This month AAPI saw the start of the Aus season activities. The Boro season crop cuts have also started. Like the farmers, we have to juggle the seasons, harvesting one crop, planting another. Up to this month, all is well for a good Boro harvest. In this issue one of our agriculture specialists, Fozlul Haque, has written about our experience with AWD.

Dr. Badirul Islam, agriculture specialist (vegetable crops), has provided guidelines for application of Guti urea in summer vegetables. There is also an article on the experience of using Guti urea in BRRI Dhan-50, popularly known as Banglamoti, an aromatic rice crop that has been introduced in Chuknagar village, Shalikha, an upazila of Bangladesh’s southwestern district of Magura. 

* * *

Notes from Chief of Party, AAPI Inside this issue:

Experience With AWD: A Water-Saving Technology

2

Guti Urea Use in Summer Eggplant (Brinjal) and Banana

4

Aromatic BRRI Dhan-50 Rice Variety and Guti Urea Spread in Chuknagar

6

AAPI Events in May 2012 7

Volume 14

Accelerating Agriculture Productivity Improvement (AAPI)

AAPI NEWS BULLETIN April 30, 2012 A project supported by USAID in collaboration with DAE

AAPI News Bulletin is a monthly publication of the AAPI project. Subscriptions are free. IFDC is a Public International Organization (PIO) based in Alabama, USA. IFDC focuses o n i n c r e a s i n g a n d sustaining food security and agricultural productivity in developing countries. Managing Editor: Ishrat Jahan Resident Representative IFDC Bangladesh Eurasia Division and Project Coordinator, AAPI Design and Layout: Syed Afzal Hossain Data Management Unit, AAPI

The views expressed in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government

Activity Achievements in April 2012 In April 2012, AAPI successfully completed activities as shown in the following table.

Indicator Unit Target Achieve-ment in

April 2012

Achievement Total to date

% of Target

Aus season

UDP coverage ha 167,065 161 161

Extension staff training Batches 0 7 7

Farmer training Batches 766 135 135 18

Rice field demonstrations No. 129

Other crop demonstrations No. NA 3 3

Rice trials No. 14

Other crop trials No. NA

Motivational field trips No. 14 10 17 121

Stakeholder workshops No. 18 7 11 61

Sale of briquette machines No. 150 42 52 35

Briquette producer training Batches 12 1 5 42

Boro season harvest

Rice demonstration harvest No. 447 49 49 11

Rice trial harvest No. 36 2 2 6

Field days (demos and trials) No. 53 3 3 6

Crop cuts in farmer fields No. 588 18 18 3

2

Experience With AWD: A Water-Saving Technology Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) is a unique irrigation system meant to save water and increase rice productivity. Joint collaboration of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) led to development of the method that holds immense promise. However, all concerned at the user level are not yet acquainted with the technology. Even those applying the technology are not using it efficiently.

AWD technology is a method of determining the time of irrigation by observation of the water level in the rice field. In this method optimum irrigation is given in the field as per need. The main criteria for this method is to give irrigation after observing the water level in the soil through the setting of a perforated plastic or bamboo pipe in the rice field. AWD hinges on the use of perforated PVC pipe in rice fields. It is 10″ - 12″ long and 3″- 4″ in diameter. Its one side is perforated and the other side is not. Ten to 12 days after Boro rice is transplanted when water is there, the pipe

AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 14

AAPI News Bulletin

Contact Persons: Ishrat Jahan Grahame D. Hunter

Address: Dhaka Office: Road No. 62, House No. 4B, Apt-B2 Gulshan - 2, Dhaka -1212 Bangladesh Tel: 880-2-9894288 880-2-8817391 Fax: 880-2-8826109 Website: www.ifdc.org

Barisal Office: “Zohora” 834 (New) Police Line Road, Barisal Tel: 0431-2176566

Jessore Office: 1351 Police Line Road Talikhola, Puraton Kasba Jessore Tel: 0421-60986

AAPI Management:

