G9: Polder Community Water Management Project - Review and Planning Meeting

Rice Science for a Better World

REVIEW AND PLANNING MEETING

G9: Polder Community Water Management Project

Venue: Shushilan, KhulnaPeriod: 7-9 Nov 2015


Community water management for improved food security, nutrition and livelihoods in the

polders of the coastal zone of Bangladesh(G9)

(Polder Community Water Management)


• Review the progress (Jan-Oct 2015)– Water management infrastructure improvement– Cropping system activities– Socio-economic and impact assessment– Gender – involvement of women– Communication– Role of Water Management Organizations• Water management• Sluice gate operation

• Plan for the activities for dry season 2015-16• Collaboration

Objective of the Review n Planning Meeting


• Note taker– Shahana Parveen– Archisman Mitra– Sirajul Islam– Asish Sutradhar

• Logistics– Shushilan Team– Shankar– Swapan– Shilpi

• MC– Sirajul Islam

Documentation/Management


• Feedback from the participants

Feedback





• Duration: 24 months • Start date: 1 January 2015• Finish date: 31 December 2016

Project Information

Lead Organization: • International Rice Research Institute Partners:• Community• Bangladesh Rice Research Institute • BRAC (NGO)• Institute of Water Modelling• International Water Management Institute• Shushilan (NGO)• World Fish/AAS• Blue Gold Program

Partners


GoB constructed 139 polders during 1960s-70s to protect 1.2 M-ha low lying coastal areas from tidal flood and salinity intrusion

Polders in the coastal zone

Rabi (110-140 d) T. Aman (130-140 d)

Aus (100-105 d)

A M J J A S O N D J F M A

Potential of the coastal zone: low salinity areas

HYVShort durationSalt tolerant

HYVMedium durationWater stagnation tolerant

HYVWater melonMaizeSunflower Chilli

Aus-aman-rabi (9-10 t/ha rice+9 t/ha maize OR 3.5 t/ha sunflower)

Rabi (110-140 d) T. Aman (130-140 d)

A M J J A S O N D J F M A

Aman-rabi (~4.5 t/ha rice + ~5 t/ha maize, ~ 2.5 t/ha sunflower)

HYVMaize, Sunflower, Sesame

HYVMedium durationWater stagnation tolerant

Potential of the coastal zone: medium salinity areas

• Key challenges to productivity – Salinity is perceived to be the

main reason for non-adoption of improved agricultural technologies in the CZ

– We hypothesized “POOR WATER MANAGEMENT/ WATER LOGGING” is the root cause, not the SALINITY for cropping system intensification and diversification & COMMUNITY COORDINATION is needed for wider adoption of improved agricultural technologies in coastal polders

Constraints to harness potential of the CZ






Goals

• Improved food security, nutrition & livelihoods of polder farming families; benefits to women

thru• More resilient, productive, diverse, profitable

& sustainable cropping systems in poldersKEYS

1. drainage2. early rice harvest3. community co-ordination & co-operation - water management- cropping system synchronization


Study site: Katakhali sub-polder in polder 30


• Delineation of water management units (WMUs) within the sub-polder based on system hydrology

• Improvement of water management infrastructure inside WMU and the sub-polder

• Community empowerment for leading water management decisions in the WMUs and sub-polder

• Farmer participatory implementation of improved water management & cropping system options

• Understanding of the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the management of land and water resources

• Development of livelihood opportunities for women that arise with improved agricultural water management

• Communication of results

Key Activities


• Identified a sub-polder in polder 30• Identified 2 WMUs (~80 ha) at Fultala in Katakhali SP

Progress


• Design and construction of improved drainage system for better polder water management

Progress


• Installation of gauges for water level and salinity monitoring at different locations in polder 30

• Collected water flow, depth & salinity data

Progress


• Developed improved cropping patterns in consultation with the community

Progress

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Traditional Rice Sesame/Mung

Sesame/MungHYV Rice

Wheat

Maize/Sunflower

Maize/Sunflower


• Capacity building• Training provided to– Field staff and data collectors of partner

organizations (BRRI, BRAC, IWM, Shushilan)– Officials of the water management organizations

(WMG, WMA) of the Katakhali sub-polder– Farmers

Progress


• Capacity building :Training topics– Water management: on-farm and sub-polder scale– Importance of drainage for improving polder

productivity– Sluice gate operation and its importance on water

management at sub-polder scale– Water depth and salinity measurement inside the sub-

polder and peripheral rivers – Improved cropping systems and HYV rice and rabi crops – Importance of early establishment of rabi crops– Mat nursery preparation– Mechanical transplanting of rice using Rice Transplanter

Progress


Progress: Training


Progress: Training


Progress: Training


• Collected ~700 kg seeds of BRRI dhan51, BRRI dhan52, BRRI dhan53, BRRI dhan54 and BRRI dhan62 from STRASA (IRRI), HarvestPlus (CIAT) and BRRI

• Distributed HYV rice seeds and fertilizers for HYV rice cultivation

Progress


• Transplanted HYV rice during 5-15 August 2015• TD urea: 31 Aug, 15 Sep and 30 Sep• Drain out water 3-4 days before topdressing N• Adopted ICM – biological and chemical control• Collected baseline information of the households

and community perception– Katakhali sub-polder– Polder 30– Polder 28 (control)

• Crop economics– 2014 completed– 2015 ongoing

Progress


• Liaison with the stakeholder from the beginning of the project to enhance upscaling– Honorable Member of Parliament of the

Government of Bangladesh– UP Chairman and Member of the Local Govt– GO-NGO extension personnel

Progress


• DG IRRI and Team• MT Review Team of BG

Visitors


Thank You


Progress: Training