INTERNATIONAL FERTILIZER DEVELOPMENT CENTER PO BOX 2040 | MUSCLE SHOALS, AL 35662 | USA

Sustainable Soil Management Component (SSMC) of OCP Foundation’s Agricultural Development Project in Bangladesh – Stage 1

MONTHLY REPORT | JULY 2018

This report by IFDC was made possible through funding support from the OCP Foundation.

SSMC Monthly Report | July 2018 i

Table of Contents

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1

Technical Program Activities ......................................................................................................... 1

Field Demonstrations Established............................................................................................... 2

Farmer Training .......................................................................................................................... 2

UAOs and SAAOs of DAE Orientation Program....................................................................... 3

Other Activities ............................................................................................................................... 4

Media Report .............................................................................................................................. 4

Photographs of SSMC Activities .................................................................................................... 5

Tables

Table 1. SSMC T. Aman Demonstration Established in July 2018 ............................................. 2

Table 2. SSMC Farmer Training Programs Organized in July 2018 ........................................... 3

Table 3. SSMC Orientation Training of UAOs and SAAOs of DAE in July 2018 ..................... 3

Table 4. Activity Achievement through July 2018 Against Year 2 Workplan ............................ 4

Table 5. Newspaper and Television Reports, News, and Publicity in July 2018......................... 4

SSMC Monthly Report | July 2018 ii

Acronyms and Abbreviations

BARI Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute

BRRI Bangladesh Rice Research Institute

DAE Department of Agricultural Extension

FC Field Coordinator

GAP Good Agricultural Practice

GOB Government of Bangladesh

ICARDA International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas

IFDC International Fertilizer Development Center

IPM Integrated Pest Management

NPSZn Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Zinc

SAAO Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer

SRDI Soil Resource Development Institute

SSMC Sustainable Soil Management Component

TSPZn Triple Superphosphate with Zinc

UAO Upazila Agriculture Officer

SSMC Monthly Report | July 2018 1

Sustainable Soil Management Component

(SSMC) of OCP Foundation’s Agricultural

Development Project in Bangladesh – Stage 1

Monthly Report | July 2018

Introduction

The OCP Foundation signed an agreement with the International Fertilizer Development Center

(IFDC) for implementation of the Sustainable Soil Management Component (SSMC) of OCP

Foundation’s Agricultural Development Project in Bangladesh – Stage 1 for a period of three

years, from January 2017 to December 2019. SSMC is addressing many of the increasing, serious

soil fertility concerns of the northern districts of Bangladesh while also helping farmers enhance

crop productivity and profitability through the implementation of improved soil management

methods in the overall context of market-sensitive good agricultural practices (GAPs).

OCP Foundation’s comprehensive project also includes input from OCP Foundation and the

International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). The overall objective

of this agricultural development project is “sustainable management of soil to enhance yields and

farmers’ incomes under resilient production systems in Bangladesh, resulting in food and nutrition

security, improved health and livelihoods.” The project includes the SSMC in addition to

monitoring and capacity-building inputs by OCP Foundation and works related to the promotion

of GAPs, entrepreneurship, and farmer organizations by ICARDA. The project targets rice, maize,

potato, pulses, and, to a lesser extent, wheat.

SSMC is being implemented with Government of Bangladesh (GOB) counterparts – Bangladesh

Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Department

of Agricultural Extension (DAE), and Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI). Additionally,

agro-input retailers are also involved to promote balanced plant nutrient and GAP solutions for

improving crop productivity, crop profitability, and soil fertility. The primary approach of the

project for IFDC is to conduct trials with BRRI and BARI and field extension activities with DAE.

This monthly report shows the progress achieved in July 2018.

Technical Program Activities

As per the annual work plan, major technical activities conducted during the reporting month

include the following, which are linked to cropping seasons and deliverables and aimed at

achieving the project goal.

SSMC Monthly Report | July 2018 2

Field Demonstrations Established

In this reporting month, all ten SSMC T. Aman demonstration plots were established. Details by

district are presented in Table 1. Layout, fertilization, and seedling transplantation were done

properly. The upazila agriculture officer (UAO), concerned sub-assistant agriculture officers

(SAAOs) of DAE, and SSMC senior staff and field coordinator (FC) actively participated in these

activities. As per the decision of the third steering committee meeting, three treatments1 were

applied in all the demonstrations. In different locations, seedling age varied between 27 and 31

days.

