Accelerating Vegetable Productivity Improvement (AVPI)

Funded by the Walmart Foundation

Annual Report

(Due by 1 February 2017)

Submitted to the

Walmart Foundation

by

IFDC

P.O. Box 2040

Muscle Shoals, Alabama 35662, USA

www.ifdc.org

30 January, 2017

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Table of Contents

Acronyms and Abbreviations ......................................................................................................... ii

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1

Project Goal and Objective ......................................................................................................... 2

Project Location .......................................................................................................................... 3

Project Start - Up ........................................................................................................................ 3

Reporting..........................................................................................................................................5

Activities ..........................................................................................................................................5

Objective 1: Consolidate and enhance the benefits of the 2013-15 IFDC-Walmart Foundation

intervention by expanding the use of fertilizer deep placement (FDP) and related good

agricultural practices (GAP) ....................................................................................................... 6

Objective 2: Introduce and pilot a second improved vegetable production technology – the use

of polynet houses with trickle irrigation – with participating women vegetable farmers. ......... 9

Objective 3: Improve the market knowledge of, and market information access for, women

vegetable farmers. ....................................................................................................................... 9

Other Information ..................................................................................................................... 10

List of Tables

Table 1. List of Donor Reports through January 2017 ................................................................... 5

Table 2. Activities Conducted through January 2017 ..................................................................... 5

List of Appendices

Appendix 1. Number Farmer Trainings by Sub-District through January 2017 .......................... 12

Appendix 2. Number of Motivational Meetings with Previously Trained Farmers by Sub-District

through January 2017 .................................................................................................................... 13

Appendix 3. Number of Motivational Workshops and Operational Trainings of BMOs by Sub-

District through January 2017 ....................................................................................................... 14

List of Figures

Figure 1. AVPI Districts ................................................................................................................ 4

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Acronyms and Abbreviations

AAPI Accelerating Agriculture Productivity Improvement

AVPI Accelerating Vegetable Productivity Improvement

BMOs Briquette Machine Owners

DAE Department of Agricultural Extension

DD Deputy Director

FC Field Coordinator

FDP Fertilizer Deep Placement

FMO Field Monitoring Officer

GAP Good Agricultural Practices

GOB Government of Bangladesh

ha Hectare

IFDC International Fertilizer Development Center

Kg Kilogram

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation

MOA Ministry of Agriculture

mt Metric ton

NPK Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potassium

SAAOs Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officers

UDP Urea Deep Placement

USAID United States Agency for International Development

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Accelerating Vegetable Productivity Improvement (AVPI)

Annual Report (February 2016)

IFDC Project No. 22-05-61-055-11, Contract No. 03184/16

Introduction

On August 23, 2016, the Walmart Foundation signed a contract with the International Fertilizer

Development Center (IFDC) for the implementation of the “Accelerating Vegetable Productivity

Improvement” (AVPI) project. This project began in November 2016 and is planned for a two

year implementation period. Due to an issue in the dates listed on the agreement, the project

agreement period was unintentionally listed as shorter than two years: this has been discussed

between IFDC and the Walmart Foundation, and it has been agreed that a no cost extension will

be requested and granted late in project Year 1 to determine the final end date of the project.

This report constitutes the project’s first annual report, which as per the grant agreement must be

submitted by 1 February of each year; however, as the project only began in November 2016, the

effective reporting period for this first annual report is November 2016 – January 2017.

Drawing upon the lessons learned from implementation of the IFDC-Walmart Foundation

partnership between 2013 and 2015 (the Walmart Foundation Component of the United States

Agency for International Development [USAID]-funded Accelerating Agriculture Productivity

Improvement [AAPI] project), and opportunities for further progress, the Walmart Foundation

and IFDC have designed the AVPI project to address poverty and food insecurity by

empowering low-income women horticulture farmers with enhanced agricultural production

technologies and improved market knowledge. While consolidating and expanding the results of

the 2013-5 Walmart Foundation-IFDC partnership in terms of the use of fertilizer deep

placement (FDP) in horticultural production in the broader context of good agricultural practices

(GAP), the project also enhances marketing knowledge and introduces a second innovative

production technology to farmers (polynet houses with trickle irrigation for seedling production).

The project will benefit an estimated 52,000 women farmers and their household members. Care

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will be taken to ensure local ownership so that project activities are seen as spurring local

technology adoption and improved practices that will ultimately be sustained by local actors.

The AVPI project partners with private sector input dealers/ retailers and women horticulture

farmers to consolidate, deepen and expand the results of the 2013-15 partnership between the

Walmart Foundation and IFDC. The project also collaborates with the Government of

Bangladesh (GOB)’s Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), although no Walmart

Foundation funds will flow to any public sector entity.

