Desertification and severe drought crisis: urgent action is needed to protect global land and water resources

Desk ReporterAugust 25, 2026August 25, 2026

August 25, 2026August 25, 202646

While the world faces very high temperatures, heat waves, and rising sea levels, another quiet and overlooked problem is endangering human life—land degradation and desertification. Scientists and world leaders said at the big UN meeting about fighting desertification in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, that almost 40 percent of land around the world......

Agriculture

“Saltiness in coastal farming and the quiet change of ‘Bangabandhu Dhan (Paddy) 100’”

Desk ReporterJuly 14, 2026July 15, 2026

July 14, 2026July 15, 202683

Rising sea levels from climate change have caused salinity to become a big issue in farms in the southern part of the country (Khulna, Satkhira, Patuakhali). Thousands of hectares of land remain uncultivated. To fix this big environmental problem, the salt-tolerant rice types ‘Bangabandhu Dhan (Paddy) 100’ and ‘Bri Dhan......

Bangladesh

Urban Farming on Dhaka’s Rooftops: The Return of Birds and a New Ecosystem in the Concrete Jungle

Desk ReporterJuly 3, 2026

July 3, 2026163

Unplanned urbanization has nearly erased greenery from Dhaka city. Yet in recent years, a quiet revolution of urban farming or rooftop gardening has begun to transform the city’s micro‑climate. This greening has led to the return of many native birds and insects, breathing new life into Dhaka’s urban ecosystem. Research......

Agriculture

Lab‑Created “Super‑Corals”: A Breakthrough for Saving the Great Barrier Reef

Desk ReporterJune 30, 2026June 30, 2026

June 30, 2026June 30, 2026394

Global warming has overheated ocean waters, causing severe bleaching of the world’s largest coral reef — Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. To revive this collapsing marine ecosystem, scientists have successfully developed genetically modified “Super‑Corals” in laboratories. These heat‑resistant corals have now been transplanted into the ocean, marking a milestone in marine......

Environmental Economics

Global Soil Health Initiative 2026: A Global Effort to Prevent Desertification and Restore Soil Fertility

Desk ReporterJune 18, 2026

June 18, 2026138

About one‑third of the world’s agricultural land is at risk of losing its fertility and turning into desert because of climate change and excessive use of chemical fertilizers. In May 2026 the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) announced the Global Soil Health Initiative 2026. The main goal of......

Agriculture

From rooftop farming to ‘rooftop farms’: A new revolution in Dhaka’s nutritional security

Desk ReporterMay 1, 2026

May 1, 2026146

Dhaka is no longer just a city of buildings. In 2026, Dhaka will look like a huge green garden when viewed from the sky. After RAJUK’s rule for ‘green roofs’, around 80% of buildings in Dhaka now have gardens on their roofs. This is being called ‘Urban Farming 2.0’. Nutrition......

Environmental Science

Solar Irrigation Revolution: End of Diesel Pumps and Savings in Agriculture

Desk ReporterApril 9, 2026

April 9, 2026114

There is no more worry for farmers in the Northern part of Bangladesh in this drought season of 2026. The fear of diesel price hike or load shedding is now a thing of the past. Under the government’s ‘Solar Energy in Irrigation System 2026’ project, around 80 percent of irrigation......

Agriculture

Pesticide Use in Bangladesh

Desk ReporterDecember 20, 2025December 27, 2025

December 20, 2025December 27, 2025553

“Pesticide Use in Bangladesh: Recent Trends and Emerging Risks” ‘Regional Analysis’ Tasmia Mahmud Parisha Pesticides are substances used to kill or control pests like insects, weeds, fungi, and rodents that harm crops, public health, and stored food. Since the Green Revolution, they have played a crucial role in improving agricultural......

Agriculture

The Urgent Need to Protect Southern Rivers, Hilsa, and Salt: A Call for Environmental Action

Desk ReporterOctober 3, 2025October 3, 2025

October 3, 2025October 3, 2025137

The Urgent Need to Protect Southern Rivers, Hilsa, and Salt: A Call for Environmental Action The rivers in southern Bangladesh, vital for local communities and ecosystems, are facing significant threats. They support fisheries, salt production, and function as key transport and irrigation routes. However, they are rapidly becoming less navigable......

Agriculture

Gorai River Canal Suffers from Non-Existence; Agriculture and Environment Under Threat

Desk ReporterJune 23, 2025June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025June 23, 2025356

Gorai River Canal Suffers from Non-Existence; Agriculture and Environment Under Threat The Gorai River Canal, which is 8.5 kilometers long and 20-25 meters wide, was dug nearly seventy years ago to alleviate waterlogging in Kushtia Sadar and Mirpur Upazilas and improve local waterways. Now, it is nearly nonexistent. It is......

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