Presented by Craig Meisner, country director WorldFish Bangladesh and co-basin leader CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food Ganges program Revitalizing the Ganges Coastal Zone Conference 21-23 October 2014, Dhaka, Bangladesh http://waterandfood.org/ganges-conference/

1. Revitalizing
the
Ganges
Coastal
Zone:
Turning
Science
into
Policy
and
Prac;ces

2. Revitalizing
the
Ganges
Coastal
Zone:
Turning
Science
into
Policy
and
Prac;ces
October
21,
BARC
Farmgate
October
22,
BRAC
Mohakhali
October
23,
BRAC
Mohakhali

3. Andes
•
Ganges
•
Limpopo
•
Mekong
•
Nile
•
Volta
Today’s
Agenda:
• Inaugura;on
• Coastal
Zone
Development
Program:
Towards
‘Water
Smart
Communi;es’
• Government
of
Bangladesh
• Programs
and
Donors
• Revitalizing
Ganges
Coastal
Zone:
Influencing
Policies
and
Implementa;on
Strategies
• Voices
from
the
Coastal
Zone
• Drainage,
Community
and
Governance
• Adop;on
of
policies,
prac;ces
and
future
investments
• WLE
future
plans
for
the
Coastal
Zone

4. 4

5. Who
are
the
Sponsors
of
this
Conference?

6. Reform
of
the
Consulta;ve
Group
on
Interna;onal
Agriculture
Research
(CGIAR)
Old
New
15
Independent
Centers
1
Consor;um
Diffuse
CGIAR
priori;es
Focus
on
15
research
programs
(CRPs)
Donor
funding
of
Centers
Donor
funding
of
CGIAR
research
programs
Recogni;on
of
impact
Focus
on
impact
Weak
partnerships
Effec;ve
partnerships

7. The CGIAR Research Program (CRP) on
Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE)
Led by IWMI

8. Transi;on
from
CPWF
to
the
CRP
Water
Land
and
Ecosystems(WLE)
led
by
IWMI
but
with
many
partners
2015-­‐2016+

9. Jan 2012

10. IRRI (lead center); AfricaRice, CIAT, Cirad, IRD, and JIRCAS
GRiSP

11. OutputsTarget area for extrapolation domainsThe coastal zone of Bangladesh & West Bengal
India

12. Overview
of
the
CPWF
Research
Findings
Craig
Meisner,
WorldFish
Country
Director
WLE
Ganges
Focal
Research
Coordinator

13. 13

14. Andes
•
Ganges
•
Limpopo
•
Mekong
•
Nile
•
Volta
Why
the
coastal
zone
of
the
Ganges
Delta?
• Among world’s poorest, most food insecure, vulnerable rural families
• Dense population >36 million people; >760/km2 (>7.6 per 100 m x 100
m) (2001)
• Low land productivity – 1 low yielding traditional aman crop, much of
the land is fallow during much of the dry season - missed out on the
Green Revolution
• Opportunity to build on the achievements & networks of 2 CPWF
Phase 1 projects (PN10 Tuong et al.; PN7 Abdel Ismail et al.)
• Opportunity for scale out through multiple donors and partners—too
big to list
• Good potential to greatly increase land & water productivity (rice,
upland crops, aquaculture, homestead production systems), improve
rural livelihoods in the coastal zone
• The coastal zone offers the potential for Bangladesh to make a
quantum leap in meeting future food security requirements

15. Andes
•
Ganges
•
Limpopo
•
Mekong
•
Nile
•
Volta
Biophysical
constraints
to
increasing
produc;vity
• Too much water in rainy season (tidal surges in non-protected lands;
excessive rainfall)
• Lack of fresh water in dry season (or lack of access…)
• Salinity, more so in dry season
• Cyclonic events (severe flooding, storm surges èsea water intrusion;
death & destruction)
These will worsen due to:
• climate change (sea level rise, more extreme events)
• reduced river flows from India in the dry season
• sinking of the lands protected by polders (consolidation & lack of siltation)

16. Andes
•
Ganges
•
Limpopo
•
Mekong
•
Nile
•
Volta
The
Ganges
Basin
Development
Challenge
–
5
Projects
Understanding
of
water
resources
–
data
&
models
(current
&
future
scenarios)
More
produc;ve,
resilient
&
diversified
cropping
systems
(rice,
upland
crops
&
aquaculture)
Understanding
polder
water
governance
–
recommenda;ons
for
improvement
Cropping
system
suitability
maps
from
comprehensive
GIS
data
base
Co-­‐ordina;on,
liaison
with
CPWF,
policy
dialogues,
communica;on
with
stakeholders
for
up
&
outscaling

