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Dilip Datta

Khulna University, Bangladesh, Environmental Science Discipline, Faculty Member

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Dilip Kumar Datta is a professor in Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University, Bangladesh where he has been a faculty member since October, 1997. He was Head of the Discipline between 2009 and 2012 and from 1999 to 2001. Dilip was also engaged as the Director of the Centre for Integrated Studies on the Sundarbans (CISS) between 2016 and 2020 that has been upgraded to Institute of Integrated Studies on the Sundarbans and the Coastal Ecosystem (IISSCS) during his tenure. He has also served the Headship of Development Studies Discipline of Khulna University during 2017, and was Executive Editor of KU-Studies (Khulna University Journal) – a multidisciplinary peer reviewed journal – between 2009 and 2020. However Dr Datta has started his professional career as a museologist at Bangladesh National Museum where he has spent around seven years in the position of Assistant Keeper in the Department of Natural History. Dilip Kumar Datta also has contributed on policy issues of many universities as a member of the relevant committees.
Dilip Kumar Datta has completed his MPhil and PhD from the School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. He has completed BSc and MSc from Department of Geology, Dhaka University, Bangladesh. His research interest encompasses a wide range of Environmental Science of the Bengal Drainage Basin with particular emphasis to the Lower Bengal Delta. His research areas includes hydrogeochemistry and water resource management in deltaic environment. He also looks into woman security under stressed environmental conditions as well as the requirements for ICT in managing water resources under the realm of rapid climate change.
Dilip Kumar Datta has published many journal articles and book chapters in the area of sediment geochemistry, hydrochemistry, water resource management, and in application of ICT in agriculture. He has collaborated widely with researchers from allied disciplines from home and abroad, in research projects supported by both national and transnational organizations such as NWO, APN etc. He has supervised numerous undergraduate and graduate students for their research work leading to academic degree programs. Dilip has a strong media presence on issues related to environment as well. Very recently he has created a youtube documentary on Tidal River Management in the Lower Bengal Delta <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFtO_ro8L6Y&t=186s>

For additional information see: <discipline.ku.ac.bd/es/faculty/dkd_195709>

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Papers by Dilip Datta

Particle-Bound Nutrients in and Around the Sundarbans, Southwest Bangladesh

Khulna University studies, Nov 28, 2006

Virtual Water Information for Water and Food Security in Peri-Urban Khulna: Present Status and Future Requirement

Water, Flood Management and Water Security Under a Changing Climate, 2020

Sources and dynamics of sedimentary organic matter in Sundarban mangrove estuary from Indo-Gangetic delta

Ecological Processes, 2017

Institutional challenges and stakeholder perception towards planned water reuse in peri-urban agriculture of the Bengal delta

Journal of Environmental Management, 2021

Co-producing climate information services with smallholder farmers in the Lower Bengal Delta: How forecast visualization and communication support farmers’ decision-making

Climate Risk Management, 2021

Abstract Farmers in the Bengal Delta are confronted with increasing hydroclimatic risks due to cl... more Abstract Farmers in the Bengal Delta are confronted with increasing hydroclimatic risks due to climate variability and change. The co-production of climate information services that address the farmers' needs could potentially assist farmers with climate-sensitive decision-making and managing their risks. This study aims to investigate how the co-production of climate information services through forecast visualization and communication has improved forecast uptake for climate-sensitive decision-making of smallholder farmers. We applied a farmer field school approach to communicating visual diagrams for 7-day, 14-day, and seasonal forecasts during face-to-face meetings using printed paper, and smartphone applications. Results show that diagram-based forecast visualization and a combined communication approach integrating face-to-face interaction using printed paper and a smartphone app have improved uptake of information services by farmers. Capacity building and frequent interactions at farmer field schools contribute to a better understanding and trust of visual forecasts, interpretation skills, and decision-making capacity of smallholder farmers. We conclude that the co-production effort with farmers combined with the capacity building has resulted in wider sharing, dissemination, and uptake of scientific forecasts for climate-sensitive decision-making by smallholders in the Lower Bengal Delta.

