1. Productive, profitable, and resilient
agriculture and aquaculture systems
(G2)
Manoranjan Mondal
Collaborative Research Scientist
International Rice Research Institute
Presented in AAS Hub Scoping at Khulna

2. Coastal Zone Overview
• Coastal is the most
impoverish part of the
country, with low
cropping intensity and
low productivity caused
food insecurity

3. Coastal Zone Overview
• Main constrain for
agricultural production
has been defined as
– Soil and water salinity
– lack of fresh water in
dry season
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Month
RiverwaterSalinity(ds/m)
High tide Low tide

4. Polder Construction vs Crop Production
• To overcome constrains to
agriculture, in 1960 –
1970, GoB has built 135
polders with main
mandate: control salinity
intrusion and tidal surge
• Thanks to the polders,
area and rice production
in the coastal zone has
increased

5. Water Management in Polder: Institutional Level
• Various institution “manage”
different part of the polder
• BWDB: construction and
maintenance of the
embankment and sluices
• BADC: small irrigation
system within polders
• LEGD: outside polders
• No one looks at polder is a comprehensive water
management unit

6. Background
• Build on the successes of CPWF Phase 1 projects, especially
from PN 10 and PN 7, in using short-duration stress-tolerant
varieties and on-farm water management for increasing
opportunities for cropping intensification.
• The new varieties with short duration and enhanced tolerance
of abiotic stresses (salinity, submergence) developed by BRRI,
BINA, IRRI, CIMMYT, BARI, and ICRISAT provide further
opportunities for crop intensification and diversification.
• The project will leverage on the BWDB’s work on Integrated
Planning for Sustainable Water Management in improving
polder infrastructure and management.
• Experiences learned from CP10 in stocking of prawn and fish
with rice in the rice phase of the shrimp-rice system will
contribute to enhancing productivity.

7. Objectives
• Validate new germplasm suitable for various agricultural
cropping systems and establish seed distribution networks in
target zones
• Develop and disseminate more productive, profitable,
resilient, and diversified rice-based cropping systems
(including rice-aquaculture)
• Enhance the productivity of homestead production systems
• Develop novel brackish-water aquatic production systems for
zones too saline for agricultural crops
• Produce technology and policy recommendations for up- and
out-scaling

8. Partners
• Lead Institution: IRRI
• Bangladesh
– BRRI
– BFRI
– BRAC
– WFC
• India
– CSSRI (Central Soil Salinity Research Institute)
– CIBA (Central Institute for Brackish-Water
Aquaculture )

9. Study Sites
• Bangladesh
– Polder 3 (Kaligonj, Shatkira)
– Polder 30 (Batiaghata, Khulna)
– Polder 43/2F (Amtali, Barguna)
• India
– Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas District
– Kakdwip, South 24 Parganas District

10. Study Sites in Bangladesh
Pol-
43/2F
Pol-30
Polder 3 :High Salinity
Polder 30 : Moderate Salinity
Polder 43/2F : Low Salinity
Pol-3

11. Study Sites
• Bangladesh
– Polder 3 (Kaligonj, Shatkira): This polder is characterized by
high salinity, especially during the dry season. Good
potential exists for increasing productivity of the rice-
shrimp system and for enhancing aquacultural production
in the dry season by introducing modern technology of
mixed farming of shrimp, fish, etc. Rice yield during the
aman (wet) season could also be increased considerably by
replacing the current local varieties with improved salt-
tolerant varieties with shorter maturity to escape the
periods of higher salinity and increase duration for the
shrimp season, as well as the period required for land
preparation between seasons.

12. Study Sites
• Bangladesh
– Polder 30 (Batiaghata, Khulna): This polder covers
about 4,500 ha, mostly affected by medium to high
salinity during the dry season and early in the wet
season. Cropping intensity is low, about 140%,
despite the potential for two to three crops per
year. Possibilities also exist for incorporating fish
culture with rice during the wet season and cage
culture in canals in aman season.

13. Study Sites
• Bangladesh
– Polder 43/2/F (Patuakhali, Barisal): This polder has
low to medium salinity intrusion and low cropping
intensity but potential for a substantial increase,
and potential for triple cropping. Rice productivity
can also be further increased by replacing the
current local varieties with more productive salt-
tolerant modern varieties.

