The document discusses unlocking the production potential of coastal zone polders in Bangladesh through improved water management, investment, and reform. It notes the area's high population density and low productivity, as well as opportunities to build on past work. The document outlines 5 projects focusing on cropping systems, water governance, and coordination. It proposes 6 messages regarding the coastal zone's underutilized water resources and production potential, the need for updated infrastructure and drainage to enable intensification, maintaining infrastructure through community involvement and funds, improving water governance, and increasing access to data and tools for planning.

1. Messages from the Ganges Basin Development
Challenge (GBDC)
Unlocking the Production Potential of
the Polders of the Coastal Zone of
Bangladesh through Water Management
Investment and Reform
GBDC Community

2. Target area for extrapolation
CPWF primary focus
– polders
Outputsof SW & SC coastal zone of Bangladesh
domains

3. Why the coastal zone of the Ganges Delta?
NEED
• Among world’s poorest, most food insecure,
vulnerable rural families
• Dense population >36 million people; >760/km2
(>7.6 per 100 m x 100 m) (2001)
• Low land & water productivity – 1 low yielding
traditional aman crop, much of the land is fallow
during much of the dry season - missed out on the
Green Revolution
3

4. Why the coastal zone of the Ganges Delta?
OPPORTUNITIES
• Opportunity to build on the achievements &
networks of CPWF Phase 1 project
• The coastal zone offers the potential for
Bangladesh to make a quantum leap in meeting
future food security requirements
4

5. The Ganges Basin Development Challenge – 5 Projects
River
Increasing resilience of agric & aqua systems of the coastal
zone of the Ganges Basin
Inlet to sluice gate
G4. Understanding of water resources – data & models
(current & future scenarios)
Polder G2. More
31
productive, resilient & diversified cropping
systems (rice, upland, aquaculture)
Sluice gate on river side
G3. Understanding polder water governance –
recommendations for improvement
Sluice gate inside the
polder
G1. Cropping system suitability maps from
Polder 30
comprehensive GIS data base
G5. Co-ordination, liaison with CPWF, policy dialogues,
communication with stakeholders for up & outscaling

6. Target polders infor extrapolation
3 focal area Bangladesh
Outputs
domains
Low salinity - Polder 43/2F
(IPSWAM)
1 rice, 1 legume per year
High salinity - Polder 3
Rice/shrimp &
Aquaculture
Moderate salinity
Polder 30 (IPSWAM)
1 rice, 1 legume per
year

7. About the messages
• Based on findings of all the Gs + discussions,
consultations.
• Products of the Gs
• Aims
– Correct mis-perceptions about potentials of the
coastal zone
– Change mind-sets
– Advocate for the changes in resource use,
resource management policies, institutional
coordination and governance mechanism

8. Content
• Message 1: Water resources: rich but under-utilized
• Message 2: Huge production potentials
• Message 3: New paradigm for water management
infrastructure investment
• Message 4: Three tier strategy for infrastructure
maintenance
• Message 5:Transparent and accountable IWRM
governance
• Message 6: Access to data and modern tools in
planning, policy analysis, technology targeting

9. Message 1. Water resources in the coastal zone are
rich, but under utilized.
• Perception: Water resources in
the coastal zone is a constraint
to agricultural production.
Therefore, underused
• Reality: They are rich and have
huge potential to support
agricultural and aquacultural
production and livelihood
improvement of farming
families and communities.