Project Goal and Objective

The Goal of the AVPI is to enhance rural women's empowerment, and the food security status of

their families, by increasing their capacity to produce and market horticultural crops.

Achieving this goal will result from carrying out a set of integrated activities to develop the

demand and supply sides of technology provision and use through technology transfer and training,

but not through the subsidized distribution of inputs or assets. The project emphasizes the

provision of expertise, the creation of demand and willingness to pay, and the facilitation of a more

robust supply chain, using a market development and knowledge transfer approach that

discourages heavy project subsidies or inputs. Furthermore, rather than placing the highest priority

on the number of farmers adopting new technologies, the project seeks both to increase the number

of farmers adopting technologies and to increase the size of farmland covered by these

technologies so as to achieve a greater income and empowerment dividend.

The objectives of AVPI are to:

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1. Consolidate and enhance the benefits of the 2013-15 IFDC-Walmart Foundation

intervention by expanding the use of fertilizer deep placement (FDP)1 and related good

agricultural practices.

2. Introduce and pilot a second improved vegetable production technology – the use of

polynet houses with trickle irrigation – with participating women vegetable farmers.

3. Improve the market knowledge of, and market information access for, women vegetable

farmers.

Project Location

The project targets 24 upazilas (sub-districts) growing horticultural crops in 10 districts of

southwestern Bangladesh and the southern coastal belt. Within these sub-districts, AVPI targets

47 village clusters containing a total of 239 villages. These target villages were identified under

the 2013-5 Walmart Foundation-IFDC partnership. AVPI target geographies are presented in

Figure 1.

Project Start - Up

IFDC’s established presence and relationships in Bangladesh, and ongoing FDP activities

elsewhere, allowed for a fast start-up. A total of 18 staff members were appointed for AVPI.

Policies and regulations to ensure the efficiency of operations, the quality of activities, and

compliance with donor and legal requirements were completed. For example, during the

project’s first three months: (a) staffing was completed for all planned administrative, technical

and field positions; (b) all field staff were posted to their duty stations; (c) offices were

established/ furnished/ equipped; (d) financial and operational policies were documented; (e)

bank accounts were opened; (f) arrangements for local travel and transportation were made; and,

1 FDP and urea deep placement (UDP) refer to the same basic technology. FDP involves point placement of a large

fertilizer pellet (up to 3.4 grams by weight) near the root zone of the plant. This reduces fertilizer nitrogen losses,

increases crop uptake efficiency of the fertilizer, and is an environmentally friendly technology.

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(g) Government of Bangladesh counterparts were consulted, with a particular emphasis on the

DAE.

Figure 1. AVPI Districts

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Reporting

The project prepares weekly reports (for internal purposes) as well as monthly and annual reports

for the Walmart Foundation.

Table 1. List of Donor Reports through January 2017

Item Target Actual

Monthly Progress Reports with Highlights 2 2

Annual Report 1 1

Activities

Project activities were initiated in all districts during the reporting period. Project activities are

reported in Table 2, below, against those listed in Table 2 of the Year 1 Annual Work Plan

prepared for internal project planning purposes. Progress under each activity area is described in

greater detail below.

Table 2. Activities Conducted through January 2017

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Activities Unit

AVPI Progress

Through January 2017

Remarks

Target Actual %

Objective 1: Fertilizer Deep Placement (FDP)/ Good Agricultural Practices

(GAP)

Training Manuals Number 2 2 100%

Drafting of Demonstration Plot Protocols for

Summer Crops Number 3 3 100%

Farmers Training on GAP and FDP Number N/A 20 Activity

began early

Motivational Meetings with Beneficiaries

Trained under the 2013-5 Walmart Foundation-

IFDC Partnership

Number 20 20 100%

Motivational Workshops and Operational

Training for Agro-Input Retailers/ Briquette

Machine Operators (BMOs)

Number 2 2 100%

Design and develop technical leaflets, flyers,

posters, signboards, flags, promotional bags and

caps

Number 1 1 Nearing

completion

Objective 2: Piloting Polynet Houses With Trickle Irrigation

Conduct Informal Market Studies on Seedling

Markets for Fruits and Vegetables Number

Initiated

during the

reporting

period;

ongoing

Objective 3: Improving Farmer Market Knowledge/ Access To Market

Information

Conduct a Vegetable Market Information Study Number 1 1 Nearing

completion

Conduct a Survey to Understand the Current

Sources of Market Information for Women

Vegetable and Fruit Farmers

Number 1 1

Nearing

completion

Conduct Vegetable Marketing Seminars Number 1 Planning

Underway

Objective 1: Consolidate and enhance the benefits of the 2013-15 IFDC-Walmart

Foundation intervention by expanding the use of fertilizer deep placement (FDP)

and related good agricultural practices (GAP)