Ishrat Jahan, Project Coordinator; Grahame D. Hunter, Chief of Party; Md. Mofizul Islam, Sr. Agriculture Specialist; Dr. Shaharuk Ahmed, Md. Fozlul Hoque, Md. Iqbal Hossain, Dr. Badirul Islam, Agriculture Specialists; Md. Shamsul Alam, Abul Hossain Mollah, Mahmood Hussain, Dr. AKM Farhad Training Specialists; Dr. Md. Abdul Mazid Mia, Mainul Ahsan, Soil Scientists; Md. Nurul Islam, Market/Business Develop-ment Specialist; Ram Proshad Ghosh, Mechanical Engineer; Dr. Abdul Wohab, Agriculture Engineer; Rubina Islam, Gender Specialist; Syed Afzal Mahmood Hossain, Senior Data Management Specialist; Farin Islam, M&E Specialist; AFM Saleh Chowdhury, Chief Accountant; Bishnu Rup Chowdhury, Administrative and Procurement Officer

otherwise named as irrigation water measurement device, is inserted in the field. The perforated part will remain underground. This pipe can be made of bamboo or a plastic bottle of drinking water with capacity to contain 1 liter of water. The underground part will be 6″. One acre needs 6 - 7 pipes. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been sporadically using the method in the farmers’ fields in recent years, but generally farmers are not aware of AWD. This is the scenario despite the fact that Bangladesh experiences water shortages during the dry season rice cultivation and the situation is worsening year by year. Presently, Bangladesh’s agriculture depends mainly on groundwater because sources of surface water irrigation have been decreasing over the years. In 1971, the contribution of groundwater in agriculture was only three percent, which now has increased to more than 70 percent. This has resulted in serious depletion of groundwater levels, which are not fully replenished with the annual rainfall. Pumping costs are increasing. Thus, while irrigation water is becoming a precious agricultural input, irrigation cost is also going up, ultimately increasing the cost of production.

AWD Pipe

3

AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 14

The technology was very new to the farmers. Most of them were not aware of the approach.

AWD demonstrations began under AAPI during this Boro season, and identification of appropriate farmers was a real challenge.

It was difficult to find 66-decimal plots for demonstrations.

Layout and management of large demonstration plots were difficult.

Farmers were reluctant to use less water in Boro demonstration plots using AWD technology. Their habit was to flood the field and keep it flooded all during Boro season.

Farmers were not confident about the irrigation system supplying the water when required by AWD.

Despite above limitations and difficulties, AAPI has been successful in managing the AWD demonstration fields. Through continuous monitoring, persuasion and field visits by AAPI field staff, it has been possible to achieve output from most of the AWD demonstrations. Results include: AWD plots have received four to ten times

less irrigation than that of the farmers’ practice fields. This ultimately saved fuel, electricity and cost of production.

The growth of algae was less and sometimes

zero in AWD plots due to alternate drying of surface soil. Plants grew better without the share of crop nutrients with algae.

The yields are not harvested yet, but the

number of tillers counted at flowering indicated more in AWD plots than those of the farmers’ practice plots. Some of the results are presented below:

Among other agricultural challenges, AWD must be implemented over all of the country. This, however, requires increased awareness among the farmers. IFDC’s APPI project has included AWD in its development plan. In this year’s Boro season, APPI conducted 29 field demonstrations in 28 different upazilas of Jessore and Mymensingh regions. Each upazila has one AWD demonstration field, except for Monirampur upazila of Jessore district, where there are two demonstration fields.

AAPI field monitoring officers and the sub-assistant agriculture officers of DAE selected the farmers and plots for demonstration. The land size to compare AWD with farmers practice using urea deep placement (UDP) in both plots was 66 decimals – 33 decimals for AWD and 33 decimals for farmers practice. AAPI provided support to the farmers to establish the demonstrations as well as three perforated plastic pipes to observe the water level within the soil. It also arranged informal group meetings, in addition to training programs for the farmers. Selected farmers, water pump owners, pump operators or managers and neighboring farmers in the same command area participated in the meetings. In the process, AAPI staff found some barriers in applying AWD technology. Some of these are mentioned below:

4

AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 14

Farmers witnessing more tillers in AWD plots have shown interest in adoption of this technology. Many farmers, especially demonstration plot owners, were finally convinced that AWD is a very good irrigation method for rice cultivation that is cost-saving and better yielding. It is also economically viable. Farmers now expect to get better yields from the AWD plots.

* * * Guti Urea Use in Summer Eggplant (Brinjal) and Banana Accelerating productivity of rice and some vegetables by using urea deep placement (UDP) technology popularly known as Guti urea is nothing new in Bangladesh. This is an effective, appropriate, sustainable, urea-saving and environment-friendly technology. Farmers in many areas of AAPI districts are already using Guti urea. While applying the technology, farmers used 10-20 percent less urea than that of prilled urea in vegetables, fruits and other crops during summer, but harvested 10-20 percent higher yields. Those

who are interested can use this technology in summer eggplant and banana. Summer Eggplant (Brinjal) Plow and level the field at the appropriate time, i.e., between March and April. During the last tilling, mix the recommended amounts of triple superphosphate (TSP), gypsum, zinc sulfate, boric acid, half of the recommended cow dung and one third of the muriate of potash (MOP) as indicated below. Apply the remaining cowdung at the time of pit preparation and the rest of the MOP in two equal splits – once 20-25 days after transplantation and the other split 60-65 days after transplanting. Remember, in the coastal areas (southern districts) of the country, it is not necessary to apply boron to summer eggplant and banana. Appropriate period for planting: March to April

