Locally intensive farming enterprise ( LIFE )
AAS has worked as a partner NGO (PNGO) to implement the LIFE project of CARE -Bangladesh funded by the European commission (EC) during 1999-2000. The LIFE project has implemented with about 2000 resource poor farm families (RPFFs) at 24 Villages in Sadar upazila of Kishoregonj and Nandail upazila of Mymensingh districts.
Performance of rice hybrids
Four rice hybrids-Aalok, Sonarbangla 1, Loknath 503 and Amarsiri-1 were permitted by GOB for commercial cultivation during 1998-99 Boro season based on the recommendation by the National Seed Board (NSB). Accordingly, Commercial Seed Companies-Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI), Ganges Development Corporation, Mallika Seed Company and McDonald Bangladesh Private Ltd-were permitted to important 2,200 metric tons of 4 rice hybrids seed from India (Aalok, Loknath 503 and Amarsiri 1) and China (Sonarbangla 1). Meanwhile, there were a lot of reports published in the daily newspapers in favour of or against each of large scale import of such hybrid rice seed without adequately verifying their adaptability under Bangladesh conditions.
Four rice hybrids (Sonarbangla 1, Amarsiri 1, Aalok and Loknath 503) along with BRRI Dhan 29 as check were assessed during 1998-99 Boro season with 50 farmers (33 farmers were reported) in 10 districts (Jessore, Faridpur, Narail, Norsingdi, Kishoregonj, Bogra, Gaibandha, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Jamalpur). Such assessment was conducted through field trial by Agricultural Advisory Society (AAS), as a third neutral party, under the guidance of Dr. A.J.M. Azizul Islam (Ex. DG, BRRI) and Dr. A.N.M Rezaul Karim (Ex. Director of Research, BRRI); under the supervision of Mr. Harun-Ar-Rashid, (Executive Director, AAS) with the objective to continuous assessment of rice hybrids available from commercial seed companies at the farmers' field at various locations of Bangladesh and feed back to the respective companies about the merits and demerits of their rice hybrids. Thus, in cooperation with the four involved seed companies, Agricultural Advisory Society (AAS) as a third neutral party assessed the performance of the four permitted rice hybrids during the 1998-99 Boro season in 10 districts. The average grain yield, yield contributing characters, field duration, important ancillary characters and physic-chemical grain properties are collected, analysised and presented in the report. Overall, Sonarbangla 1, a Chinese rice hybrid performed better than the 3 Indian hybrids (Aalok, Amarsiri 1, and Loknath 503) and BRRI dhan 29, a local Inbred HYV. The study's findings were influential among private seed companies and NGOs. Subsequently, other private seed companies and BRAC, the largest NGO in Bangladesh , decided to important rice hybrids seed from China . Thus, the planted area of rice hybrids in 2007-8 is about 1 million hectares, mostly under Boro season in the country. Accordingly, such initiative was the foundation effort for introduction of rice hybrids in general and Chinese rice hybrids in particular in Bangladesh .
Rice yield maximization
The purpose of the farmer's participatory yield maximization of rice was to demonstrate, how resource poor farmers could maximize rice production with higher income from their small plots. Rice yield maximization trial was conducted with 560 resource poor farmers in seven districts of AAS working Northeast, Northwest and Southwest regions of the country in collaboration with three private seed companies, PNGOs and CBOs. Three tested high yielding rice hybrid cultivars (Sonarbangla-1, Hira and Aftab LP50) were used in participatory rice yield maximization trial during 2003-4 Boro seasons. The overall performance of rice hybrids was found tremendous and very much encouraging for the approach to replicate all over the country with all categories of farmers including resource poor farmers. The rice yield maximization trial was conducted by PETRRA/AAS staff using AAS own fund for implementation of the trial.