Training Manuals: AVPI completed the preparation of two training manuals during the

reporting period. One manual was prepared for farmer training on GAP, including FDP

technologies, for use in training new women farmers on vegetable and fruit crop production. This

manual will be used in training an additional 16,000 women famers in 400 batches throughout

the life of the project. The second manual was prepared for use in a workshop and training

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program for fertilizer briquetting machine owners (BMOs)2. During the life of the project, an

estimated 500 BMOs will be trained in 10 events on: (a) the maintenance of briquetting

machines; and, (b) improving market linkages through developing retailer networks.

Preparation of Demonstration Plot Protocols: During the reporting period, AVPI prepared

protocols for three vegetable crops – bitter gourd, cucumber and taro. These protocols will be

used to establish demonstration plots for the summer 2017 season in the project area.

Farmers Training on FDP and GAP: As per the project’s Year 1 work plan, there was no

target for conducting farmer trainings for summer vegetable and fruit production during the

reporting period. However, because of temperatures rising higher than normal in January 2017,

some farmers have begun planting summer

vegetables early (as of late January 2017),

requiring AVPI to conduct 20 trainings on

summer vegetable and fruit production. A

total of 800 women farmers participated in

these training programs. Details are

provided in Appendix 1 by district and sub-

district. Each training was provided over a

two-day period, with half-day training

programs on each day, which makes it

easier for women farmers to attend the trainings and still meet other obligations. Day 1 focused

on the theoretical aspects of vegetable and fruit production, while Day 2 focused on practical

demonstrations of FDP and GAP application. Training topics included: (1) human nutrition from

vegetables and fruits; (2) soil fertility, balanced fertilizer use, and the benefits of FDP

technology; (3) fertilizer briquette rates and application methods for selected vegetable and fruit

crops; (4) integrated pest management (IPM) for selected fruit and vegetable crops; (5) land

preparation, plant spacing and planting/ harvesting times for selected fruit and vegetable crops;

(6) quality seed selection and use for selected fruit and vegetable crops; (7) gender issues as they

2 BMOs briquette granular and prilled fertilizers into the “super-granules” required to deep-place fertilizer.

AVPI Farmer training program at Azampur,

Moheshpur, Jhenaidah.

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relate to the marketing of vegetables and fruits; (8) practical demonstration on FDP application

in selected vegetables and fruits; and, (9) trainee feedback/ question & answer.

Motivational Meeting with Trained

Beneficiaries: Twenty motivational meetings

were organized with the beneficiaries who were

trained under the 2013-15 Walmart-IFDC

partnership. A total of 1,000 women vegetable

and fruit farmers participated in these meetings.

The purpose of these meeting was to motivate

previously trained beneficiaries to expand GAP

and FDP practices on an increasing percentage of

their farms. Details of these motivational meetings

by district and sub-district are provided in Appendix 2.

Motivational Workshop and Operational Training of BMOs: Two motivational workshops

and operational trainings of BMOs were

organized during the reporting period. A total of

96 participants (BMOs-43, agro-input retailers-9,

women farmers-15, sub-assistant agriculture

officers from the DAE [SAA0]-25 and officials

from Deputy Director (DD)’s office of the DAE-

4) participated in these events. Topics included:

(1) quality fertilizer briquette production and

retailer networking; (2) maintenance of

briquetting machines and linkages with local mechanics for machine maintenance; (3) benefits of

the fertilizer briquette business; and (4) group exercises, team presentations and feedback.

Details of participants by district and sub-district are provided in Appendix 3.

Motivational workshop and operational training

of BMOs at Jessore Sadar, Jessore.

AVPI-FMO conducting a motivational meeting

with trained beneficiaries at Adamkathi,

Nesarabad, Pirojpur.

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Objective 2: Introduce and pilot a second improved vegetable production

technology – the use of polynet houses with trickle irrigation – with participating

women vegetable farmers.

Vegetable and Fruit Seedling Market Information Survey: AVPI field staff (field monitoring

officers [FMOs] and field coordinators [FCs]) are in the process of interviewing a random

sample of beneficiaries from the 2013-5 Walmart Foundation-IFDC partnership regarding

vegetable and fruit seedling markets. The results of this survey will be used to inform Objective

2 activities, since polynet houses with trickle irrigation are best used for seedling production.