10. Low salinity Zone (Barisal) : there is fresh water
for irrigation year round – now and near future
POLDER-43/2f
Polder 43-2f (Station-2 (Out Side),Paira River)
24.0
16.0
12.0
8.0
4.0
2-Mar
22-Nov
14-Aug
6-May
26-Jan
18-Oct
10-Jul
1-Apr
23-Dec
14-Sep
6-Jun
0.0
26-Feb
Salinity (ppt)
20.0

11. Medium salinity zone: enough fresh water for dry
season irrigation for part of the area
POLDER-30
Polder 30 (Station-2, Pussur river)
16.00
Storage water can irrigate
25% of area during
February - April
8.00
4.00
Aug-13
-Jun-13
Apr-13
Feb-13
Dec-12
Oct-12
Aug-12
-Jun-12
Apr-12
Feb-12
Dec-11
Oct-11
Aug-11
-Jun-11
0.00
Apr-11
Salinity (ppt)
12.00

12. High salinity zone: brackish water supports highincome aquaculture. It is a resource, not a constraint
POLDER-3
Polder 3 (Station-2, Ichamoti river)
24.0
16.0
12.0
8.0
4.0
Date
3-Sep
5-Jul
6-May
7-Mar
6-Jan
7-Nov
8-Sep
10-Jul
11-May
12-Mar
12-Jan
13-Nov
14-Sep
16-Jul
17-May
0.0
18-Mar
Salinity (ppt)
20.0

13. Most of the land in the polders can be irrigated or drained
by gravity
Elevation (above
mean sea level, m)
<0. 0
<0.60
<1.00
<1.20
<1.60
<1.80
%
0
15
61
80
95
98
High tide water level 2.9 m
High tide water level 2.7 m
Average water level 1.3 m
Average water level 1.0 m
Average water level 1.0 m
Low tide water level 0.0 m
Low tide water level -0.50 m
Lower-Shalta river
Kazibacha river

14. Message 2: There is huge potential for greatly
increasing productivity through cropping system
intensification and diversification
Advances in development of new
rice, upland crop varieties and
aquaculture species
high rice/upland crop yields in
areas/seasons not previously
possible
More profitable, less risky
aquaculture systems
Advances in Cropping system
research, crop, fish, water mgt
Tremendous opportunity for cropping system intensification and
diversification across all salinity regimes of the coastal zone

15. Cropping system intensification for low salinity areas
1. Aus-aman-boro (~16 t/ha)
M
J
J
A
S
O
Aus (100-105 d)
T. Aman (130-140 d)
1 Aug
D
J
F
M
A
25 Nov
20 July
1 May
N
5 Dec
M
5 Apr
Boro (140-145 d)
Successfully implemented on-farm for 2 years – 7th crop – polder 43/2F
HYV
Short duration
Salt tolerant
HYV
Medium duration
Submergence tolerant
Water stagnation tolerant
HYV
Medium duration
“Early” sowing
15

16. Cropping system intensification for low salinity areas
2. Aus-aman-rabi (~10 t/ha rice + 8 t/ha maize OR 3 t/ha sunflower etc)
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
Aus (100-105 d)
10 July
J
F
15 Nov
30 June
10 Apr
D
T. Aman (130-140 d)
M
A
1 5Apr
Rabi (130-140 d)
1 Dec
Successfully implemented on-farm for 2 years – 7th crop – polder 43/2F
HYV
Short duration
Salt tolerant
HYV
Medium duration
Submergence tolerant
Water stagnation tolerant
HYV
Maize
Sunflower,
Water melon
Chilli etc.
16

17. Polder-30: Subpoldering and Community based Water Management
Sub-polder
Community based
water management
Unit/ Block
Considerations
for Sub-polderization:
 Land level
 Canal system
 Tidal characteristics
of the peripheral
rivers
 Road network

18. Cropping system intensification for medium salinity/water short areas
1. Aman-boro (~9 t/ha)
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
25 Nov
20 July
T. Aman (130-140 d)
1 Aug
5 Dec
Successfully implemented on-farm – polder 30
HYV
Medium duration
Submergence tolerant
Water stagnation tolerant
M
5 Apr
Boro (140-145 d)
HYV
“Early” sowing
Shorter duration
Salinity tolerant
18

19. Cropping system intensification for medium salinity areas
2. Aman-rabi (~5 t/ha rice + 7 t/ha maize, 2-3 t/ha sunflower etc)
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
J
F
15 Nov
10 July
T. Aman (130-140 d)
M
A
1 5Apr
Rabi (130-140 d)
1 Dec
HYV
Medium duration
Submergence tolerant
Water stagnation tolerant
HYV
Maize
Sunflower,
Water melon etc
Chilli etc.
19