Field trial on short duration rice cultivars
Farmer's participatory field trial on three Nepalese short duration rice cultivars (Pant dhan 10, Judi 582 and PNR 381) was conducted during 2004-05 Boro seasons with 5 partner NGOs (PNGOs) in Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Jhenaidah, Sirajganj and Natore districts. This field trial on short duration rice cultivars was undertaken in collaboration with the centre for Arid Zone Studies-Natural Resources (CAZS-NR), University of Wales, Bangor, UK under a project on "Improvement of Rainfed Cropping Systems in the high Barind tract of Bangladesh", funded by DFID, UK. Three Nepalese short duration rice cultivars were tested against BRRI dhan 28 and Aftab LP 50 (F 1 ) at 6 communities in Northeast, Northwest and Southwest regions.
The paddy yield of three short duration rice cultivars failed to produce higher yield than BRRI dhan28. Growth duration of the three cultivars was found little higher than BRRI dhan28. Aftab LP 50 (F 1 ) produced significant higher yield than four short duration rice cultivars including BRRI dhan28 with very little higher duration.
Plant health services initiative
AAS implemented a survey under a project on plant health services initiative (PHSi) with financial support and technical guidance from CABI Bioscience UK , in 30 villages of Natore, Norsingdi and Moulvibazar districts during 2004-05. The project developed an effective plant health management system for providing a better flow of information about diseases and pests to the scientists, researchers and extensionists in the country. In this regards, the project prepared 5 reports, of which 3 seasonal reports, 1 summary report and local knowledge of plant health in Bangladesh by the end of the project cycle.
Plant clinic operation
Plant health clinic is a new approach for providing effective plant health services on plant health problems to the rural farmers. The approach has been introduced for the farmers in Baraigram upazila of Natore district by AAS with assistance from CABI , UK since 1 September 2005 . In view of the objectives of Global Plant Clinic ( GPC ), AAS has established a network of model plant health management permanent clinic to ensure better plant health management services to the farmers in Natore district, so that they can enhance their crop production, reduce cost of crop production by avoiding the frequent use of chemicals, increase their income and remove the risk of crop failure due to the pest and disease infestation and finally, they save the environment from pollution. Besides operation of permanent plant clinic, piloting has been undertaken on three extension methods such as mobile plant clinic (Open), mobile plant clinic (Fixed) and going public to ensure better plant health management services to the farmers in Natore districts and to some extend surrounding districts of Natore. Assigned plant doctor (Pathologist/Entomologist) is solely responsible in collaboration with community plant doctors from 15 agricultural extension service providers ( AESP s) in operation of permanent plant clinic in Natore district and piloting the extension methods for better plant health management services in Baraigram upazila of Natore district and its surrounding districts. AAS developed a plant health services model with 3 approaches and prepared few hundred fact sheets on plant health management for more than 30 crops. Based on the expected success, AAS later intends to scale-up the most effective method(s) in other parts of the country.
AAS-PETRRA Project Activities:
AAS implemented 13 PETRRA (a DIFD funded project of IRRI-BRRI) funded sub-projects/activities with more than 25,000 resource poor farmers (RPFs) through more than 750 resource poor farmer groups (RPFGs) of 74 partner organizations (POs) and 60 CBOs in 22 districts of Bangladesh. Findings of the PETRRA funded sub-projects are available for dissemination among the targeted farm families with the leadership of the skilled group coordinators of the trained partner organizations (NGOs/CBOs) under the supervision of AAS as a technical apex organization. The AAS-PE TRRA project activities and their brief achievements are as follows:
Strengthening FARMSEED extension method: The sub-project has been implemented in 246 villages of Kishoreganj, Habiganj and Moulvibazar districts with around 331 groups including 84 female groups in collaboration with 31 partner organizations (NGOs/CBOs). More than 2,000 resource poor farmers from 161 villages have been trained and enlisted as "Truthfully labeled seed producers" by the FARMSEED network. As a result, the overall rate of FARMSEED exchange in the sub-project area has steadily increased from about 4.5% in the year 2000 to more than 35% in 2004. AAS has been implementing the FARMSEED strategy in Natore, Pabna and Sirajganj districts, in about 80 communities; with it own resources since 2003 T. Aman season. Nevertheless, based on this great achievement and the initial responses of the resource poor farmers, AAS accepts FARMSEED as the preferred standard extension method and is strongly committed to scaling-up the method to a national wide level. AAS has also taken initiative of producing foundation rice seed since last 2002-2003 Boro season. AAS has been taken initiative to test FARMSEED strategy for other crops' seed production such as wheat, Onion, Potato and Mug bean with its own resources.
