Messages from the Ganges Basin Development Challenge

Messages from the Ganges Basin Development Challenge (GBDC)

Unlocking the Produc>on Poten>al of the Polders of the Coastal Zone of

Bangladesh through Water Management Investment and Reform

GBDC Community

•  Based on findings of all the Gs + discussions, consulta>ons.

About the messages

•  Aims – Reconfirm, re-‐emphasize the poten>als of the coastal zone

– Offer new points of views about the polders – Advocate for the changes in resource use, resource management policies, ins>tu>onal coordina>on and governance mechanism

•  Products of the GBDC community as a whole

Polder-‐3 Satkhira

HIGHLY SALINE

Polder-‐30 Khulna

MODERATELY SALINE

Focal study areas in Bangladesh for cropping systems & HH survey Polder-‐43/2F Patuakhali

VERY SLIGHTLY SALINE

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•  Message 1: Water resources: rich but under-‐uLlized •  Message 2: Huge producLon potenLals •  Message 3: New paradigm for water management infrastructure investment

•  Message 4: Three Ler strategy for infrastructure maintenance

•  Message 5:Transparent and accountable IWRM governance

•  Message 6: Enhance transboundary co-‐operaLon to cope with sea level rise

•  Message 7: Invest in spaLal data infrastructure and modern tools in planning, policy analysis, technology targeLng

Content

•  Percep&on: Water resources in the coastal zone are a constraint to agricultural produc&on. Therefore, underused

Message 1. Water resources in the coastal zone are rich, but under uLlized.

•  Reality: They are rich and have huge poten&al to support agricultural and aquacultural produc&on

Rabi (Boro) Kharif-‐2 (T. Aman) Kharif-‐1 (Aus)

2 PPT

Salinity and Available flow in Payra River

Low salinity Zone (Barisal) : there is fresh water for irriga>on year round – now and near future

Rabi (Boro) Kharif-‐2(T. Aman)

2 PPT

Salinity and Available flow in Kazibacha River

Medium salinity zone: enough fresh water for dry season irrigaLon for part of the area

Storage water can irrigate 25% of area during February -‐ April

2 PPT

Rabi (Shrimp) Kharif-‐2 (T. Aman) Kharif-‐1(Shrimp)

Salinity in Ichamo> River

High salinity zone: brackish water supports high-‐income aquaculture. It is a resource, not a constraint

Advances in development of new rice, upland crop varie&es and aquaculture species

high rice/upland crop yields in areas/seasons not previously possible

Message 2: There is huge potenLal for greatly increasing producLvity through cropping system

intensificaLon and diversificaLon

Tremendous opportunity for cropping system intensifica&on & diversifica&on across all salinity regimes of the coastal zone

More profitable, less risky aquaculture systems

Advances in cropping system research, crop, fish, water mgt

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

Mungbean (0.5-‐1.0 t/ha)

TradiLonal/HYV Rice (2-‐4 t/ha)

ExisLng cropping paaern: LOW SALINE area


Aus Rice (2-‐4 t/ha)

Aus Rice

Rice: 4-‐8 t/ha/yr Mungbean: <1 t/ha

Boro (140-‐145 d) 15 Apr 10 Aug

25 Jul 25 Nov

15 Nov 15 Apr

T. Aman (130-‐140 d) Aus (100-‐105 d)

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

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Cropping system intensificaLon for low salinity areas 1. Aus-‐aman-‐boro (16-‐18 t/ha)

HYV Short dura>on Salt tolerant

HYV Medium dura>on Submergence tolerant Water stagna>on tolerant

HYV Medium dura>on “Early” sowing

Successfully implemented on-‐farm for 3 years, 9th crop – polder 43/2F

15 Apr

10 Aug

25 July

25 Nov 30 Apr Rabi (130-‐140 d)

15 Dec T. Aman (130-‐140 d)

Aus (100-‐105 d)

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

Cropping system intensificaLon for low salinity areas 2. Aus-‐aman-‐rabi (~10 t/ha rice + 8 t/ha maize OR 3 t/ha sunflower etc)

HYV Short dura>on Salt tolerant


HYV Maize Sunflower, Water melon Chilli etc.

