Agricultural innovations for water security in North West Bangladesh from institutional, gender, food and livelihood security perspectives

November 29th, 2017All Project Updates, IrrigationNo Comments

Sanjiv de Silva and Stephanie Leder

The research conducted in Bangladesh that constitutes this report, is part of a project that seeks to test technological adaptation to seasonal water stress and more recent stresses induced by climatic change in the States of West Bengal and Bihar in India, and Saptari District in Nepal. Bangladesh is seen as a potential source of learning in view of ongoing experiences of technology adoption in Bangladesh to adapt to these challenges. This report therefore highlights existing technological and institutional innovations in improving water security for food production in North and Northwest Bangladesh, and their production and socio-economic impacts from the perspectives of different stakeholders, especially differently capacitated farmer groups and women. Data was collected through a literature review and qualitative interviews from five villages distributed in Rangpur, Thakurgaon and Rajshahi districts between May 2015 and March 2016.

 

Agricultural innovations for water security in North West Bangladesh from institutional, gender, food and livelihood security perspectives (PDF 2MB)

Crop planning for Rabi (Winter) season in West Bengal

November 27th, 2017All Project Updates, Communities, CropsNo Comments

The crop planning is an important activity of DSI4MTF project to get optimum level of market price. The series of farmers training as well as exposure to government departments helped the Dhaloguri (DH) and Uttar Chakowakheti ( UC ) farmers to think and cultivate differently. For successful Rabi cultivation in this season, planning meeting with lead farmers from each collectives sites (7 ) organized in both villages and CDHI campus since 19th August 2017. It was open discussion among the farmers and logical sharing and reflection between UBKV scientists and farmers about the crops choice. Finally the crop choices of farmers are appreciated by CDHI-UBKV.

Women farmers from UC presenting crop planning

Rabi Crop planning meeting in Aug 2017 at CDHI

CDHI-UBKV meeting about the Rabi crops plan evolved from community at UBKV

It was great that crop planning for Rabi started from monsoon / kharif season so that timing of seed bed preparation, transplanting etc does not disturb the Rabi cultivation. The farmers and project team members had sufficient time to discuss their experience, potentialities of different crop varieties, use of technologies and probable risks factors. The following table shows the village and site wise selected crops by the farmers and land coverage for each crop.

 

Site No and Name of the CFGs Crops Land area Comments
UC site-I Zero tillage Mustard 12 bigha / 1.6 ha All sites of UC emphasising on mustard due to good experience from last Rabi season as well as planned to setting up mini oil mill in the village by the collective groups in 2018-19.
Zero tillage Wheat 1 bigha / 0.13 ha
UC site-II Zero tillage Mustard 5 bigha / 0.67 ha
Zero tillage Wheat 2 bigha / 0.27 ha
UC site-III Mustard 5 bigha / 0.67 ha
Wheat 3 bigha / 0.40 ha
Potato 2 bigha / 0.27 ha
Radish 8 katha / 0.053 ha
Cabbage 5 katha / 0.033 ha
Cauliflower 5 katha / 0.033 ha
UC site-IV ( Replicated ) Mustard / Wheat 3 bigha / 0.40 ha
Poly house Capsicum 1.2 katha / 0.008 ha
DH site-I Tomato Farmers will decide collectively very soon Rich farmer is having limited land and hesitant for collectivization
Cauliflower
Cabbage
DH site-II Broccoli 5 katha /0.033 ha Garlic cultivation depends on availability of seeds.
Cabbage 10 katha / 0.067 ha
Cauliflower 10 katha / 0.067 ha
Garlic 15 katha / 0.10 ha
Beans and pumpkin Surrounding the plots
DH site-III Potato 6 bigha / 0.8 ha Mustard will protect the pests and insects.
Garlic 1 bigha / 0.13 ha
Beans and mustard Surrounding the plots
Poly house Capsicum 5 katha / 0.033 ha