Participatory integrated plant nutrient management: Participatory integrated plant nutrient management for intensive rice-based cropping sub-project funded by PETRRA was executed in Habiganj and Moulvibazar districts during December 2001 to June 2004. The purpose of the sub-project was to encapsulate farmers' indigenous knowledge of soil fertility evaluation and making them to prepare village level soil fertility maps, prescribe integrated plant nutrient management (IPNM) packages for their specific field and increase rice productivity. During the two and half year tenure, the project reached at 215 villages, formed 429 groups (215 males and 214 females) with 6837 members, trained 8907 farmers (13% women), developed 213 PIPNM packages and prepared 216 soil fertility maps by the 216 skilled farmers extension agents (FEAs) in Habiganj and Moulvibazar districts. Based on the soil fertility maps and research results of the field experiments, a nutrient management packages for grades of soil of the entire village were prepared that was term as participatory integrated nutrient management packages (PIPNM). Based on the field trials' results, field specific final IPNM package was developed in village level workshop. Participating farmers in each village workshop thoroughly discussed on FP (farmer's practice) and IPNM (improved practice) doses, yield and accounted the economic outcome and finally prepared IPNM packages for each grade of soil fertility. The FEAs took the main leadership for dissemination of the PIPNM packages. Thus, the PIPNM packages reached to about 14,000 farmers' field by the end of the project cycle in greater Sylhet district. With this, large-scale dissemination of the process is now very much possible where farmers can make their own nutrient packages with minimum laboratory support.
Participatory field trial on the performance of BRRI hybrid dhan1: PETRRA's (a project of IRRI funded by DFID) sub-project on hybrid rice and BRRI decided to undertaken pilot testing on NSB released BRRI hybrid dhan 1 in Rajshahi and Comilla regions during 2001-02 Boro season. The PETRRA's sub-project on hybrid rice and BRRI selected Agricultural Advisory Society (AAS) as the collaborator for pilot testing of BRRI hybrid dhan 1 in Rajshahi region. The purpose of the pilot testing was to evaluate the performance of BRRI hybrid dhan 1 under farmers' field conditions in Rajshahi region. BRRI hybrid dhan 1 was assessed against BRRI dhan 29 as check during 2001-02 Boro season at 15 villages in 15 upazilas of 6 districts (Pabna, Natore Rajshahi, Nogaon, Bogra and Sirajganj) in Rajshahi region with 45 farmers (reported 33 farmers). The average grain yield of BRRI hybrid dhan 1 was about 7.22t per hectare, which is more or less similar to BRRI dhan 29. On the other hand, the maximum grain yield of BRRI hybrid dhan 1 was as much as 9.49t/ha and that of BRRI dhan 29 was 9.30t/ha. Thus, it is indicated that the higher level of yield potentiality for both BRRI hybrid dhan 1 and BRRI dhan 29 during Boro season is existed.
Participatory field trial of rice hybrids: The purpose of the farmer's participatory hybrid rice field trials was to identify location specific adaptable rice hybrid(s) which are suitable for inclusion in a rice yield maximization package for the small plots of the resource poor farmers (RPFs). Six hybrid rice varieties were selected for the field trial. Five imported varieties (Sonarbangla 1, Jagoran 1, Hira, Aftab-LP50 and Richer 101) were selected along with BRRI hybrid dhan1 as check cultivars during 2003-04 Boro season. In order to implement the sub-project funded by PETRRA, 75 villages of 18 upazilas of 10 districts in Northeast, Northwest and Southwest regions of Bangladesh were selected.
