Crop Insurance as a Risk Management Strategy in Bangladesh

Son of BoroBari now day labor (Curtesy: CNRS)
A Kader (65) S/O, Late Hazi Habibullah having education at literacy level belongs to village horinagar of beheli union
under jamalgonj upazila.
In 1964 he owned 18.00-acre land from his fathers’ property. Inspite of flood damage at that time he was able to
maintain a large family of 12-member. But some unlucky incident took place subsequently which made his life
miserable.
1984 flash flood damaged his crops heavily. Moreover he had to offer bribe to a local matobbor to secure his possession
of a shop in sachna bazaar. He managed this money (Tk. 15000) by selling 1.00 acre of land because all his crops were
damaged due to flash flood. In 1985 again he faced flash flood crop damage. But he had to sell more 1.00 acre of land
(Tk 9000) for his eyes treatment. Again in 1990, flash flood damaged his crops to an extent that he could not manage
money for family maintenance and daughter’s marriage. For this reason he had to sell 3.00 acres of land.
By this time he lost one son and other two preferred separation and they were given 3.30 acres of land. Now this old
man has only 3.00 acres of land under his possession.
He himself and his sons had to go for work as day labors to cope in crisis period due to last consecutive three years
(2000-2002) flash flood damage. He could manage only 4-5 months food demand from own yields and have to work as
day labor, fishing and sand labor with his sons to maintain family over rest period of the year. Once upon a time, this
family was called as 'Baro Bari' (big house) in this village' though they are now labors.
According to a study by CNRS, the paddy yield per acre (mounds, md) along the Haor areas
of Sunamgonj have been estimated and compared between normal season and the affected
year is given in figure-6.3 below. It reveals from the figure that there is significant difference
of paddy yield found in normal year and flashflood affected year. The variation found with a
range of (15-29 mounds/acre).
water level (m above MSL)
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Sunamgonj-Surma
1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005
Year
Figure 6.2: Historical time series of water level for the river Surma at Sunamgonj
Paddy Yeild (md/acre)
Max water level
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
29
Haor
Sanoar
9
29
Dakuar
12
27
Halir
8
26
Shanir
Fig 6.3: Paddy yields (md/acre) of normal and damage year in some Haor area of Sunamgonj
8
79
WAter level ( m above
MSL)
Paknar
37
8
Sunamgonj-Surma
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
April Water level
1945 1965 1985
Year
2005
27
Kharchar
3
28
Angurali
10
27
Putiar
13
30
Sonar
Last Normal year (1999)
Last Damage year (2002)
6