Kukri Mukri Flashcards
Where is Kukri Mukri?
It is an island on the delta region of the Ganges Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh
What does the majority of the land of Kukri Mukri consist of and who lives there?
They’re mainly chars which are inhabited by landless people
What do the locals do for food?
Grow subsistence rice and vegetables and catch fish in the delta
Surplus food is sold. Why is this difficult?
Travelling to and from markets is difficult due to poor infrastecutre
Why is food security poor?
There’s a constant threat of flooding or insufficient water for crops and a constant threat of dispossession and when there’s a surplus market prices fall
What happens when there’s a poor crop?
The area is so isolated it is difficult to get aid to, most families have a poorly balanced diet
Do women have the same status as they do in Britain?
No they’re confined to their houses
Who set up credit organisations for women?
ActionAid who worked through local partners
What can women then do?
Take out loans to start small enterprises which they can run on their own terms
What have the projects included?
- Duck breeding
- Literacy classes
- Introducing new crops
- Intermediate technology crops
Describe the duck breeding project
Ducks feed on paddy fields, not damaging rice but controlling pest, the women can run the business from home and produce eggs and meat
Describe how new crops can benefit Kukri Mukri
They can help make diets more varied
Describe how intermediate technology pumps can help in Kukri Mukri
They give villagers access to clean water. Wells are drilled down to unpolluted ground layers, the technology to raise the water is simple and robust. The pump can be run without expensive energy supplies and maintenance can be done by local people. Spares are cheap.
What does having a clean water supply mean for Kukri Mukri?
- Improves health, especially for the young
- Allows irrigation to be used in the dry season
- And so allows the crop yield to be increased