20. Cropping system intensification for high salinity areas
Shrimp+fish – Rice+fish
Jan
Feb
Gher preparation
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Rice nursery
Oct
Nov
Rice+Fish+Prawn
Shrimp+Fish
Virus free shrimp seed
Filtered water
Feeding
Water depth >0.5 m
Trench (deep water refuge around
perimeter
Sep
Drainage/
leaching
TOTAL kg/ha
Shrimp
300-500
Fish
2,000-3,000
HYV
Salt tolerant
Water stagnation tolerant
Submergence tolerant
3 in 1
Dec

21. Extrapolation domain: Aus (HYV)-Aman (HYV)-Rabi
cropping system

22. Message 3: Invest in water management infrastructure with (a)
fundamental changes in thinking about the polders and their
roles
• Polders: High positive impact
• Current design: 1960s concept, to
support a single crop of traditional
aman rice - tall, late maturing, low
yielding.
• It prevents taking advantage of the
advances of new varieties, cropping
intensification
• The roles of the polders must change
and include “enabling cropping
intensified and diversified production
systems”

23. Message 3: Invest in water management infrastructure with (a)
fundamental changes in thinking about the polders and their
roles (Cont.)
• Polder must be able to
• Intake fresh river water for irrigation
• Store fresh water when surrounding
river water becomes saline
• Drain strategically (message 3b)
• Control/Intake of brackish water
• Convey water to/from the fields
• Change mind set. Polder is NOT simply
the embankment and peripheral sluices.
It is an integrated water management
unit, with due attention given to
infrastructure within the polder
• Repair, rehabitate ?

24. Message 3: Invest in water management infrastructure with (a)
fundamental changes in thinking about the polders and their
roles (Cont.)
• Polder must be able to
• Intake fresh river water for irrigation
• Store fresh water when surrounding
river water becomes saline
• Drain strategically (message 3b)
• Control/Intake of brackish water
• Convey water to/from the fields
• Change mind set. Polder is NOT simply
the embankment and peripheral sluices.
It is an integrated water management
unit, with due attention given to
infrastructure within the polder
• Repair, rehabitate renovate?

25. Message 3: Invest in water management infrastructure with (b)
Improving drainage as the key intervention and the entry point for
cropping intensification and diversification.
Enables cultivation of HYV
& earlier harvest (midNov)
1. Strategic
drainage
during the
rainy season
“Early” establishment of
boro rice after aman Reduces storage
requirement for fresh
water to finish the crop
off after the rivers
become too saline
25

26. Message 3: Invest in water management infrastructure with (b)
Improving drainage as the key intervention and the entry point for
cropping intensification and diversification (Cont.)
2. Drainage
at end of
aman crop
3. Drainage
canals
4. Drainage
in
aquaculture
5. Future
Enables soil to dry for
early (timely)
establishment of rabi
crops
Provide storage for
irrigation water
Water depth control in
ponds to reduce fish
diseases
More important due to
SLR
26

27. Message 3: Invest in water management infrastructure with
(c) due attention to rural transport network…..
Rural transport structures
strongly influence water flow
and distribution.
They are often not under the
jurisdiction of water sector
organizations.
They should be considered as
an integral part of water
management infrastructures

28. Message 3: Invest in water management infrastructure with
(c) due attention to rural transport network, creating subhydrological units within the polders
Rural transport network lend
itself to defining subhydrological units (mini-water
sheds), each having coherent
hydrology, land uses etc…
• Reduce high-low land, water
needs conflicts
• Facilitate practice community
water management
Sub hydrological units become units of community
water management

29. Message 4: Maintenance of infrastructure is the Achilles
heel of water management in the polders of the coastal
zone……
Poor condition of embankments, khals and gates due to poor
maintenance
Deferred maintenance  new projects, new infrastructure 
neglect and deterioration
WMOs were created for solving ‘deferred maintenance’
Why communities don’t maintain?
- Finance problems
- Incentive problems
- Public goods dilemma
- if communities don’t fix it in time,
government or donor will in a few
years
BUT

