By Mobassher Hossain, Jingrui Sun, Nadia S. Kashmi, Martyn C. Lucas, Shams M. Galib

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Wetlands provide essential benefits for both people and nature but human activities are increasingly threatening them. In the Gajner Beel wetland of Bangladesh, we examined how the invasive aquatic plant water hyacinth is affecting the local environment and farmers’ livelihoods. This plant is widely known for causing environmental issues, but our study found that its effects are more complex in Bangladesh than in other regions of the world.

In 2021 and 2022, we carried out field experiments to understand how water hyacinth affects crop farming, fish populations, and water quality. We also interviewed local farmers to learn what they know about the plant. We recorded water hyacinth in 32% and 36% of crop fields in 2021 and 2022 respectively. In fields invaded by water hyacinth, crop yields for rice, wheat, jute, onion, and garlic dropped by up to 30 percent, and many farmers had to spend extra time and money removing the plant. Some farmers were unable to grow crops because of heavy infestations. On the other hand, water hyacinth provided short-term benefits for fishermen. They used water hyacinth to create shelters for fish, which resulted in better catches. However, this method may not be sustainable because it could harm fish populations over time.

Most farmers were unaware that water hyacinth is not native to the area. Because it has been present for many years, they regard it as a natural part of the environment. Although some farmers knew that the plant could be used to make fertiliser, few knew how to do this properly.

Our study shows that while water hyacinth has some limited benefits, it also threatens farming and food security. Long-term research and better education are needed to help manage this plant and protect local livelihoods and the wetland ecosystem.