Farmers devastated by unprecedented drought as mango crops fail across key region: 'This year's production will barely cross last year's amount'

Rural Bangladeshi farmers are suffering losses as high as 60% of immature mangoes due to a catastrophic heat wave and drought, according to BSS News.

What's happening?

Extreme weather has caused farmers across Bangladesh to try to keep their mango and lychee orchards alive by desperately emptying pails of water at the bases of their trees. 

"I harvested 4,000 maunds (164 tons) of mangoes last year, but this year's production will barely cross last year's amount," farmer Anwar Hossain Polash told BSS News. That figure from last year was a 40% drop in yields from the year prior. 

Farmers in nearby Nepal are facing similar challenges. Similar conditions in the region have even led to the rise of extortion for water access.

Why are droughts important?

The increasing severity of droughts is just one of many harmful results of a shifting climate. As dirty fuel usage increases, so too does the pollution it emits. 

That pollution traps heat and exacerbates extreme weather patterns, including a lack of rain or torrential downpours, causing flooding. While productive agriculture is sorely needed, Bangladesh's own rice production creates a large amount of methane, contributing further to the problem. 

What's being done about droughts?

Reducing emissions in any number of ways can help stabilize weather patterns so farmers can reliably feed the world. This includes switching from gas furnaces to heat pumps, adding solar panels to your home, upgrading to an electric vehicle, or trying a more veggie-friendly diet. 

Bangladeshi government officials are suggesting farmers engage in flood irrigation in order to save mango crops, even though the method is not especially efficient. 

"Moderate irrigation will not work this time. Growers need to keep their mango orchard under constant irrigation," said a Department of Agricultural Extension official, per BSS News.

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