With a view to creating an inventory of the existing climatic and nutritional condition of the haor (low-lying land) areas along with their cropping systems, this research was carried out in the Dingaputa haor of the Netrakona district of Bangladesh. The main objective was to study the farmers’ concept of climate change issues and their responses in respect to cropping systems and nutrition. This study is crucial for comparing the existing situation and taking future decisions. The feasibility and strategic direction of the present haor agriculture were evaluated using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis and matrices. The results showed that the farmers’ understanding of climate change was much lower than expected; a maximum of 73.2% farmers pointed out that climate change means frequent flooding, and more than 90% of farmers opined that temperature, early flooding, and lightning have increased over time. They strongly agreed that boro (dry-season-irrigated) rice is affected more frequently by natural hazards than in previous times. Very few farmers (only 14.4%) have taken adaptation strategies, which are less climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive. Only 10.8% of farmers cultivated oilseeds, pulses, and vegetables other than boro rice. A lack of technological knowledge is the main obstacle to practicing climate-resilient, modern cultivation practices. The trends of cultivation and consumption of vegetables by haor farmers are very low, whereas they are agreeable to cultivating nutrition-sensitive and high-value crops if they have technical support. The major strengths of haor agriculture are fertile soil and rice surplus, whereas weaknesses are monocropping and malnutrition.
A field investigation was run to ascertain the critical period of weed control in jute (Corchorus olitorius). The study consisted of two distinct sets of treatments, with one set of weeds being left to invade the crop for a longer period of time, specifically, for 15, 30, 45 and 60 days after sowing (DAS) and up to harvest. In the other set of treatments, the plants remained weed-free for progressively longer periods, i.e., 15, 30, 45 and 60 DAS, and until harvest. The reduction in fibre yield (FY) was recorded as 53.39% when weed interference was permitted from the beginning to harvest, as opposed to the season-long weed-free period. The critical period for weed competition (CPWC) of jute was calculated as being 11 to 68 DAS and 19 to 59 DAS, based on results of 5% and 10% yield loss, respectively. Under the 5% yield loss condition, although yield was higher (3.36 t ha−1), the benefit cost ratio (BCR) was lower (1.65), whereas yield was slightly lower (3.19 t ha−1) but BCR was higher (1.73) with respect to 10% yield loss. Therefore, jute fields should be kept weed free from 19 to 59 days after sowing, and a weed management strategy should be undertaken accordingly.