30. Message 4 (cont.): …..deferred maintenance of
infrastructures can be resolved with a three-tier strategy
4a. Community level: increasing ownership and
contributions from the community
• Give WMOs access to income
generating assets like lease of
common land or micro-credit
• Devise fair rules for collection of
maintenance funds
• Creating strong local institutions with
ownership over the infrastructure
from the start of the projects.
• Creating homogenous WMO’s so that
members have shared interest - sub
hydrological units

31. Message 4 (cont.): …..deferred maintenance of
infrastructures can be resolved with a three-tier strategy
4b. Local government level: Effective use of LGI’s social safety-nets
funds in maintenance of infrastructure
• These funds are accessible to UP
• Also creates jobs for the landless
• Strengthens the role of LGIs in water
governance

32. Message 4 (cont.): …..deferred maintenance of
infrastructures can be resolved with a three-tier strategy
4c. Central government and
donor level: creating a Trust Fund
• Long term DonorGovernment Trust Fund for
Maintenance of Water
related infrastructure
• All polders get allocations
for maintenance from
interest accrued by the
Trust Fund.
Development
partner
GoB
Donor Government Trust Fund

33. Message 5: A transparent and accountable water
governance framework is needed for the polders.
5a. Formalizes and enhances the role of LGI in all levels of
water governance
The present institutional coordination is too fragmented and
disjointed.
UP chairman and members are de-facto decision makers,
conflict moderator - but do not necessarily have a formal role
Enhancing the coordinating roles of LGIs in water management
will
- Improve coordination
- Give longer perspectives than project based WMOs
- Encourage UP and LGIs to use Social Safety Net Funds for
water infrastructure maintenance

34. Message 5 (cont.): A transparent and accountable
water governance framework is needed for the
polders.
5b. Follows the IWRM river-basin governance principles; give due
attention to interactions among different scales and sectoral users.
Treating polder as one integrated water management unit, with sub-units
Scale/Hierarch
y
Boundary
SubHydrological
units (sHU)1
Local rural
roads/levees
Sub Polder
(sP)
Provincial/district
roads/embankments
Polder
Embankment
Members
Management/Coordination
Committee
People
living in
sHU
WMG coordination led by reps of
Mouza/Union Parishad)
sHU
sP WMC (Reps of WMGs)
coordination led by reps of Union
Parishad)
sP
P WMC (Reps of sPWMC)
coordination led by reps of
Union/upazila Parishad)

35. Message 6. Access to data and modern tools in
planning, policy analysis, technology targeting and
consensus building is needed.
6a. Models and databases must be able to integrate
socioeconomic and biophysical data and have access to
multidisciplinary, multi-institutional datasets.
- GBDC has effectively used water models and GIS-based spatial
analyses
- GBDC uses many secondary data. No single partner has all the
data needed for spatial analyses of extrapolation domain.
- Most of the data in Bangladesh were generated by/products of
projects. There has been no central data repository.
- Tracking down and accessing data is costly, time consuming

36. Message 6. Access to data and modern tools in
planning, policy analysis, technology targeting and
consensus building is needed.
6b. A Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) should be in place.
- Encourages BGD institutes to
openly share GIS data.
- Include a sustainable and
transparent data sharing
mechanism, based on mutual
trust and understanding.
- Greatly enhance the ability of all
concerned to respond to policy
makers needs.

37. Take home message
The adoption of improved species/varieties, and cropping
system intensification and diversification across the
coastal zone offers the potential for Bangladesh to make
a quantum leap in meeting future food security
requirements.
Unlocking the potential requires effective investment
in water management, but with
• fundamental changes in thinking-about the roles of
the polders and their water management
infrastructure,
• and major reforms in institutional coordination and
water governance mechanisms.

38. Thank you