Spatio-temporal variations in chemical-physical water quality parameters influencing water reuse for irrigated agriculture in tropical urbanized deltas

Science of The Total Environment, 2019

Agriculture in delta areas of emerging economies is highly reliant on the provision of water with... more Agriculture in delta areas of emerging economies is highly reliant on the provision of water with adequate quality. This quality is often under pressure by season-related saltwater intrusion and poor domestic or industrial wastewater management. Methods to separate these two negative impacts on water quality for the delta areas are lacking but essential for proper management and supply of irrigation water. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to propose a method that maps salt and wastewater impacts on seasonal water quality and relate that to different land uses. Khulna, a delta city of Bangladesh was taken as a representative case study. Surface water samples have been collected from different city locations in winter, summer and monsoon seasons, and were analyzed for a variety of chemical-physical water quality parameters. Spatio-temporal variation maps were generated using Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation method, and weighted overlay method was employed to map the current irrigation water use suitability based on FAO guidelines for the interpretations of water quality for irrigation. The influence of land-use on water quality was assessed by correlation analysis followed by bi-variate linear regression analysis. Analysis indicated significant (p < 0.05) seasonal dependent variation in water quality parameters, especially for saltwater influenced and generic water quality parameters. Also, the land-use percentage within 500 m radii to the sampling stations had a significant positive correlation with several parameters indicating saltwater and urban wastewater influences. Weighted overlay analysis revealed that during summer, approximately 1/3rd of the total studied area has a severe restriction for irrigation water use. The method presented here was shown to be effective in presenting variabilities on the effects of salinization and wastewater discharge on water quality in urbanized deltas and can be used as a knowledge base for formulating and implementing future urban infrastructure planning to improve irrigation water quality.

Shrimp Culture: Trend, Consequences and Sustainability in the South-western Coastal Region of Bangladesh

Management and Sustainable Development of Coastal Zone Environments, 2010

... of approximately 8750 hectares of mangrove loss due to salt-water intrusion, dike and ... whi... more

Rethinking sediments, tidal rivers and delta livelihoods: tidal river management as a strategic innovation in Bangladesh

Water Policy, 2018

Many urbanised deltas face development challenges due to growing economies, populations and clima... more Many urbanised deltas face development challenges due to growing economies, populations and climate change. Changes in land–water strategies are often required, as ‘business-as-usual’ solutions are no longer sufficient. The aim of this paper was to study tidal river management (TRM) as a strategic innovation, and trace how it is appreciated by people and used in master plans to address congested rivers and waterlogging in Bangladesh. In this context, a strategic innovation can be categorised as having four features: (i) it is a fundamental reconceptualisation of business as usual strategies; (ii) it is rule breaking and reshapes markets; (iii) it offers value improvement for livelihoods; (iv) it is sustainable. The case study analysis was built from 17 interviews, a focus group discussion and numerous documents. The case analysis revealed that tidal river management is very different (local, natural, complex) from mainstream engineering strategies for tidal rivers and polder systems...

Spatial and Temporal Variability of Rainfall over the South-West Coast of Bangladesh

Climate, 2014

Nature of solute loads in the rivers of the Bengal drainage basin, Bangladesh

Journal of Hydrology, 1997

Texture and mineralogy of sediments from the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system in the Bengal Basin, Bangladesh and their environmental implications

Environmental Geology, 1997

Distribution of C, N and P in the sediments of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system in the Bengal basin

Organic geochemistry, 1999

The Bengal basin is one of the geologically youngest and tectonically active drainage regimes of ... more

Role of Information in Farmers’ Response to Weather and Water Related Stresses in the Lower Bengal Delta, Bangladesh

by Dilip Datta and Sadia Ashraf

Sustainability

Farmers in the lower Bengal Delta around the city of Khulna, Bangladesh, are particularly vulnera... more Farmers in the lower Bengal Delta around the city of Khulna, Bangladesh, are particularly vulnerable to hydro-climatic variability. Phenomena such as heavy rain, drought and salt intrusion increasingly affect their crop production, with far-reaching socio-economic and environmental impacts. Reliable hydro-climatic information service received in a timely manner could help farmers improve their responses to hydro-climatic variability, thus improving their agricultural decision-making. However, significant challenges persist regarding information uptake and the role of information from the available sources. We designed an explorative research framework combining different participatory methods and analysis of climate data. Our aim was to examine three key research questions: (i) what information is currently available to farmers for agricultural practices and decision-making? (ii) what is the perceived quality of the available hydro-climatic information in response to water and weath...

Tracing Nitrogen and Carbon Biogeochemical Processes in the Inter-tidal Mangrove Ecosystem ( Sundarban ) of India and Bangladesh : Implications of the Global Environmental Change

Tidal river management in the south west Ganges-Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh: Moving towards a transdisciplinary approach?