Table 1. SSMC T. Aman Demonstration Established in July 2018

Sl. # Upazila District Variety

Ta

rge

t

Es

tab

lis

he

d

Date

of

Tra

ns

pla

nta

tio

n

1 Nachole Chapai Nawabganj BRRIdhan 51 1 1 July 5, 2018

2 Gomostapur Chapai Nawabganj BRRIdhan 51 1 1 July 15, 2018

3 Gabtali Bogra BRRIdhan 49 1 1 July 10, 2018

4 Shahjahanpur Bogra BRRIdhan 49 1 1 July 22, 2018

5 Sadar Dinajpur BRRIdhan 51 1 1 July 18, 2018

6 Chirirbandar Dinajpur BRRIdhan 49 1 1 July 23, 2018

7 Sadar Kurigram BRRIdhan 49 1 1 July 22, 2018

8 Nageswari Kurigram BRRIdhan 52 1 1 July 26, 2018

9 Saidpur Nilphamari BRRIdhan 52 1 1 July 25, 2018

10 Sadar Nilphamari BRRIdhan 52 1 1 July 28, 2018

Total 10 10

Farmer Training

In July, five batches of farmer training programs were conducted with 150 progressive farmers.2

Details by district are presented in Table 2. Of the 150 trained farmers, 111 were men and 16 (11%)

were female T. Aman farmers. Five demonstration farmers also attended the training program. In

addition, 23 agro-input retailers were present. The training module during the training program

included a PowerPoint, an oral presentation, and group discussions using the participatory

approach, and practical demonstrations on identification techniques of adulterated micronutrient

fertilizers. Senior staff and FC of SSMC and deputy directors/district training officers of DAE

1 Treatment 1 = Farmers’ practice; Treatment 2 = OCP fertilizer TSPZn; and Treatment 3 = NPSZn. 2 Progressive farmers are those who are willing to use good farm practices (GAPs – such as using good quality seed

and balanced doses of fertilizers, maintaining proper spacing from line to line and plant to plant, practicing integrated

pest management [IPM] with improved technologies, etc.), establish their own demo plots, share their knowledge, and

encourage their neighboring farmers to use GAPs along with improved technologies.

SSMC Monthly Report | July 2018 3

Dinajpur, Nilphamari, and Kurigram, attended the programs as resource persons. Concerned

UAOs and SAAOs also attended the programs.

Table 2. SSMC Farmer Training Programs Organized in July 2018

Sl. # District Upazila Batches

Farmers Fertilizer Retailers

Total Participants Male Female Total

1 Dinajpur Chirirbandar 1 25 - 25 5 30

2 Bogra Gabtali 1 22 4 26 4 30

3 Kurigram Sadar 1 21 4 25 5 30

4 Nilphamari Sadar 1 22 3 25 5 30

5 Chapai

Nawabganj

Nachole 1 21 5 26 4 30

Total 5 111 16 127 23 150

UAOs and SAAOs of DAE Orientation Program

In this reporting month, two orientation programs were conducted. Details by district are presented

in Table 3. The main objective of holding only this program was to acquaint the participants,

including farmers, about the different activities of SSMC and introduce them to the SSMC work

plan. The concerned deputy directors, UAOs, horticulturists, and relevant SAAOs attended the

orientation program. Participants were briefed about the guidelines regarding farmers’ training and

the establishment of demonstration plots, field days, and crop cuts. Training methods followed

during training programs were PowerPoint and oral presentations, group discussions in a

participatory approach, and practical demonstrations on identification techniques of adulterated

fertilizers.

Table 3. SSMC Orientation Training of UAOs and SAAOs of DAE in July 2018

Sl. # District Upazila Venue Batches Male Female Total

1 Rangpur Sadar Training Room, SRDI,

Rangpur 1 22 6 28

2 Rajshahi Sadar Training Room, AD

Office, DAE, Rajshahi 1 33 1 34

Total 2 55 7 62

SSMC Monthly Report | July 2018 4

Details of activities completed during Year 2 through July 2018 against the target are presented in

Table 4.

Table 4. Activity Achievement through July 2018 Against Year 2 Workplan

Deliverables Unit Target

Achievement

% of Target In July 2018

Through July 2018

Orientation training for establishing demonstrations

No. 2 2 2 100%

Farmer training with DAE No. 60 5 5 8%

Establishment of Field

Demonstrations

Rice (Aman) No. 10 10 10 100%

Other Activities

Media Report

The media campaign for SSMC activities during July 2018 is shown in Table 5, covering daily

local print media. In the media campaign, OCP Foundation, as the donor, is always emphasized

along with SSMC activities.

Table 5. Newspaper and Television Reports, News, and Publicity in July 2018

Sl. # News Heading Media Date Remark

1 Organize farmers’ training at

Kurigram Sadar, Kurigram

The Daily

Bayannoralo

July 4,

2018

Hard copy of news

documented.

2 Organize farmers’ training at

Nilphamari Sadar, Nilphamari

The Daily Khola

Kagog

July 18,

2018

Hard copy of news

documented.

3 Organize farmers’ training at

Chirirbandar, Dinajpur

The Daily Vorer

Dorpon

July 18,

2018

Hard copy of news

documented.

SSMC Monthly Report | July 2018 5

Photographs of SSMC Activities

DAE officials’ orientation program held at Rangpur on July 9, 2018

DAE officials’ orientation program held at Rajshahi on July 11, 2018

Farmers’ training program on T. Aman cultivation technique at Nachole on July 31, 2018

Establishment of T. Aman demonstration plot at Gabtoli of Bogra on July 10, 2018

Established T. Aman demonstration plot at Gomostapur of Chapai Nawabganj on July 31, 2018

T. Aman demonstration site monitored by Focal Point of DAE on July 8, 2018