17. CPWF
Ganges
Partner
Organisa;ons
BANGLADESH CGIAR
BFRI Bangladesh Fish Research Institute World Fish
IWM Bangladesh Institute of Water Modelling IWMI
BRRI Bangladesh Rice Research Institute IRRI
BWDB Bangladesh Water Development Board
LGED Local Government Engineering Board
SRDI Soil Resource Development Institute
BRAC
SocioConsult
Shushilan
PSTU Patuakhali Science and Technology University
BUET Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology
INDIA
CIBA Central Institute of Brackish Water Aquaculture - Kakdwip
CSSRI Central Soil Salinity Research Institute – Canning Town
17

18. 0
100
200
300
400
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
mm
Mean
monthly
rainfall
-­‐
Khulna
Annual
rainfall
~2,000
mm
(range
1,100-­‐2,900
mm)
Aus
Boro
Aman
Rabi
18
Shrimp
Rabi
Boro
Shrimp

19. River
Draining water
out of polder at
low tide
River
River
Rivers
are
;dal
(to
~150
km
inland)
Tidal fluctuations up to 2-3 m during the rainy season,
depending on location
19
High tide Low tide (still going down)

20. Eleva;on
(above
mean
sea
level,
m)
%
<0.
0
0
<0.60
15
<1.00
61
<1.20
80
<1.60
95
<1.80
98
Average
water
level
1.3
m
Kazibacha
river
Low
;de
water
level
0.0
m
High
;de
water
level
2.9
m
Average
water
level
1.0
m
Lower-Shalta river
High
;de
water
level
2.7
m
Low
;de
water
level
-­‐0.50
m
River
levels
rela;ve
to
land
level
Average
water
level
1.0
m

21. Polder
embankment /dyke
protecting land from
flooding at
high tide
River-side
Dyke
River on eastern side
of polder 30
21

22. Polder 31
Polder 30
River
Inlet to sluice gate
Sluice gate on river side
Sluice gate inside the
polder
1960-70s 139 polders constructed to protect the lands from:
• tidal flooding in the rainy season
• salinity intrusion in the dry season
And to enable production of a rainy season (aman) rice crop
Polders of SW & SC Bangladesh
~1 Mha
~8 million people

23. Wet season Sept 2001
Dry season March 2002
Salinity
creeps
up
the
rivers
during
the
dry
season
–
more
so
in
the
south
west
(1
ppt
=
~1.5
dS/m)
0-2 ppt
2-4 ppt
8-10 ppt
22-27 ppt
23

24. 0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Month
RiverwaterSalinity(ds/m)
High tide Low tide
River
salinity
dynamics
in
a
moderately
saline
region
Batiaghata, Khulna
Polder 30
1990-2007
(Sharifullah 2008)
This is not the situation everywhere, e.g.
– fresh water year round in significant parts of the S Central
- river salinity increases earlier & to higher values in the SW
24

25. Soil
salinity
is
increasing
over
;me
in
the
coastal
zone
(dry
season)
Salinity
None-very slight
Very slight-slight
Slight-moderate
Moderate-high
High-very high
2009
2000
1973
Salinity boundary
SRDI
25

26. 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
26

27. *
Categories
based
on
Bangladesh
Household
Income
and
Expenditure
Survey
(2010)
More than 50% households are functionally landless
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Polder
30
Polder
3-­‐H
Polder
3
L
Polder
43
ALL
Polder
#
of
households
Func;onally
landless
<
0.2
ha
Small
0.2-­‐0.6
ha
Marginal
0.6
-­‐
1.0
ha
Medium
1.0-­‐3.0
ha
Large
>3
ha
CPWF
G2
World
Fish
survey,
February
2012
(1,259
HH)
Rural
households
in
the
polders
have
very
lille
land
(<0.2 ha)
50 m x 40 m !
27

28. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Na;onal
(2005)
Surveyed
Households
marginal
small
Func;onally
landless
%
of
people
CPWF G2 survey
by WorldFish,
February 2012
Poverty
of
rural
households
is
extreme
in
the
polders
Mean
%
people
living
below
Na;onal
Poverty
Line
(income
<$1.25/person/day)
<0.2 ha

29. Polder
30
(~4,000
ha)
29
•

30. River
Sluice gate letting
water into the polder
at high tide
River
River
Sluice gate draining
water out of the
polder at low tide
30

31. Polder 30
Dense natural drainage
network (former river/creek
canals – “khals”)
Most fields within ~1 km of
a khal in polder 30
11 sluice gates connecting
larger khals to the rivers
31

32. Khals within polders vary greatly in size, can store fresh water during the dry
season, but often heavily silted up (some no longer exist)
32

33. Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Traditional Rice
(2-3.5 t/ha)
Sesame,
Keshari
0.5-1.0 t/ha)
Traditional Rice
(2-3.5 t/ha)
……........Fallow…………………...
....Fallow……
33
Predominant
agricultural
cropping
systems
in
the
low
&
moderately
saline
regions
of
the
coastal
zone

34. • Traditional variety
• Tall, photoperiod sensitive (late maturing – harvested Dec/Jan)
• 35-70 day old seedlings
34

35. Soil salinity
AFTER RICE HARVEST - much fallow land – for 5-7 months
35

36. Sesame
Mungbean
Ooen
damaged
by
early
monsoon
rains
–
destroyed
in
May
2013
AFTER RICE HARVEST – some areas
Low input legume crops – late sown (Feb/Mar) because of late rice harvest
36

37. 37
High salinity areas
Brackish water
shrimp production
in “ghers”
- extensive to semi-
intensive
- - high risk
Aquaculture
Aman rice in some
ghers in some
locations in some
years

38. High potential of the Ganges coastal zone

39. Revitalizing
the
Ganges
Coastal
Zone:
Turning
Science
into
Policy
and
Prac;ces
Conference
DECLARATION
Dhaka,
21
October
2014

40. Whereas
the
Government
of
the
People’s
Republic
of
Bangladesh,
seeking
to
improve
the
livelihoods
of
the
people
of
the
Coastal
Zone;
increase
the
produc;on
of
commodi;es;
and
ensure
the
sustainability
of
the
natural
ecosystem
and
infrastructure
of
the
Coastal
Zone,
has
approved,
or
has
requested,
the
draoing
of
Policies,
Acts,
Strategies
and
Plans
including,
but
not
restricted
to
the:

41. Policies,
Acts,
Strategies
and
Plans
• Coastal
Area
Development
Plan
• Master
Plan
for
Agricultural
Development
in
Southern
Bangladesh
• Bangladesh
Water
Act
• Na;onal
Delta
Plan
• Coastal
Development
Strategy
• Joint
Coopera;on
Strategy

42. The
Par;cipants
of
this
Conference,
‘Revitalising
the
Ganges
Coastal
Zone:
Turning
Science
into
Policy
and
Prac;ces’,
hereby:
RECOGNIZE
that
many
appropriate
policies
are
in
place
to
manage
the
polders
on
a
macro-­‐
scale.
Projects
and
programs
are
working
to
maintain
and
enhance
embankments,
de-­‐silt
canals,
and
improve
polder-­‐level
water
management
through
water
management
organisa;ons
based
on
village
representa;on;

43. The
Par;cipants
of
this
Conference,
‘Revitalising
the
Ganges
Coastal
Zone:
Turning
Science
into
Policy
and
Prac;ces’,
hereby:
RECOMMEND
that
the
same
government
and
partners
increase
their
investments
inside
the
polders
at
the
meso
and
micro
levels
through
the
crea;on
of
Community
Water
Management
Units
based
on
the
hydrology
of
the
landscape.
Policies
implemented
around
Water
Management
Units
and
supported
with
public
and
private
investments
would
create
the
possibility
for
improved
drainage,
enabling
adop;on
of
modern
early-­‐maturing
aman
varie;es,
and
in
turn
allowing
diversifica;on
into
high-­‐value
farming
systems,
including
rabi
crops.
Improved
drainage
also
enables
the
implementa;on
of
produc;ve
and
sustainable
aman-­‐shrimp/fish
systems
in
saline
areas.
Improved
management
of
(fresh
and
saline)
water
resources
will
allow
intensifica;on
to
highly
produc;ve
double
or
triple
cropping
systems
in
much
of
the
coastal
zone,
contribu;ng
to
increased
food
security
and
improved
incomes.
Further
investment
in
value
chains
is
required
to
create
the
necessary
market
linkages
for
these
products.
The
Community
Water
Management
Unit
approach
would
have
the
added
benefit
of
reducing
conflict
and
improving
equity
in
decision
making
related
to
natural
resource
management;

44. The
Par;cipants
of
this
Conference,
‘Revitalising
the
Ganges
Coastal
Zone:
Turning
Science
into
Policy
and
Prac;ces’,
hereby:
URGE
the
Government,
civil
society,
private
sector,
communi;es
and
development
partners
to
acknowledge
the
gains
to
be
made
by
ensuring
an
integrated
approach
to
developing
the
coastal
zone
and
undertake
a
consulta;ve
process
culmina;ng
in
a
‘2015
Coastal
Zone
Summit’
of
interested
par;es
to
explore
the
poten;al
for
such
alignment
and
harmoniza;on.

46. THERE
WILL
BE
MORE
DETAIL
IN
THE
AFTERNOON
SESSON