Planetary Health Consequences of Telecoupled Shrimp Farming

The international demand for shrimp from Bangladesh exhibits a Telecoupled system. Semi-intensive to intensive shrimp farming has changed vast coastal areas into saline zones by altering land use and land cover. While shrimp cultivation significantly contributes to foreign exchange earnings, it also leads to various social and environmental impacts that affect planetary health. This study sees shrimp farming as a result of these Telecoupled dynamics. It uses a mixed-methods approach, combining both primary and secondary data to examine its effects on planetary health in Bangladesh's southwestern coastal areas. The findings reveal several important health and social issues associated with shrimp farming. These include (i) scarcity of drinking and household water, (ii) infectious diseases, (iii) non-infectious diseases, (iv) food and nutritional insecurity, (v) antimicrobial resistance and chemical contamination, (vi) mental pressure, (vii) disaster-related health vulnerability, (viii) social conflict, (ix) healthcare inequality, and (x) rural-urban migration. This analysis enhances our understanding of the complex interactions between humans and nature in shrimp farming systems and their evolving impacts on planetary health in southwestern coastal Bangladesh. The study stresses the urgent need for integrated, ecosystem-based agricultural practices to find a balance between economic benefits and sustainable health and environmental outcomes.