Over the course of this survey, 1,160 farmers - 5 from each village - will be interviewed. During

the reporting period, 1,070 farmers were interviewed.

Objective 3: Improve the market knowledge of, and market information access for,

women vegetable farmers.

Vegetable and Fruit Market Information Study: During the reporting period, AVPI selected

and contracted a consultant with adequate knowledge of local and regional vegetable and fruit

markets to conduct a vegetable and fruit market information study. The primary objective of the

study is to understand current market requirements and preferences as these compare to the

current practices of fruit and vegetable farmers. A secondary objective of the study is to

understand and list current sources of market information. The results of the study will be used to

draft a marketing module to be used in farmer training offered by the project. This study began

during the reporting period, and will be competed in February 2017.

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Survey of Women Vegetable Farmers to

Ascertain Knowledge and Information Gaps:

AVPI field staff are also in the process of

interviewing the same sample beneficiaries as

indicated above regarding their knowledge of, and

access to information about, horticultural marketing

practices and requirements. As of January 31, 2017,

a total of 1,055 women farmers from 211 villages

have been interviewed. This survey will be

completed by the end of February 2017.

Conduct Vegetable Marketing Seminars: This activity will be undertaken after the Vegetable

and Fruit Market Information study is completed by the external consultant.

Other Information

Trained Farmer Follow-Up: Staff are visiting previous farmer trainees to assess the degree to

which beneficiaries of the 2013-5 Walmart Foundation-IFDC partnership have continued the use

of GAP and FDP technologies/ practices promoted under the first project. These visits are also

assessing the average farm area on which these practices are being applied and determining

whether this area has increased or decreased since 2015. As of January 2017, a total of 2,022

trained women farmers have been interviewed. These interviews will continue through April

2017.

Village Monitoring Survey: AVPI will conduct a village monitoring survey each season to

obtain results for three major project indicators: 1) area under improved technologies; 2) number

of farmers applying new technologies; and, 3) savings of urea. AVPI staff will start collecting

this data once the transplantation of seedlings and fertilizer application has been completed for

the summer 2017 season. During the reporting period, the questionnaire to be used for this

village monitoring survey was finalized.

AVPI-FMO interviewing farmers on market

information knowledge at Ratanpur, Bhola

Sadar, Bhola.

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Promotional Materials and Visibility: An AVPI project profile, a leaflet for distribution at

farmer trainings, and a booklet on GAP for 20 vegetables and fruits have been prepared for

distribution to different stakeholders. The project profile has been added to the IFDC website

https://ifdc.org/apvi/.

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Appendix 1. Number Farmer Trainings by Sub-District through January

2017

District Upazila (Sub-

District)

Events Participants

Bhola Char Fasson 1 40

Sub-Total: 1 40

Chuadanga Chuadanga Sadar 5 200

Damurhuda 2 80

Sub-Total: 7 280

Jessore Jessore Sadar 2 80

Jhikargachha 1 40

Sub-Total: 3 120

Jhenaidah Maheshpur 2 80

Sub-Total: 2 80

Meherpur Gangni 1 40

Meherpur Sadar 3 120

Mujibnagar 1 40

Sub-Total: 5 200

Rajbari Baliakandi 1 40

Rajbari Sadar 1 40

Sub-Total: 2 80

Total: 20 800

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Appendix 2. Number of Motivational Meetings with Previously Trained

Farmers by Sub-District through January 2017

District Sub-District Events Participants

Chuadanga Chuadanga Sadar 4 185

Damurhuda 2 100

Sub-Total: 6 285

Jessore Jessore Sadar 4 215

Sub-Total: 4 215

Jhenaidah Maheshpur 2 100

Sub-Total: 2 100

Khulna Dumuria 1 50

Sub-Total: 1 50

Meherpur Gangni 1 50

Meherpur Sadar 3 150

Sub-Total: 4 200

Pirojpur Nesarabad 1 50

Sub-Total: 1 50

Rajbari Baliakandi 1 50

Rajbari Sadar 1 50

Sub-Total: 2 100

Total: 20 1,000

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Appendix 3. Number of Motivational Workshops and Operational Trainings of

BMOs by Sub-District through January 2017

District

Sub-District

Event

s

Participants

Women Men Total

Chuadanga Chuadanga Sadar 1 17 32 49

Sub-Total: 1 17 32 49

Jessore Jessore Sadar 1 13 34 47

Sub-Total: 1 13 34 47

Total: 2 30 66 96