Southern Bangladesh accounts for 27% of the area and 21% of the total

population (32 million).

About 15% of total cultivable land is either fallow and/or un-cultivated.

Minor irrigation is mainly dependent on extraction of groundwater.

Surface irrigation facilities are limited due to lack of water infrastructure and the relative non-availability of appropriate water lifting devices.

For this reason, an estimated 50% of southern Bangladesh’s farmers currently grow only one rain-fed rice crop per year

Service providers rent Low Lift Pumps (Centrifugal pumps) from local irrigation management organizations.

Pump availability is limited due to

Lack of wide spread pump and crop output

market

Accessibility and affordability issues (mainly cost)

Lack of adequate extension services focused on

improved water and agronomic management

Lack of access to credit facilities

Surface Water Irrigation – Current Practice and Issues

CSISA-MI working on a strategy to encourage crop intensification through the establishment of public-private partnerships for the deployment of

The CSISA-MI Project (Cereal Systems Initiative for South-Asia – Mechanization and Irrigation)

Appropriate water lifting devices

Scale-appropriate agricultural machinery

Improved on-farm management and agronomic practices

Learning from the experience of other Asian countries (Thailand, Vietnam and Combodia) – introduce Axial Flow Pumps (AFPs)

Long-term aim is to develop them locally to reduce costs and increase accessibility for small farmers.

Appropriate for deltaic environment such as Southern BD

Better performance at low heads

Methodology & Approach

We tested the technical efficiency and social acceptability of axial flow pumps before introducing them to farming communities

A. Hydro-economic performance assessment of axial flow pumps (AFPs) and centrifugal pumps (CENs)

Tests conducted from BARI, Gazipur.

Hydro analysis included comparison of fuel consumption (l/h), and pump discharge (l/s) at different heads.

Economic analysis included both fixed and variable costs (e.g., costs of full pump set, engine, V-belts etc.).

Testing technical efficiency of axial flow pumps at BARI

B. Field-scale performance assessment of AFPs and CENs

Field demonstrations were conducted in collaboration with international Development Enterprises (iDE) and Rangpur Foundary Limited (RFL).

Mobile demonstrations and several focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted to select interested local service providers (LSPs) and potential farmers.

CIMMYT and iDE led technical aspects of the pumps, whereas RFL looked after marketing, accessibility and operational issues such as pricing, after sale services, spare parts, etc.

Locations for pump demonstrations were identified after discussions with RFL dealers, WUAs, and farmer groups in different Upazilas.

In total, 70 LSPs were selected for these field demonstrations.

FGD Conducted for field scale performance of the AFP’s

Awareness Building Through Mobile Demonstration

Field days for Training on AFP at Barisal, Bhola & Patuakhali District

AFPs produced higher water discharge than CENs. At 1-m head, AFPs discharge was 72% higher than CENs whereas at 2-m and 3-m heads, discharge of AFPs was 55% and 28% higher than CENs, respectively.

The water delivery per unit of fuel for AFPs at 1-m head is 112.4 m3/l, which declined to 91 m3/l and 69 m3/l at 2-m and 3-m head, respectively.

AFP would save about 70 US$/season at 1-m head to 38 US$/season at 3-m head for irrigating boro rice.

Results

A. Hydro-economic performance assessment

B. Field-scale performance assessment

LSPs generally found the performance of AFPs better than centrifugal pumps in terms of discharge, fuel consumption and operational cost.

The average operational cost of AFPs (labour, maintenance and fuel costs) was lower than centrifugal pumps.

LSPs confirmed that AFPs can save up to 200 BDT (US$ 2.6) daily for boro rice, which is significant saving over a season.

Due to water higher discharge, AFPs took less time to irrigate per unit of land. This way AFPs can provide irrigation service to more farmers than with centrifugal pumps within a specified time.

This makes AFPS commercially more acceptable for LSPs.

Level of satisfaction of LSPs with the axial flow pumps

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Water lifting capacityEase of operation

Availability of spare partsAvailability of after sales serviceAvailability of technical services

Quality of technical servicesSeasonal demand for water

Service charge recoveryClient farmers’ satisfaction

Labor Cost involvement Fuel cost

Physical StructureNo need priming

MobiltyOverall Satisfaction

Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Not Satisfactory

CSISA-MI is working with RFL company to encourage local production of AFPs to solve technical problems and reduce cost.

Supplier

(Thai) Dealer

s

Consu-

mers

(LSP)

RFL

Business Model: RFL JUMBO Pump

$

Product Product Product

$

RFL deploys sales team to drive

sales through dealer events,

demonstration program, other

activities

RFL provides orientation for

dealers in product and

business knowledge; dealer

incentives

Marketing push through

billboards, branding of

product and outlets, other

activities

Field

Sales

Force

Product

CIMMYT

/ iDE

$

Technical support for RFL

in product knowledge and

application; technology

targeting; and model

specifications

RFL provides installation

and

After Sales Services (AFSS)

support

CREDIT:RICHARD ROSE

Increased accessibility to agricultural

machinery;

Improved on-farm water management and

agronomic practices;

Extended surface irrigation facilities through

improvements in infrastructure

Boosting Crop Intensification in Southwest of BD

Increasing accessibility to water lifting devices such as AFPs would enable farmers to grow a higher-yielding and more profitable rabi season crops.

134 LSPs have already replaced CENs with AFPs. However crop intensification in this region would also require

Suggestions for Boosting Crop Intensification

• Solve technical problems of AFPs - redefine and modify pump design to assure that the technically best and economically affordable pump will be available within Bangladesh in the near-term future.

• Increase affordability of small farmers – reduce cost by encouraging local manufacturing .

• Increase access to canal water - irrigation and drainage infrastructure needs to be redesigned, repaired, or even newly constructed. De-silt targeted canals and construct water control structures and pump houses.

• Increase farmer participation in water management – establish water user associations (groups) to collect water charges and use them to maintain irrigation and drainage infrastructure at the tertiary level.

Suggestions for Boosting Crop Intensification

• Rationalize cropping patterns – encourage farmers to switch to less water demanding crops (such as oilseeds, wheat, millet, sorghum and maize, in addition to more profitable horticultural operations), considering the availability of water.

• Increase land productivity – increase availability of appropriate inputs (seed, fertilizer, weed control, etc.). Also make storage facilities to reduce post harvest losses.

• Increase involvement of private sector – increase role of private sector in providing much needed irrigation and machinery services and processing and marketing for farmers’ produce..

Demos managed by Barisal Bhola Patuakhali

CIMMYT 13 7 7

iDE 15 14 14

Total 28 21 21

Distribution of AFP

District Intervention Male Female Total

Bhola LSP + Mechanics + Skill development on AFP 100 0 100

Barisal LSP + Mechanics + Skill development on AFP 261 6 267

Patuakhali LSP + Skill Development on AFP 42 1 43

Details of trainings on AFP under Barisal region

Field Demonstrations and Trainings

Conclusions

• In coastal areas, effective water resources management is a pre-condition for agricultural production, as deltas must be protected against river floods and/or tidal and storm surges.

• Increased access to surface water irrigation will encourage double cropping on currently fallow or poorly productive 100,000 ha of land.

• AFPs have hydro-economic superiority over CENs. However, their technical and operational problems need to be resolved and costs reduced to make them affordable to service providers at scale.

• CSISA-MI works to developing LSP business models and expect that the locally developed AFPs will be more susceptible to local conditions. Once available at scale, they will contribute towards improving food and income security in this otherwise overlooked region.