Summer eggplant varieties: BARI Begun-8, BARI Begun-10 and popular local summer varieties

Age of Seedlings: 30-35 day-old seedlings

Upazila

Number of Counted

Hills from Each Plot

Number of Tillers

In AWD Plots

Average No. of Tillers

Farmers’ Practice Plots

Average No. of Tillers

Jhenaidah Sadar 5 102 20 97 19

Alamdanga 6 107 18 98 16 Satkhira Sadar 7 156 22 115 16

Dumoria 8 166 21 126 16

Jessore Sadar 8 167 21 158 20

Monirampur – Kamalpur 8 171 21 161 20

Monirampur – Koramara 6 95 16 88 15

Sharsha 9 221 25 214 24

Shribordi 7 123 18 96 14

Gouripur 10 141 14 126 13

Jhinaigati 10 196 20 140 14

Muktagacha 10 188 19 150 15

Fulbaria 10 147 15 140 14

Sherpur Sadar 10 144 14 141 14

Nandail 10 122 12 100 10

5

AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 14

Amounts of Fertilizers (Except Urea) to be Applied

How to Apply Guti Urea? Prepare beds of 15-20 cm (6-8 inches) height

and one meter (40 inches) width after applying the above-mentioned fertilizers. There should be 30 cm (12 inches) channel in between two beds.

Maintain a gap of one meter (40 inches) from one row to another and 60 cm (24 inches) gap from one seedling to another. However, the gaps could be different depending on varieties and soil fertility.

In one hectare of land, 270 kg of Guti urea is required. Accordingly, for each eggplant, six briquettes of 2.7 grams must be deep placed. The Guti urea is applied in two equal splits – the first one 10-12 days after transplanting and another 60-65 days following transplantation. The Guti urea is applied 10-12 cm (4-5 inches) apart from the base of each plant and 5-8 cm (2-3 inches) soil depth by making furrows on both sides. The Guti urea should be covered with soil after deep placement.

Irrigation is required while applying Guti urea if the soil is dry.

Do not loosen the soil of the eggplant field

after applying Guti urea.

Use integrated pest management (IPM) technologies to control pests and diseases.

Banana The land should have a good drainage system. It should be high land of loamy fertile soil, and have an open sky. Mix half of the total recommended cowdung as shown below during the last tilling while preparing the land. The rest of the cowdung, half of the total recommended doses of TSP and MOP and recommended amounts of gypsum, zinc sulfate and boric acid should be applied at the time of pit preparation. The rest of the MOP and TSP should be applied 60 days after transplanting of sucker. Tissue culture sucker should be used to avoid diseases and enhance productivity. Appropriate period for planting: March to April Banana variety: BARI Kola - 1 Spacing: Plant to plant – 2 m (80 inches) Row to row – 2 m (80 inches)

Pit: 60 cm (24 inches) x 60 cm (24 inches) x 60 cm (24 inches)

Fertilizers Amounts

kg/ha g/decimals

TSP 100 400

MOP 200 800

Gypsum 120 480

Zinc Sulfate (Hepta) 7 30

Boric acid 8 35

Cow dung 5,000 20 kg

The picture shows Guti urea applied in BARI Begun 8 variety

6

AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 14

Amounts of Fertilizers (Except Urea) to be Applied

A view of banana demo plots using Guti urea and broadcast urea at Bagerhat Sadar. Application of Guti urea and post-planting care: Use a total of 120 Guti urea briquettes of

2.70 grams each for each banana plant in three splits.

Apply fifty Guti urea briquettes 60 days after

transplanting, 35 Guti 120 days after transplantation and the remaining 35 Guti urea before flowering.

Deep place Guti urea at 30 cm (12 inches)

apart from the base of each plant 60 days after transplantation and at 60 cm (24 inches) apart 120 days after transplanting and at 90 cm (36 inches) apart before flowering.

Place Guti urea at 5-8 cm (2-3 inches) soil

depth by making a furrow on both sides or as ring method. Close each hole after application of Guti urea.

If soil is dry during transplantation, the field

should be irrigated immediately. During dry season, the plants should be irrigated regularly at an interval of 15-20 days. During rainy season, there should be a proper drainage system to keep the field free of

stagnant water. No sucker should be allowed to grow up until flowering stage. Once the flowering stage is over, farmers can keep one sucker per plant.