Among the 6 rice hybrids tested in three regions, Hira was found to be the highest average grain yield producing variety with 7.94 ton/ha followed in order by Sonarbangla1 (7.88 ton/ha), Aftab LP50 (7.85 ton/ha), Richer101 (7.83 ton/ha), Jagoran1 (7.49 ton/ha) and BRRI hybrid dhan1 (6.97 ton/ha) during 2003-2004 Boro season.
However, during farmers' participatory evaluation workshop in 3 regions, the most accepted rice hybrids was found Sonarbangla1 (about 36%) followed in order by Hira (about 31%), Jagoran1 (about 11%), Richer (about 10%), Aftab LP50 (about 8%) and BRRI hybrid dhan1 (about 4%).
Performance of rice hybrids in Bangladesh : The primary purpose of this study was to assess the actual performance of hybrid rice, particularly the scale of adoption of different varieties and their impacts towards the lives of rural communities in Bangladesh . The study was conducted from middle of April to middle of May 2004 by a small group of experts with diversified experiences in agriculture in Southeast and South Asia.
An important parameter to assess the performance of hybrid varieties was the average yields obtained by farmers as against those of non-hybrid modern varieties. The overall findings of the study in all the twelve sites indicate that the yields of hybrid varieties are tremendously higher than those of other modern varieties. Invariable to sites depending on the management practices and the skills of farmers the increases are noticed from at least 14 mounds to as high as 37 mounds per acre (1.38t/ha-3.66t/ha). Considering this average yield increase, overall production per farm family, subsequent income and enhanced rice provision ability attained by a family and the comparative cost and return analysis between hybrids and non-hybrids, it is very obvious to note that the farmers are gradually shifting from non-hybrids to hybrids .
Hybrids have made significant changes towards the incomes and livings of farmers. With the introduction of hybrids farmer's average incomes have increased remarkably, which range from 1000 taka to as high as 42,065 taka per family based on the total areas of cultivation.
Production and marketing of fine, aromatic and glutinous (FAG) rice: The primary purpose of the sub-project is to improve the production and marketing system of FAG rice in northeast Bangladesh . AAS organized trials and demonstrations with 22 FAG varieties in 2004 T. Aman and 7 varieties in 2003-04 Boro. Among the 11 fine and aromatic rice, the performance of 4 varieties were found to be good of which BRRI dhan 34 was found to be very promising particularly for Sylhet region. In the case of the Beruin cultivars, which are very sticky and somewhat glutinous, more or less similar performances were observed. The project selected nine Beruin cultivars, through are suitable for commercial cultivation in Northeast region of the country. The project developed quality seed production system for FAG rice production and marketing through group approach in greater Sylhet district. FAG rice production, nevertheless could be suitable for resource poor farmers, as it is highly profitable on cash-cost basis than full-cost basis.
Women-led group extension method: Women do most of the post harvest work including drying and storage particularly in rice. The project introduced innovative women-led extension methods to disseminate drying tables and storage technique to resource poor female farmers (RPFFs). Accordingly, since its inception in November 02, the project has formed and developed the leaderships of 26 women-led groups, 10 in Kishorganj and 16 in Habiganj districts, with around 570 RPFFs of 10 partner NGOs (PNGOs). Using the locally available materials the groups have designed a low cost drying table, and have validated the use of AAS developed plastic drum with naphthalene for rice seed storage. Both the technologies are now being widely used by members and non-members female farmers of the communities, and the method has been seen making good contribution in disseminating the rice technologies.
Skilled family members extension approach: The "Whole Family" sub-project was particularly aimed to introduce and organize a whole family extension approach as compared with half family (husband & wife), husband alone or wife alone approach on the dissemination of improved rice technologies among the RPFs. The particular purpose of the project, however, is innovative skilled family member(s) extension approach for rice knowledge dissemination among the resource poor farmers of Bangladesh .
To assess the effectiveness of the four tested methods, the project conducted an independent evaluation. The evaluations were made based on some key parameters such as knowledge and understanding levels of the participants, their uses of technologies, management of the field, decision making and problem solving ability, and finally based on the increases of rice yields and rice provision ability by each categories of the farmers. According to all the tests the half family member group ranked first, while the whole family group ranked second. The husband alone and wife alone group stood third and fourth respectively.
