WATER YOU GROWING!? Aerial views show water hyacinth farmers floating along the soil-free plant beds known as ‘Dhap’. The farmers are preparing the plots for a new rotation of seasonal crops in Nazirpur, Pirojpur, Bangladesh. Sultan Ahmed Niloy said, “In the lowlands of Bangladesh, people are turning to a centuries-old form of hydroponics to keep afloat for 300-400 years, people have been following an age-old traditional method of cultivation called dhap or baira.” “These are floating vegetable gardens, artificial islands, that simply rise and fall with the swelling waters. Now farmers are reviving this old practice to reduce their vulnerability due to climate change. “The farmers work for a monthly salary of about £120-£150, sometimes the owners of the fields choose to do this work by themselves, avoiding the extra labour costs.” Please byline: Sultan Ahmed Niloy/Solent News © Sultan Ahmed Niloy/Solent News & Photo Agency UK +44 (0) 2380 458800 *** Local Caption *** Aerial views show water hyacinth farmers floating along the soil-free plant beds known as ‘Dhap’. The farmers were preparing them for the cultivation of new crops in Nazirpur, Pirojpur, Bangladesh. In the lowlands of Bangladesh, people are turning to a centuries-old form of hydroponics to keep afloat. Ripening squash, bitter gourd and okra loom over a mass of water hyacinth. Birds fly low over the surface of the water, But in one part of south-central Bangladesh, for 300-400 years, people have been following an age-old traditional method of cultivation called dhap, or known locally as baira. These are floating vegetable gardens – artificial islands, that simply rise and fall with the swelling waters. Now farmers are reviving this old practice to reduce their vulnerability due to climate change. Floating gardens are most common in the districts of Gopalganj, Barisal and Pirojpur. Here, during monsoons the farmers gather weeds like water hyacinth or paddy stalks, and place them on stagnant water, beating them into shape and making rafts. They plant seedlings on these organic beds, and place them in flooded parts of the villages. The UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization declared Bangladesh’s floating gardens to be a globally important agricultural heritage system in December 2015. These are landscapes that combine agricultural biodiversity, resilient ecosystems and cultural heritage. please check another email , i have sent my photos through we transfer