculture officer agriculturist Shariful Islam said: “Free fertiliser and seeds have been given for growing vegetables by modern methods at char homesteads. Through this, women can meet their families' nutrition needs and also earn by selling extra vegetables.”

Kazipur upazila livestock officer Dr Didarul Ahsan said that because char areas have adequate grazing land, sheep rearing is profitable alongside cattle and goats. The upazila currently has 15,700 sheep, of which 9,420 are reared in char areas.

Sirajganj district livestock officer Dr AKM Anwarul Haq said the livestock department is providing training and necessary encouragement and support to make women self-reliant alongside men in char areas. Challenges remain ahead of the char women's progress, including the risk of river erosion and floods, animal disease, product transport and ensuring fair prices in the market.