Eco Sentinels has developed floating agricultural beds for salt-tolerant crops, supporting resilient farming against climate challenges such as rising soil salinity and flooding that threaten food security in coastal areas.
By Eco Sentinels
Somewhere along Bangladesh's storm-battered coastlines are vast coastal stretches which once used to fertile fields now are nothing more than barren expanses of land. This is due to the salination of farming soil due to flooding, which then impacts rural farmers the most whose are used to traditional farming methods. This salination also leads to contamination of drinking water for families living in coastal villages, where drinking water often turns brackish.
Over 50% of Bangladesh's coastal areas are severely impacted by soil salinity
Our team at Eco Sentinels wanted to change this. Our concept of the hybrid floating farm can led to climate resilient farming solution which can grow simple everyday vegetables, but also paddy and wheat – in flooded areas where traditional agriculture fails. This is a nature-based innovation which can transform floating farms into fertile production platforms with zero-waste.
We've learned that sometimes the most powerful solutions emerge from working with nature rather than against it.
As all materials used for these hybrid floating farms are fully biodegradable, it also encourages a circular economy. Over time, these floating farms also replenish soil fertility and reduce salination.
It's not just about farming; it's about transforming lives one floating farm at a time.
This method can be low cost for farmers and because they are more climate resilient than traditional farming methods – then year-round farming becomes possible even during monsoon seasons. This can really change the lives of women farmers too. Women farmers play a crucial role in agriculture, our concept can create women microentrepreneurs who can then lead floating farm training programs.
If we win, we will take our vision far beyond Bangladesh's horizons. Similar challenges face other Asian countries like Vietnam, Philippines plus in African countries. Our nature-based solutions are very adaptable and can secure the livelihoods of millions of farmers globally and reduce malnutrition as it builds resilience in communities.
Generation Hope Goals is a collaborative initiative by Save the Children (SC), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Regional Collaboration Centre for Asia and the Pacific (UNFCCC RCC AP), Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, ChildFund, and Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform (YECAP).
Generation Hope Goals is aimed at engaging young minds and leaders in developing their existing innovative climate action solutions linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under review at the 12th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD).
