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Utilization of Agroecological Zones Database and Installation of GIS for Agricultural Development

Anwar Iqbal
National Project Director
GIS Project,Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Farmgate, Dhaka-1215

Mahbub Ahmed
Director
Computer Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Farmgate, Dhaka-1215

S. G. Hussain
Principal Scientific Officer (Soils)
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Farmgate, Dhaka-1215

Abeed H. Chowdhury
Senior System Analyst
Computer Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Farmgate, Dhaka-1215

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Development planners perform one of the most important functions; that include framing policies, program planning and road map for their implementation. For all these, relevant information is vital. To define strategy, these decisions are made based on available information. Information if accurate and elaborate- decision making becomes easy and accurate or near to the reality. Agriculture, which is the mainstay of Bangladesh economy, is being pressurized by high population growth and natural hazards like floods, droughts, salinity, cyclones etc. For combating these, agricultural planners and researches must have ready access to relevant information on land, soil, climate, hydrology crop and socio-economic conditions of the population. Analyzing and integrating these information one can draw up plans for alleviating production constraints and accelerating the economic growth of the country. Database, which is a collection of data arranged for ease and speed of search and retrieval also called data bank can play an important role in the planning processes.

Keywords: AEZ/GIS, BARC, Land information, GIS for Agriculture, Utilization of AEZ database

Location: All over Bangladesh

Start Date: 01-07-1993

End Date: 03-05-1999

Program Area: Knowledge Management

Non-commodity: Database Management

Objectives:

Establish a GIS based computerized information system at BARC.
Utilize the AEZ/GIS database for technology generation and transfer on crop production, crop diversification and disaster preparedness programme planning with the incorporation of socio-economic data.
Sensitize people involved in planning, decision-making process, research and education about the importance of AEZ/GIS as a planning tool.
Develop manpower on GIS/decision support system, land resources and computer use.

Methodology:

Database development and maintenance of a GIS based computerized land information system integrating socioeconomic data was the prime objective of the GIS project. As a part of the project, the following activities were done:

Data collection: Data on natural resources were collected from SRDI, BMD, BWDB, BBS, EGIS, LGED, NARS institutes, DLRS, SOB, FinMap and other relevant authorities. Socioeconomic data were collected from DAM, SPARRSO, WARPO, DAE, and Universities.
Data Processing and Quality Control: Collected data from various sources were in different formats. Most of the digital data were in ASCII files, while some were processed, coded and captured with GIS and RDBMS. Development of Administrative Datasets, Soils and Land Resources Datasets, Land Type Datasets, Climatic Datasets, Agroclimatic Resources Datasets, Hydrological Datasets, Crop Suitability Datasets, Farming System Database, Cropping Pattern Database, Fisheries, Forestry and Livestock Database.
Applications Development: For creating maps and reports several GIS based applications were developed. Some FORTRAN based models and programs were also developed to facilitate data processing and analysis.
Database and Application documentation: Proper documentation of all databases and applications including their process descriptions were done.

Source of Information: Utilization of Agroecological Zones Database and Installation of GIS for Agricultural Development; Published by: BARC, Dhaka. GIS project: BGD/95/006

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.	Budget: 101710000

Total Budget (Tk.) : 101710000

Achievement/Findings:

In this project the digitized soil map was linked to the LRI database to produce following national map output: Suitability of major crops, inundation land type, economically depressed thanas, agro-ecologically constrained regions, climatic variability, soil reaction, soil moisture zones, drought area delineation, and nutrient deficiencies etc. For local level planning the project has digitized Soil and Land use maps of 200 thanas. Another 100 Thana maps are now under process of digitization. Completion of 300 Thana maps cover overed 70% area of the country. The project developed a comprehensive database on present agricultural landuse by agro-ecological sub-region and landtype, which can be used for present and potential landuse and crop production planning. During 1998, the country experienced the most devastating flood of the century. Crop damage estimation of the standing T. Aman was done using the AEZ/GIS database and was provided to the Prime Minister's office and to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The project also prepared outputs to reflect the effect of incessant rainfall during November 1998 caused by depression in the southern belt of Bangladesh. The later output was to assist in taking up crop-rehabilitation and post-flood mitigation activities. The potential suitability of 15 different farming system technologies generated at different places of the country has been extrapolated for the whole country using the AEZ/GIS Database. The project has so far collected thana-wise socio-economic data relating to demography, land holding structure, bovine population, irrigation equipment with command area and selected information on structural variables and food grain prices of 132 thanas.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings