This document summarizes BRAC's involvement in research projects in the Ganges River basin. It discusses BRAC's participation in the G2 and G5 projects, including disseminating agriculture and aquaculture technologies. It also describes BRAC's efforts to replicate successful techniques from the projects, such as developing a team of aquaculture experts and implementing a mini-watershed approach in several locations. The document reviews activities completed and limitations encountered in scaling up the approaches.

1. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
WLE Ganges Regional Research Workshop
CPWF Delta Program
05-06 May 2014
Dhaka
Research Progress of BRAC
with Ganges Basin
Development
Challenge
Dr. Md. Sirajul Islam
Program Head
BRAC

2. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
The Ganges
basin is one
of the six
basins
(others are
Mekong,
Limpopo,
Volta, Nile,
and the
Andean
Basins)

3. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
BRAC’s Involvement in G2 Project:
1. Actively participate in the research and development of
productive, profitable and resilient agriculture and
aquaculture systems.
2. Participate in disseminating the agriculture and
aquaculture technologies in the target areas.
3. Organizing Field Days, Crop Cutting Ceremony, visit.

4. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
BRAC’s Involvement in G5 Project: (Key Partner)
 Identification of development actors and stakeholders
who may use project outputs from GBDC.
 Engagement with development Actors in
 Sharing communication materials
 Dissemination of research findings.
 Assisting in organizing local level policy dialogue and
advocacy to the major stakeholders.
 Participation in Ganges BDC team meetings and other
relevant issues for creating development outcomes
/impacts.

5. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Three Divisional Workshops were Arranged During
2012

6. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Workshop on GBDC: Increasing the Resilience of Agriculture
and Aquaculture Systems in the Coastal Zone of the Ganges
Delta (2013 at Khulna).
Major local
level
stakeholders:
DAE
DoF
DoL
LGED
Local
Government

7. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Aquaculture Team Building- A Prime Objective of
BRAC-GBDC Collaboration
BRAC has developed a complete Aquaculture
technical team of 35 development workers which was
a prime objective of the collaboration between BRAC
and World Fish (GBDC and CSISA-BD).

8. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Team Contribution in AFSP
• Linkages develop
between farmers and
fishermen to credit /
financing.
• Value-chain
development
initiatives of AFSP,
BRAC.
 Technical services
 Arranging linkage
events (Field days)
 Technology
demonstration

9. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Training of Farmers (with CSISA-BD Collaboration)
Farmers trained up to March
2014:
• Khulna - 1247
• Barisal - 1146
• Faridpur - 881
• Jessore - 690
• Mymensingh - 700
• Total - 4664
• G5 Area - 2393

10. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Future Activities: (With Extended LoA)
1. Scale out of G2 research findings
2. Final stakeholder workshop
3. Market based awareness campaign
4. Dissemination of communication
materials

11. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Scale-out of GBDC Research Findings
Polder 30 Polder 3
Replicating Mini
Watershed Approach with
Community Level Water
Management
Brackish water
Aquaculture (Risk
Management)
Polder 43/2F
Scale out of Productive,
Profitable and Resilient
Agriculture and Aquaculture
System

12. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Field visit: Sharing Experience on Mini Water-shed
Approach
Experiencing the Mini
Watershed Approach
by BRAC-G5 staff and
beneficiaries for
scaling-out in Polder 30.
Water Shed 2
Village: Par batiaghata
Union: Batiaghata
Upazilla: Batiaghata
Land coverage: 8.80 ha
No of Beneficiaries: 38
Water Shed 1
Village: Mailmara
Union: Batiaghata
Upazilla: Batiaghata
Land coverage: 10.5 ha
No of Beneficiaries: 34

13. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Sluice gate
River
Mini-
watershed
with
Aquaculture
at
Canal
(38.42 acre)
Mini Water-shed at Polder 30 Mailmara, Khulna

14. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
River
Sluice gate
Mini-
watershed
(40.03 acre)
Mini Water-shed at Polder 30 Par Batiaghata, Khulna

15. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Feasibility of G5 Scale-out Activities Visited by WF
and BRAC Officials

16. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Cropping Pattern : Polder 30 : Aman-Rabi; Year
Round Aquaculture
Season Name of the crop
Rabi (Dec - Apr) Sesame Sunflower Maize
Aman
( Jul - Nov)
BR 11/BRRI
dhan52
BRRI dhan41 BRRI dhan49
Year round
(Aquaculture)
Shrimp Prawn – Carp Monosex
Tilapia

17. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
River
Sluice gate
Gher Area
(24.75 acre)
Brackish Water Gher Aquaculture at Polder 3
Kaliganj, Satkhira

18. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Cropping Pattern : Polder 3 (Kaliganj)
Season Name of the crop
Year round
( Aquaculture)
Shrimp
(Jan – May)
Prawn- White Fish
( Carp,Tilapia,
Korsula, Parshe)
(May – December)

19. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
(13.61
acre)
Replication of G2 findings at Polder 43/2F
Bazarkhali, Amtoli, Borguna

20. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Cropping Pattern : Polder 43/2F (Aus-Aman-Rabi)
Season Name of the crop
Rabi
(Dec – Apr)
Sunflower Maize Chili
Aus
(Mar - Jun)
BRRI
dhan42
BRRI
dhan43
BRRI
dhan47
BRRI
dhan48
Hybrid
variety
Aman
(Jul - Dec)
BRRI
dhan33
BRRI
dhan52
BRRI
dhan53
BRRI
dhan54
Bina
dhan7

21. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Flow Chart of Methodology
G2 Research Findings
Conceptualization and Understanding
G2 Findings
Objectives Setup for Mini-watershed
Primary Project Area Selection
Data CollectionPrimary Data
Secondary Data
(G2,GO,Sluice gate
committee, NGO)
Direct Observation
Key Informant
Interview (KII)
Data Processing
and
Analysis
Finalize project area, farmers
list and operational plan as
well
Reconnaissance
Survey
Meeting and consultation
with G2 and G5

22. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Activities Completed
 Baseline survey
 Farmers cross visit
 FGD and Group meeting
 Area and farmer selection
 Farmers orientation
 Infrastructural development
 Seed supply for Rabi crop: Sesame
(BARI til4) and Aus rice seed
(Aloran)

23. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Limitations:
1. Increasing soil salinity
2. Lack of fresh water
3. Less innovative farmers
4. Lack of appropriate water management
5. Land tenancy
6. Dependency attitude

24. www.brac.netwww.brac.net
Thank You