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Combined Package for Crop and Fish Culture: a New Dimension for Alleviation of Rural Poverty in Bangladesh

F I M Golam Wahed Sarker
Senior Scientific Officer
Irrigation and Water Management Division, BRRI, Gazipur

M A Sattar
Principal Scientific Officer
Irrigation and Water Management Division, BRRI, Gazipur

M N Islam
Chief Scientific Officer
Irrigation and Water Management Division, BRRI, Gazipur

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study was undertaken at BRRI Farm to assess a combined package (new cultivation practice - conservation of rain water using polythene sheet) for crop and fish culture and to determine the economic viability and social acceptability. In this method, polythene sheet was placed about 60 cm deep at the bed of mini pond for conservation of water. Rice and fish were cultivated in y=the mini pond and vegetables were produced in the bank of the pond. The technology was found appropriate for both conservation and utilization of rain water and thus eight irrigation were needed for Boro cultivation compared to 16-18 irrigation required for the same under paddy field condition. The new cultivation practice became encouraging considering the BCR and IRR analysis. The BCR of the practice was 1.05 at 30% discount rate. IRR from the investment on the system was 38.70%. Thus, resource poor farmers could use the technology for maximizing their farm income through intensive family labour utilization in small pieces of land and thereby alleviate poverty.

Keywords: Combined, Crop, Fish Culture

Location: BRRI Farm, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Start Date: 10-11-2002

End Date: 10-05-2004

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Adoption of technology

Objectives:

To assess the conservation of rainwater using polythene sheet as practiced in Madhupur;
To determine the productivity of rice, fish and non-rice crops;
To determine the changes in physical and chemical properties of soil; and
To determine the economic viability and social acceptability of the new cultivation practice.

Methodology:

An experiment was conducted at BRRI Farm, Gazipur during season Boro 2002 to Boro 2004. A mini-pond was prepared by removing soil of about 60 cm depth from 144 m² plot. Polythene sheet was placed at the bottom and side of the mini-pond.Then the plot was filled up with the soil about 30 cm depth. Rain water was conserved and utilized for crop and fish culture ion the pond and vegetables in the bank of pond. Total area of the land was 24 m X 14 m or 336 m² of which pond was 18 m X 8 m or 144 m² pond area and area of pond bank was 336 - 144 = 192 m². Detailed investment cost for construction of new cultivation practice were recorded. Based on costs and returns obtained from the practice, an economic analysis was carried out to determine the profitability of the system. For this purpose, the discounting method of project appraisal technique was used. By discounting, the future cash flows were reduced to their present worth. For measuring the relative worthiness of the system, the following three alternative discounting measures were used:

Net present worth (NPW): is obtained by deducting the discounted cost from the discounted benefits.

Benefit-cost-ratio (BCR): This criterion compares the sum of discounted benefits with the sum of discounted costs.

Internal rate of return (IRR): is defined as the rate of discount, which make the net present worth of the project zero. Thus, IRR = Lower discount rate + Difference between two discount rate X (Present worth at the lower discount rate/Absolute difference between the present worth at the two discount rates).

For determining the economic viability and social acceptability of the system in Madhupur area, a field survey was done., Ten farm households (who are practicing the system) were surveyed.

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Aril. Res. 30(2):291-300. June 2005

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1. Government

Budget: 50,000

Total Budget (Tk.) : 50,000

Achievement/Findings:

The combined package (new cultivation practice - water conservation by using polythene sheet) for crop and fish culture developed by Agrani Samaz Kallanyan Shangstha, Madhupur was tested at BRRI Farm, Gazipur, which revealed that the technology has great potential to conserve water for both crop and fish culture. The technology seemed technically sound and economically viable for farmers. On the basis of three years' results, it may be concluded that farmers could economically produce rice, fish and vegetables with this technology. Resource poor farmers could also use the technology for maximizing their farm income through intensive utilization of family labour and thereby alleviate poverty.

Knowledge Management: Journal