Successfully implemented on-‐farm for 3 years – 9th crop – polder 43/2F

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

Sesame/Mungbean (0.5-‐1.0 t/ha)


TradiLonal Rice (2-‐3 t/ha)

ExisLng cropping paaern: MEDIUM SALINE area

Rice: 2-‐4 t/ha Rabi: <1 t/ha

Boro (140-‐145 d) 01 July

15 Nov

10 Nov 10 Apr T. Aman (130-‐140 d)

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

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Cropping system intensificaLon for medium salinity/water short areas 1. Aman-‐boro (~9 t/ha)


HYV “Early” sowing Shorter duraLon Salinity tolerant

Successfully implemented on-‐farm, 5 years 10th crop – polder 30

01 July 15 Nov

30Mar Rabi (110-‐140 d)

15 Dec T. Aman (130-‐140 d)

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

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Cropping system intensificaLon for medium salinity areas 2. Aman-‐rabi (~5 t/ha rice + 7 t/ha maize, 2-‐3 t/ha sunflower etc)


Maize Sesame Sunflower

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


Aquaculture (250-‐300 kg/ha)

Aquaculture (250-‐300 kg/ha shrimp + 1.0-‐1.5 t/ha fish)

ExisLng cropping paaern: HIGH SALINE area

Shrimp: 250-‐300 kg/ha Rice: 2-‐4 t/ha Fish: 1.0-‐1.5 t/ha

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

Gher preparation Rice nursery

Shrimp+Fish

Rice+Fish+Prawn

Cropping system intensificaLon for high salinity areas Shrimp+fish – Rice+fish

HYV Salt tolerant Water stagna>on tolerant Submergence tolerant 3 in 1

Virus free shrimp seed Filtered water Feeding Water depth >0.5 m Trench (deep water refuge around perimeter

Drainage/ leaching

ProducLon (kg/ha) Shrimp 300-‐500 Fish 2,000-‐3,000

Outputs Target area for extrapolation domains

Highly saline - Polder 3 Rice/shrimp & Aquaculture

Moderately saline - Polder 30 – Usually one crop per

year

Very slightly saline - Polder 43/2f

Up to two crops per year

We’ve tested innovaLve cropping systems for slightly, moderately and highly saline areas in three polders.

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Where else can these highly producLve cropping systems be successful? Where are the best bets for increasing producLvity? How many people, how much area?

Results Improved systems…

Not Suitable Not Suitable Marginally suitable Suitable Most suitable

Over 500,000 ha is suitable for Aman HYV –Boro HYV in Barisal Division alone, yielding up to 9 t/ha. This is an area which is currently

dominated by a single crop per season.

Aman HYV – Boro HYV suitability map for polders in Barisal division

ExtrapolaLon Domains : Aus (HYV)-‐Aman (HYV)-‐Rabi cropping system

Not Suitable Marginal Suitable

Over 500,000 ha is suitable for Aus HYV -‐ Aman HYV -‐ Rabi in Barisal Division alone, yielding up to

10 t/ha rice plus 9 t/ha maize OR 3 t/ha sunflower

Aus HYV – Aman HYV -‐ Rabi suitability map for polders in Barisal division

Not Suitable Marginally suitable Suitable Most suitable

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Huge potential

How to unlock??

•  Polders: High posi>ve impact •  Design based on 1960s concept, to support a single crop of tradi>onal aman rice -‐ tall, late maturing, low yielding.

•  It did not take into account, prevents taking advantage of, the advances of new varie>es, cropping intensifica>on

Message 3: Invest in water management infrastructure with (a) fundamental changes the roles of the polders

•  The roles of the polders must change and include “enabling cropping intensified and diversified produc&on systems”

Message 3: Invest in water management infrastructure with (a) fundamental changes in thinking about the polders

and their roles

•  Polder must be able to •  Intake fresh river water for irriga>on •  Store fresh water when surrounding river water becomes saline

•  Drain strategically (message 3b) •  Control/Intake of brackish water •  Convey water to/from the fields


and their roles (Cont.)

•  Redefine polders. Polder is NOT simply the embankment and peripheral sluices. It is an integrated water management unit, with due aGen&on given to infrastructure within the polder

•  Repair, rehabilitate?

•  Polder must be able to •  Intake fresh river water for irriga>on •  Store fresh water when surrounding river water becomes saline

•  Drain strategically (message 3b) •  Control/Intake of brackish water •  Convey water to/from the fields


and their roles (Cont.)

•  Redefine polders. Polder is NOT simply the embankment and peripheral sluices. It is an integrated water management unit, with due aGen&on given to infrastructure within the polder

•  Repair, rehabilitate renovate

Message 3: Invest in water management infrastructure (conLnued)

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(b) Improve drainage as the key intervenLon and the entry point for cropping intensificaLon and

diversificaLon

(c) Create sub-‐hydrological units within the polders

Message 4: Invest in infrastructures maintenance, the Achilles heel of the coastal zone…

•  Poor condiLon of gates, khals and some embankments due to poor maintenance

•  Water Management OrganizaLons were created for solving ‘deferred maintenance’

Why communiLes don’t maintain?

•  Finance problems •  Incen>ve problems

•  Public goods dilemma •  If communi>es don’t fix it in >me, government or donor will in a few years

BUT

New project, infrastructure rehabilitaLon

Neglect, deterioraLon

Deferred maintenance

Message 4 : … but deferred maintenance can be solved through a three Ler strategy.

a. COMMUNITY LEVEL: increasing ownership and contribu&ons

b. LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL: Effec*ve use of LGI’s social safety-‐nets funds in maintenance of infrastructure

C. GOVERNMENT AND DONOR LEVEL: Trust Fund for maintenance

Message 5: A transparent and accountable water governance framework is needed for the polders.

a. Formalize and enhance the role of LGI in water governance

b. Follow an integrated water resource management framework

Transboundary Flow Message 6: : Enhance transboundary co-‐operaLon to cope with CC & sea level rise

May2012, Base condiLon with maximum Transboundary flow under Ganges Treaty

Effect of Transboundary Flow :South-‐west Zone of Bangladesh

May2012, Base condiLon with minimum Transboundary flow under Ganges Treaty

Effect of Transboundary Flow :South-‐west Zone of Bangladesh

May, 2030 climate change (A1B) with minimum Transboundary flow under Ganges Treaty

Effect of Climate Change and Transboundary Flow: South-‐west Zone of BD

Message 7. Invest in spaLal data infrastructure and modern tools in planning, policy analysis, technology

targeLng and consensus building.

7a. Models and databases must be able to integrate socioeconomic and biophysical data and have access to mulLdisciplinary, mulL-‐insLtuLonal datasets.

-‐  Many datasets in Bangladesh have been generated by projects. What happens to those data when the project stops?

7b. A SpaLal Data Infrastructure (SDI) should be in place.

-‐ Encourages BGD ins>tutes to openly share GIS data. -‐ Include a sustainable and transparent data sharing mechanism, based on mutual trust and understanding. -‐ Greatly enhance the ability of all concerned to respond to policy makers needs.

Message 7. Invest in spaLal data infastructures and modern tools in planning, policy analysis, technology

targeLng and consensus building.

The adopLon of improved species/varieLes, and cropping system intensificaLon and diversificaLon across the coastal zone offers the potenLal for Bangladesh to make a quantum leap in meeLng future food security requirements.

Take home message

Unlocking the potenLal requires effecLve investment in water management, but with •  fundamental changes in thinking-‐about the roles of the polders and their water management infrastructure,

•  and major reforms in insLtuLonal coordinaLon and water governance mechanisms.

Take Home Message

Thank you

Government & Nonprofit

Messages from the Ganges Basin Development Challenge