Bio-economic development of floodplains: farming versus fishing in BangladeshThis research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation through grant number DEB-9613562; the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Illinois, and USDA/CREES through project 05-305 ACE; the Graduate College and the program in Environmental and Resource Economics of the University of Illinois; and the Social Sciences Research Council. In addition, Econ One Research, Inc. and BatesWhite, LLC supported Mursaleena Islamʼs time at the final stages of this work. The authors are grateful for assistance received from Munir Ahmed, Mustafa Alam, Mahbub Ali, Md. Shawkat Ali, Kingsley Allen, Lee Alston, Peter Bayley, Richard Brazee, Sharifuzzaman Choudhury, Mike Demissie, Ashley Halls, Mujibul Huq, Anisul Islam, Mustafa Kamal, Madhu Khanna, Roger Koenker, Syed Iqbal Khosru, Hayri Önal, Mokhlesur Rahman, Salim Rashid, Salimullah, Quazi Shahabuddin, Bhavani Shankar, Richard Sparks, David White, and two anonymous reviewers. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies or individuals noted above.
ISLAM, MURSALEENA; BRADEN, JOHN B.; ISLAM MURSALEENA; Abt Associates Inc.;; BRADEN JOHN B.; University of Illinois
Журнал:
Environment and Development Economics
Дата:
2006
Аннотация:
This paper explores economic development in the floodplain of large rivers, where both economic and ecological factors need to be considered for effective management. Floodplain management policies in Bangladesh emphasize structural changes to enhance agricultural production. However, these structural changes reduce fisheries production, an important natural resource sector and a source of subsistence for the rural poor. We develop a model where net returns to agriculture and fisheries are jointly maximized, taking into account the effect of flooding depth and timing on production, and value of catch in markets and for subsistence nutrition. Results for a region in Bangladesh show that optimal production in a natural floodplain yields higher net returns compared with a floodplain modified by flood control structures. This finding implies that neglecting the bio-economic relationship between fisheries and land use may significantly affect the long-run economic role of a river floodplain, particularly where subsistence consumption is important to social welfare.
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