Environmental Science & Policy

Shrimp Culture: Trend, Consequences and Sustainability in the South-western Coastal Region of Bangladesh

by Dilip Datta and Nazia Hassan

Shrimp culture along the coast of southwest Bangladesh was a traditional practice and usually res... more Shrimp culture along the coast of southwest Bangladesh was a traditional practice and usually restricted within land between the levees and the river channels (Deb, 1998; Islam et al., 2005; Nandy et al., 2007). However, since early seventies of the last century farmers and investors are encouraged to involve most in shrimp farming within polders—large areas within coastal embankments meant for protecting crop lands from tidal waves, surges and saline intrusion—in response to the demand from international high value customers for shrimp (a luxury food item), low investment and unexpectedly high return where government policies played a favourable role (Alauddin and Tisdel, 1998) and thus ushered the beginning of present shrimp era (BCAS, 2001). Outbreak of disease was a major hindrance for shrimp culture (Alam et al., 2007) and during 1996 Khulna region experienced such impact on approximately 90% of its extensive shrimp farms with a loss of 20% in total shrimp production (Chowdhury...

An Integrated Approach for Constraining Depositional Zones in a Tide-Influenced River: Gorai River, Southwest Bangladesh

Urban Geology: A Case Study of Khulna City Corporation, Bangladesh

jollygreengiant.fullnetwork.org, 2006

Hydroclimatic Information Needs of Smallholder Farmers in the Lower Bengal Delta, Bangladesh

Atmosphere

Hydroclimatic information services are vital for sustainable agricultural practices in deltas. Th... more Hydroclimatic information services are vital for sustainable agricultural practices in deltas. They advance adaptation practices of farmers that lead to better economic benefit through increased yields, reduced production costs, and minimized crop damage. This research explores the hydroclimatic information needs of farmers by addressing (1) what kind of information is needed by the periurban delta farmers, and (2) whether information needs have any temporal dimension that changes with time following capacity building during coproduction of information services. Results reveal that the attributes of weather and water-related forecasts most affecting the farmers are rainfall, temperature, water, and soil salinity, along with extreme events such as cyclone and storm surges. The majority of the male farmers prefer one- to two-week lead-time forecasts for strategic and tactical decision-making; while female farmers prefer short-time forecasts with one-day to a week lead time that sugges...

Role of Information in Farmers’ Response to Weather and Water Related Stresses in the Lower Bengal Delta, Bangladesh

by Dilip Datta and Sadia Ashraf

Sustainability

Farmers in the lower Bengal Delta around the city of Khulna, Bangladesh, are particularly vulnera... more Farmers in the lower Bengal Delta around the city of Khulna, Bangladesh, are particularly vulnerable to hydro-climatic variability. Phenomena such as heavy rain, drought and salt intrusion increasingly affect their crop production, with far-reaching socio-economic and environmental impacts. Reliable hydro-climatic information service received in a timely manner could help farmers improve their responses to hydro-climatic variability, thus improving their agricultural decision-making. However, significant challenges persist regarding information uptake and the role of information from the available sources. We designed an explorative research framework combining different participatory methods and analysis of climate data. Our aim was to examine three key research questions: (i) what information is currently available to farmers for agricultural practices and decision-making? (ii) what is the perceived quality of the available hydro-climatic information in response to water and weath...

Particle-Bound Nutrients in and Around the Sundarbans, Southwest Bangladesh

Khulna University studies, Nov 28, 2006

Virtual Water Information for Water and Food Security in Peri-Urban Khulna: Present Status and Future Requirement

Water, Flood Management and Water Security Under a Changing Climate, 2020

Sources and dynamics of sedimentary organic matter in Sundarban mangrove estuary from Indo-Gangetic delta

Ecological Processes, 2017

Institutional challenges and stakeholder perception towards planned water reuse in peri-urban agriculture of the Bengal delta

Journal of Environmental Management, 2021

Co-producing climate information services with smallholder farmers in the Lower Bengal Delta: How forecast visualization and communication support farmers’ decision-making

