Livelihood Security in Changing Climate:Insights from Farmers Field Laboratory

Where we Work

Islamic Relief, Bangladesh

"Covering 8 Climate

Vulnerable Districts

of Bangladesh".

Background

Islamic Relief, Bangladesh

The total tamable land was under crop

production before SIDR in 2007, has become

futile with salinity intrusiveness after Cyclone

period. Approximately 1.6 million acres of

cropland destroyed after Cyclone SIDR (Kumar

et al 2010).

Most of the arable land has become displaced

and remained fallow. To get these abject lands

under yielding with cropping intensity, Farmers

Field Laboratory a modern coping strategy has

been adopted.

Objectives & Methodology

Islamic Relief, Bangladesh

Identify the impact of Farmers Field Laboratory on

famers’ instinctive knowledge and local subsisting

agricultural productivity;

Analyze the socio economic impact of FFL

knowledge by contrasting Farmers Field Laboratory

beneficiaries and the non-beneficiary group.

Objectives of Study:

Both Qualitative and Quantitative methods were used,

under which Unstructured Interview, Focus Group

Discussion and Control Group Observation were used

as data collection tools. Moreover all questions had

been pre-tested before collecting data from field

Methodology:

FFL Crop Yields

Islamic Relief, Bangladesh

Name of Crop FFL Yield Expected highest Yield

National Average Yield

Percentage Increased

Pumpkin 30.0 35 20 50%

Mustard 0.95 1.5 0.89 6.74%

Barely 2.5 2.2 1.87 33.69 %

Binadhan-10 4.0 5.5 4.0 0 %

Potato 20.0 25.0 10.0 100%

Sunflower 1.5 1.7 1.0 50 %

Socio-Economic Impacts

Islamic Relief, Bangladesh

About 70 percent beneficiary has taken family farming as their

major occupation after project intervention, wherein 53.4

percent represent females. Even before project period this

activity attained the influential circumstance in an accelerating

way among all occupations, more than 55 percent.

Employment Activity has been accelerated mostly through

cultivation sector, nearly 9.1 percent in comparison to earlier

period, the highest one among other occupational activities as

livestock, trading, shopkeeping so on.

The inclination for agricultural investment is arising up,

around 47.7 percent benefiary amassed fairly 3,001-4,000 BDT

by and large at third year of project

Around 97.5 percent has succeeded to have their daily meal

triply after pulling under UKAM project, which has been

increased on 91.5 percent.

Nearly 49 grams Protein as (Meat, Fish etc) are obtained

by beneficiaries from project area, whereas only 39

grams can be managed by non-beneficiaries in their daily

meal

Lessons Learned

Islamic Relief, Bangladesh

Same lands could be used for ploughing Mustard then

Transplanted Aman Paddy

Optimizing Production efficiency

With high salinity intrusion some traditional crops can’t

adapt here, whereas Barley, Mustard, Wheat and

Sunflower cultivation is constantly adapting to changing

soil condition

Increase land utility and fallow land is under cultivation

with crop diversification

Production procedure is cost effective

Local farmers are not to hassle for selling their products

Lessons Learned

Islamic Relief, Bangladesh

Incorporating FFL within regional culture to be developed

as community based adaptation procedure as well as

sustainable coping strategy.

Local farmers should get training on seed storage, to be

used for subsequent plantation.

Engagements of local level govt. officials with the

disseminating approach to assure climate adaptive crop

diversification along with food security.