Extension of the system of rice intensification ( SRI ): A new approach of growing rice, globally known as SRI, has drawn much attention for its tremendous potentials of yield increase. Thousands of farmers all across the world have been involved in evaluating the practices in their farms. The introduction of the system of rice intensification (SRI) through this sub-project is to evaluate the opportunities of yield maximization in northeast region of Bangladesh in collaboration with BRRI regional station, Comilla during 2003 & 2004 Boro seasons. The project accordingly organized a number of trials in Habiganj and Moulvibazar districts. The results in terms of yields, field duration and yield components with the selected set of methodologies, however, noted that the system, at this stage, compare to farmer's practices as well as the improved management practices recommended by BRRI is not performing well.
Arsenic in ground water and food chain: Ground water is the most important source of water supply for drinking and irrigation in Bangladesh . But, arsenic contamination in groundwater is one of the most serious natural calamities to befall Bangladesh . Around 80 million people, more than 65 percent of the population in Bangladesh , live in the arsenic contaminated areas. Ground water, which is the main source of contamination, is also a major source of irrigation. There are controversies that the contaminations are made by ground water irrigation as well. The project intends to establish information on the status of arsenic pollution in water-soil-plant in rice based cropping systems and suggest directions for future research. The project has been implemented in Chapai Nawabganj and Rajshahi districts in partnership with BAU and BRRI.
This study was aimed to find out the variation of arsenic content in groundwater according to well depth, age of and distance between wells (HTWs, STWs and DTWs) and distance from rivers in Rajshahi (Charghat and Bagha upazilas) and Chapai Nawabganj (Sadar, Shibganj upazilas) districts using GIS mapping to fix the database and plot the various indicators.
Among the three types of wells, arsenic contamination was found to be the highest with HTWs (27%), followed by STWs (21%) and the least with DTWs (7%). The middle layers (i.e., those between 40-160 feet) reflected the highest levels of arsenic contamination in groundwater. The shallower layers up to 35 feet and the deeper layers below 160 feet below the surface showed uniformly low (safe) levels of arsenic. As for age; the 3 types of tube wells tested were found to have no relationship with arsenic contamination. In case of lateral zoning with a 4 km assigned distance, most of the unsafe wells were within the 1 st zone and gradually decreased with the increase of distance from the rivers.
It was observed that arsenic concentration started to increase with the beginning of dry season and continued up to May/June. Arsenic concentration started to decrease with the beginning of the monsoon and reached at the minimum level after the monsoon. Further research activities from the preliminary findings confirm that arsenic uptake in different crops including rice and vegetables irrigated with arsenic contaminated ground water is well within safe limits of human consumption .
Community based integrated rice-duck farming: BRRI validated rice-duck farming as an "exotic technology" in collaboration with FIVDB, BDS and HEED-Bangladesh with funding support from PETRRA. The sub-project operated during 1 July 2001 to 31 June 2004 in greater Sylhet, Barisal and Khulna districts. The sub-project findings are very positive with several benefits and impacts among the participating resource poor farmers (especially farmers) in the project areas. But the sub-project has a missing element. The missing element is: How to cost-effectively disseminate and popularize this revolutionary technology on a broader scale among the resource poor farmers (RPFs). Thus, AAS proposed a project intends to provide the missing link in the context of a community based, integrated Rice-Duck farming extension programme. Mac-Bangladesh in collaboration with AAS conducted farmer's participatory validation on a prospective "community based extension approach" in Srimangal upazila of Moulvibazar district during 2003 T. Aman season. The farmer's participatory, early-validation on "Community Based Extension Approach" findings are, so far, very encouraging. Accordingly, AAS/Mac-Bangladesh conducted pilot test the rice-duck concept as a "Community Based Extension Approach" among resource poor farm families in Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts during 2004 T. Aus season (rainfed) with eight partner organizations (NGOs/CBOs). The overall performance of community based extension approach for dissemination of integrated rice-duck farming among the resource poor farmers was found very encouraging. So integrated rice-duck farming can be disseminated through community based extension approach in northeast Bangladesh .