Climate Risk Management, 2021

Abstract Farmers in the Bengal Delta are confronted with increasing hydroclimatic risks due to cl... more Abstract Farmers in the Bengal Delta are confronted with increasing hydroclimatic risks due to climate variability and change. The co-production of climate information services that address the farmers' needs could potentially assist farmers with climate-sensitive decision-making and managing their risks. This study aims to investigate how the co-production of climate information services through forecast visualization and communication has improved forecast uptake for climate-sensitive decision-making of smallholder farmers. We applied a farmer field school approach to communicating visual diagrams for 7-day, 14-day, and seasonal forecasts during face-to-face meetings using printed paper, and smartphone applications. Results show that diagram-based forecast visualization and a combined communication approach integrating face-to-face interaction using printed paper and a smartphone app have improved uptake of information services by farmers. Capacity building and frequent interactions at farmer field schools contribute to a better understanding and trust of visual forecasts, interpretation skills, and decision-making capacity of smallholder farmers. We conclude that the co-production effort with farmers combined with the capacity building has resulted in wider sharing, dissemination, and uptake of scientific forecasts for climate-sensitive decision-making by smallholders in the Lower Bengal Delta.

Spatio-temporal variations in chemical-physical water quality parameters influencing water reuse for irrigated agriculture in tropical urbanized deltas

Science of The Total Environment, 2019

Agriculture in delta areas of emerging economies is highly reliant on the provision of water with... more Agriculture in delta areas of emerging economies is highly reliant on the provision of water with adequate quality. This quality is often under pressure by season-related saltwater intrusion and poor domestic or industrial wastewater management. Methods to separate these two negative impacts on water quality for the delta areas are lacking but essential for proper management and supply of irrigation water. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to propose a method that maps salt and wastewater impacts on seasonal water quality and relate that to different land uses. Khulna, a delta city of Bangladesh was taken as a representative case study. Surface water samples have been collected from different city locations in winter, summer and monsoon seasons, and were analyzed for a variety of chemical-physical water quality parameters. Spatio-temporal variation maps were generated using Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation method, and weighted overlay method was employed to map the current irrigation water use suitability based on FAO guidelines for the interpretations of water quality for irrigation. The influence of land-use on water quality was assessed by correlation analysis followed by bi-variate linear regression analysis. Analysis indicated significant (p < 0.05) seasonal dependent variation in water quality parameters, especially for saltwater influenced and generic water quality parameters. Also, the land-use percentage within 500 m radii to the sampling stations had a significant positive correlation with several parameters indicating saltwater and urban wastewater influences. Weighted overlay analysis revealed that during summer, approximately 1/3rd of the total studied area has a severe restriction for irrigation water use. The method presented here was shown to be effective in presenting variabilities on the effects of salinization and wastewater discharge on water quality in urbanized deltas and can be used as a knowledge base for formulating and implementing future urban infrastructure planning to improve irrigation water quality.

Shrimp Culture: Trend, Consequences and Sustainability in the South-western Coastal Region of Bangladesh

Management and Sustainable Development of Coastal Zone Environments, 2010

... of approximately 8750 hectares of mangrove loss due to salt-water intrusion, dike and ... whi... more

Rethinking sediments, tidal rivers and delta livelihoods: tidal river management as a strategic innovation in Bangladesh

Water Policy, 2018

Many urbanised deltas face development challenges due to growing economies, populations and clima... more Many urbanised deltas face development challenges due to growing economies, populations and climate change. Changes in land–water strategies are often required, as ‘business-as-usual’ solutions are no longer sufficient. The aim of this paper was to study tidal river management (TRM) as a strategic innovation, and trace how it is appreciated by people and used in master plans to address congested rivers and waterlogging in Bangladesh. In this context, a strategic innovation can be categorised as having four features: (i) it is a fundamental reconceptualisation of business as usual strategies; (ii) it is rule breaking and reshapes markets; (iii) it offers value improvement for livelihoods; (iv) it is sustainable. The case study analysis was built from 17 interviews, a focus group discussion and numerous documents. The case analysis revealed that tidal river management is very different (local, natural, complex) from mainstream engineering strategies for tidal rivers and polder systems...

Spatial and Temporal Variability of Rainfall over the South-West Coast of Bangladesh

Climate, 2014

Nature of solute loads in the rivers of the Bengal drainage basin, Bangladesh

Journal of Hydrology, 1997

Texture and mineralogy of sediments from the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system in the Bengal Basin, Bangladesh and their environmental implications

Environmental Geology, 1997

Distribution of C, N and P in the sediments of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system in the Bengal basin

Organic geochemistry, 1999

The Bengal basin is one of the geologically youngest and tectonically active drainage regimes of ... more

