Project Background:
Problem of agriculture in coastal area has become a staple problem of coastal livelihood. Changing climatic situation has made a radical change in agriculture system. Many varieties of flora and fauna are not seen now in coastal area. Many varieties of rice has extinct due to seasonal diversification. Production of rice has decreased in most cases. Farmers have changed their profession as their food security is gradually fall in threats. People have been compelled to change their food habits. It was drawn from a study that in 1960, 31% of middle class farmers used to lead their livelihood through agriculture. In 1996 this figure has come down to 11%. Water logging and salinity has affected seriously the agriculture of coastal area. Meadows have been changing their characteristics that hinder the production of different crops; people are changing their food habits. Present situation of land is not like before in southern coastal belt. Five types of changing mode are observed in this area. These are: decreasing soil fertility, increased salinity, increased acidity, decreased water borne capacity and soil became hard or stony.
In the above situation Amon season is delaying due to unusual drought. Some variety of rice has permanently been extinct due to high rated salinity. It is not possible for us to change this adverse situation and make it favored to us. But analyzing these negative affects we can take some positive steps for our survival and agricultural sustainability. In this regard IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) and USAID has taken some initiative in terms of confronting such environmentally adverse situation through introducing high yielding flood, drought and saline tolerant variety of rice of short duration life cycle. Aiming to address this adverse climatic condition DDJ has started SRSPDS project with technical and advisory assistance of IRRI and funded by USAID.
Duration: July 2012 to December 2013
Area Coverage: Jhalokathi & Rajapur upazilas of Jhalokathi district and Zianagar, Mathbaria & Nazirpur upazilas of Pirojpur district
Source of Funding: IRRI/USAID
Project Goal: To increase farm household’s income and agricultural productivity.
Objective of the Project:
The overall objectives of the project are to increase income, food security and livelihoods in impoverished and agriculturally dependent regions of Bangladesh. The specific objectives are as follows:
- The widespread delivery, participatory fine-tuning and adoption of improved varieties, production technologies and natural resources management for cereal system in order to improve productivity, income and resilience to risk;
- Adaptive research trials to test, validate, and refine newly developed agronomic practices for cereals;
- Capacity building of researchers, extension workers, service providers from public, private and NGO sectors to enable and rapid dissemination and adoption of improved technologies and management approaches.
Project Participants:
All class of farmers of Jhalokathi and Pirojpur district.