Use of leaf color chart (LCC): On the basis of BRRI/IRRI findings on the practical use of LCC in rice production, AAS has taken an initiative with BRRI/IRRI to scaling-up the LCC technology in its working areas during 2003 T. Aman and 2004 Boro seasons. At the beginning of the initiative, BRRI provided practical training to AAS's staffs and farmers on the use of LCC for urea top-dressing in rice production. For this purpose, AAS distributed about 300 LCC among the trained resource poor farmers during 2004. Post distribution monitoring was conducted on the use of LCC in urea application in rice production plots. Farmers' response was not found encouraging in the project communities in Northeast, Northwest and Southwest regions in all three rice-cropping seasons.
Piloting Bangladesh rice knowledge bank (BRKB): Bangladesh Rice Knowledge Bank (BRKB) was launched in 2004 by IRRI with Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) as leader and RDRS and Agricultural Advisory Society (AAS) as partners for testing its content with relevant stakeholders including farmers and communication feed back from them. BRKB started with materials coming up from PETRRA sub-projects of IRRI/BRRI. The availability of rice knowledge information with audience friendly materials is of utmost importance. Accordingly, the establishment of BRKBs at the regional level is an essential aspect of making BRKB "rice knowledge" available to the widest range of extension service providers and farmers as knowledge source "Hub' . BRKB is an electronic repository/library of rice knowledge. It contains information of rice technology, rice training, extension method, and even related knowledge beyond rice. However, the problem in the agricultural technology transfer/dissemination process is that the highest demand rice knowledge for the maximum farmers has not been fully identified. Accordingly, a systematic effort must be undertake to categorize BRKB knowledge according to the priority interest of its several users.
AAS has established its training and information (TI) center at its zonal office at Srimangal in Moulvibazar district during 2004 with funding support from IRRI/DFID to provide electronic training services to extensionists and their client farmers as northeast Hub .
AAS conducted need assessment survey in order to include farmer's demand-led rice knowledge issues in the BRKB content for the farmers of northeast region. From the survey on specific rice knowledge need assessment for BRKB content in Northeast region of Bangladesh , 15 major rice knowledge issues were found as the major demands for the farmers of this region. Under these 15 major rice knowledge issues, 56 specific rice knowledge issues what are they demanded were selected and categorized as 4 types of demands in Northeast region.
A pilot testing on BRKB content at community was conducted in 37 sessions. The BRKB content, concept and strategy seem to have been highly accepted at both the farmer and secondary stakeholders' levels. Overall, the acceptability of rice knowledge learning through video show was fund to be unique way of knowledge dissemination. Both levels of stakeholders it was concluded that the future training for the farmers would be effective through multimedia presentation including well-designed picture-rich fact sheets, videos with folk songs, drama, documentary, live sample demonstration, open discussion etc on farmer demanded, specific rice knowledge.
Regional communication fair 2004: A two-day long regional communication fair on Agriculture technology was organized in Srimangal under the leadership of Agricultural Advisory Society (AAS). AAS organized the fair on behalf of the Northeast Focal Area Forum in collaboration with other stakeholders in the region, such as DAE, BRRI and BADC
Scientists, investigators and extensionists from BRRI, NGOs and DAE presented relevant research papers in different sessions. Farmers, beneficiaries, officials from Northeastern districts attended the fair and learned lot. Stalls of PETRRA sub-projects displayed communication materials in the form of poster, brochure, booklet, leaflet, video, painting etc for easy understanding of the audience. Through such events PETRRA was interested to communicate information on different innovations to its stakeholders including men and women resource poor farmers, GO-NGO policy makers and extension agents. The 2004 fair successfully brought together stakeholders from the northeast region. Apart from discussions and presentations, sub-project research innovations were presented in the form of Pots songs, Folk songs, Jari Gaan, Puthipath etc by the artists of GO-NGOs and cultural organizations from different districts led by different partner organizations. |