Role of Information in Farmers’ Response to Weather and Water Related Stresses in the Lower Bengal Delta, Bangladesh

by Dilip Datta and Sadia Ashraf

Sustainability

Farmers in the lower Bengal Delta around the city of Khulna, Bangladesh, are particularly vulnera... more Farmers in the lower Bengal Delta around the city of Khulna, Bangladesh, are particularly vulnerable to hydro-climatic variability. Phenomena such as heavy rain, drought and salt intrusion increasingly affect their crop production, with far-reaching socio-economic and environmental impacts. Reliable hydro-climatic information service received in a timely manner could help farmers improve their responses to hydro-climatic variability, thus improving their agricultural decision-making. However, significant challenges persist regarding information uptake and the role of information from the available sources. We designed an explorative research framework combining different participatory methods and analysis of climate data. Our aim was to examine three key research questions: (i) what information is currently available to farmers for agricultural practices and decision-making? (ii) what is the perceived quality of the available hydro-climatic information in response to water and weath...

Tracing Nitrogen and Carbon Biogeochemical Processes in the Inter-tidal Mangrove Ecosystem ( Sundarban ) of India and Bangladesh : Implications of the Global Environmental Change

Tidal river management in the south west Ganges-Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh: Moving towards a transdisciplinary approach?

Environmental Science & Policy

Shrimp Culture: Trend, Consequences and Sustainability in the South-western Coastal Region of Bangladesh

by Dilip Datta and Nazia Hassan

Shrimp culture along the coast of southwest Bangladesh was a traditional practice and usually res... more Shrimp culture along the coast of southwest Bangladesh was a traditional practice and usually restricted within land between the levees and the river channels (Deb, 1998; Islam et al., 2005; Nandy et al., 2007). However, since early seventies of the last century farmers and investors are encouraged to involve most in shrimp farming within polders—large areas within coastal embankments meant for protecting crop lands from tidal waves, surges and saline intrusion—in response to the demand from international high value customers for shrimp (a luxury food item), low investment and unexpectedly high return where government policies played a favourable role (Alauddin and Tisdel, 1998) and thus ushered the beginning of present shrimp era (BCAS, 2001). Outbreak of disease was a major hindrance for shrimp culture (Alam et al., 2007) and during 1996 Khulna region experienced such impact on approximately 90% of its extensive shrimp farms with a loss of 20% in total shrimp production (Chowdhury...

An Integrated Approach for Constraining Depositional Zones in a Tide-Influenced River: Gorai River, Southwest Bangladesh

Urban Geology: A Case Study of Khulna City Corporation, Bangladesh

jollygreengiant.fullnetwork.org, 2006

Hydroclimatic Information Needs of Smallholder Farmers in the Lower Bengal Delta, Bangladesh

Atmosphere

Hydroclimatic information services are vital for sustainable agricultural practices in deltas. Th... more Hydroclimatic information services are vital for sustainable agricultural practices in deltas. They advance adaptation practices of farmers that lead to better economic benefit through increased yields, reduced production costs, and minimized crop damage. This research explores the hydroclimatic information needs of farmers by addressing (1) what kind of information is needed by the periurban delta farmers, and (2) whether information needs have any temporal dimension that changes with time following capacity building during coproduction of information services. Results reveal that the attributes of weather and water-related forecasts most affecting the farmers are rainfall, temperature, water, and soil salinity, along with extreme events such as cyclone and storm surges. The majority of the male farmers prefer one- to two-week lead-time forecasts for strategic and tactical decision-making; while female farmers prefer short-time forecasts with one-day to a week lead time that sugges...

Role of Information in Farmers’ Response to Weather and Water Related Stresses in the Lower Bengal Delta, Bangladesh

by Dilip Datta and Sadia Ashraf

Sustainability

Farmers in the lower Bengal Delta around the city of Khulna, Bangladesh, are particularly vulnera... more Farmers in the lower Bengal Delta around the city of Khulna, Bangladesh, are particularly vulnerable to hydro-climatic variability. Phenomena such as heavy rain, drought and salt intrusion increasingly affect their crop production, with far-reaching socio-economic and environmental impacts. Reliable hydro-climatic information service received in a timely manner could help farmers improve their responses to hydro-climatic variability, thus improving their agricultural decision-making. However, significant challenges persist regarding information uptake and the role of information from the available sources. We designed an explorative research framework combining different participatory methods and analysis of climate data. Our aim was to examine three key research questions: (i) what information is currently available to farmers for agricultural practices and decision-making? (ii) what is the perceived quality of the available hydro-climatic information in response to water and weath...