* * *

Aromatic BRRI Dhan-50 Rice Variety and Guti Urea Spread in Chuknagar “This is a very happy feeling,” said Amal Biswas, a 52-year-old farmer in Shalikha, an upazila of Bangladesh’s southwestern district, Magura. He is grateful to his relative in Jessore who last year gave him a maund of Banglamoti paddy. Amal knew of Guti urea and the aromatic rice variety BRRI Dhan-50, popularly known as Banglamoti, but he never had an opportunity to use the technology or cultivate the variety. The opportunity came to do both at the same time. He planted Banglamoti, using Guti urea, on four of his five acres of land.

“The tillers of the paddy plants are very healthy. The yield will be better. And because the rice is fine and aromatic, its price will be higher than that of other varieties,” said Amal. The rice variety works well in Polao and Kheer dishes, so he preserved part of the Banglamoti as seeds that he utilized this Boro season.

“When a maund of other variety paddy is Tk 600-700 [US $7.33-$8.56], the Banglamoti price is Tk 1,000-1200 [US $12.23-$14.67]” Amal said, expecting 70 maunds of paddy an acre. It is 10 maunds more than the previous year’s yield despite using less urea.

Fertilizers Amounts

kg/ ha g/plant TSP 500 200 MOP 625 250 Gypsum 500 200 Zinc Sulfate (Hepta) 11 4.5 Boric acid 5 2.0 Cowdung 5000 2.0 kg

Guti Urea Plot Prilled Urea Plot

Mr. Biswas, a proud farmer counting the panicles of his UDP Boro field at Chuknagar, Shalikha Upazila of Magura District on April 12, 2012

7

AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 14

Ashraf Ali Biswas, 30, another farmer in Chuknagar, had a very similar experience. He cultivated Banglamoti, using Guti urea on two acres. He used 67-80 kilograms (kgs) of Guti urea an acre, whereas in the case of broadcast prilled urea, 150 kgs was used. One acre requires about Tk 1,700 [US $20.78] of Guti urea, whereas the required amount of prilled urea is Tk 3,000 [US $36.69]. Amal and Ashraf are only two of about 22,000 farmers in Shalikha who have used Guti urea this season. Of the total 35,583 acres of Boro land in Shalikha, 13,838 acres came under Guti technology, according to the upazila agriculture office. However, all were not lucky enough to plant Banglamoti. “This is a very good achievement considering that this is the first time Guti urea was made available in this area,” said Mokhlesur Rahman, Department of Agricultural Extension deputy director of Magura district. He said when the AAPI project started a Guti urea program, the district agriculture office of Magura made it mandatory that Guti urea be used in all 360 demonstration fields. These demonstration fields were organized under a government project on production, preservation and distribution of high quality Boro wheat and jute seeds. “As demonstration farmers used Guti urea, the farmers surrounding these fields also followed them,” the deputy director said. “Now, farmers are saying they are surprised by the growth of paddy plants,” he said. “If Guti urea can be supplied at the right time, nearly 50 percent of farmers will use it in Aman season. Even more farmers will use it in the next Boro season,” Rahman said. AAPI has provided Guti urea manufacturing machines to fertilizer dealers at a reduced price, which ensured a smooth supply of Guti urea. Presently there are six machines in the Shalikha upazila. Upazila agriculture officer AKM Hasibul Hasan said his office, in collaboration with AAPI, trained

1,680 farmers on the use of Guti urea before the Boro season. Because they are excellent farmers, others follow what they do. “Using Guti urea was a prime agenda this Boro season,” Hasan said. “The sub-assistant agriculture officers played important roles. The agriculture office also sought cooperation from the Union Parishad level people’s representatives to motivate farmers about using Guti urea.” AAPI field monitoring officer Aliul Alam said they arranged open air shows where they screened video documentaries about Guti urea before Boro transplantation. They even used mobile microphone broadcasts to campaign for Guti urea; Alam said, adding that all these efforts led to success. “What is critical now is to ensure a supply of Guti urea on time,” Mokhlesur Rahman said.

* * *

AAPI Events in May 2012

In the month of May 2012, AAPI is concentrating its activities for Boro crop cut and Aus paddy. In this month, the following activities will be carried out.

Block survey for Boro

391 batches of training for Aus farmers

8 stakeholders workshop

4 extension staff training

7 motivational field trips

2 batches of briquette producers training

3 batches small business management training

3 orientation training program

181 demo establish

12 trial establish

54 briquette machine sale

12 open sky show

10 meeting with seed and fertilizer committee

13 batches of SAAO’s meeting

32 batches of meeting with old farmers

8

AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 14