14. Rice-based Cropping Systems

15. Cropping Systems
• Even with polders: Main crop is still single aman rice
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Traditional Rice
Sesame/Mungbean
(0.5-1.0 t/ha)
Traditional Rice
Aquaculture
Traditional Rice
(2-3 t/ha)
Aquaculture

16. Varietal Testing
• Aus : BRRI dhan28 , 47, 48, 53, 55, BINA dhan8, OM1490,
Alloran, Mala (local)
• Aman:
• Polder 3: BR23, BRRI dhan40, 41, 44, 47, 52, 53, 54,
BINA dhan8, IR 8465, Local check
• Polder 30: BR23, BRRI dhan41, 44, 49, 52, 53, 54, BINA dhan8,
Saltol+sub1(1), Saltol+sub1(2), Morichsail (local check)
• Polder 43/2F: BRRI dhan 30, 33, 39, 40, 41, 44, 51, 52, 53, 54,
BINA dhan8, Shadamota (local check)
• Boro: BRRI dhan28, 29, 45, 47, 50, 53, 55, BINA dhan8,
BRRI Hybrid dhan2, 3, Alloran

17. New Cropping Systems Development
• With new varieties
– Short duration
– Non photoperiod sensitive
– Salt tolerance
• Cropping systems research
• On farm water management
– On farm storage
– Rainfall
• It is possible to have 2 or 3 crops per year which can
avoid salinity and overcoming the water shortage in
the dry season
Sesame-Aman-F = 3-4 t/ha
Boro-F-Aman = 11-13 t/ha
Aus-Aman-Rabi = 12-42 t/ha

18. A M J J A S O N D J F M A M
Barisal Region: Aus-Aman-Boro Cropping System
20 Dec
01 May
20 July
01 Aug
25 Nov 05 Apr
Boro (140 d)
05 Dec
T. Aman (145d)T. Aus (100d)
20 Apr
15 May
05 Aug
15 Aug
10 Dec 20 Apr
20 Dec/05 Jan
01 May
10 Aug
20 Aug
15 Dec
10 Apr
25 Dec/10 Jan
DS. Aus (100d)

19. 10 Apr
30 June
10 July
15 Nov 1 Apr
Rabi (120 d)
1 Dec
T. Aman (145d)T. Aus (100d)
A M J J A S O N D J F M A M
Barisal Region: Aus-Aman-Rabi Cropping System
10 Apr
30 June
10 July
15 Nov 15 Apr
15 Dec
10 May
30 July
10 Aug
15 Dec
2 5 Apr
25 Dec
30 May
20 Aug
30 Aug
5 Jan 15 May
15 Jan

20. 20 Apr
20 July
01 Aug
25 Nov 5 Apr
Rabi (120 d)
5 Dec
T. Aman (145d)T. Aus (110d)
A M J J A S O N D J F M A M
Khulna Region: Aus-Aman-Rabi Cropping System
1 May
30 July
10 Aug
5 Dec 15 Apr
15 Dec
10 May
10 Auf
20 Aug
15 Dec 2 5 Apr
25 Dec
20 May
20 Aug
30 Aug
25 Dec
5 May
5 Jan

21. New Cropping Systems
Boro (140-145 d)
1 May
20 July
1 Aug
25 Nov
5 Dec
5 Apr
T. Aman (130-140 d)Aus (100-105 d)
M J J A S O N D J F M A M
River water
EC 1-5 dSm-1
River water
EC 1-5 dSm-1
Rainfall ~1500 mm leaching
down soil salinity
Aus-Aman-Boro Cropping System

22. New Cropping System
10 Apr
30 June
10 July
15 Nov
1 5Apr
Rabi (130-140 d)
1 Dec
T. Aman (130-140 d)Aus (100-105 d)
A M J J A S O N D J F M A
Rainfall ~1500 mm leaching
down soil salinity
River water
EC 1-5 dSm-1
River water
EC 1-5 dSm-1
Aus-Aman-Rabi Cropping System

23. Constrains to New Cropping Systems
A M J J A S O N D J F M A
T. Aman (130-140 d)Aus (100-105 d) Rabi (130-140 d)
Deep flooding at the beginning
of rainy season constrains the
establishment of aman rice and
adoption of modern high
yielding varieties
Prolonged water log at
the end of rainy season
delay establishment of
rabi crop

24. High Tide
Low Tide
LandLand Surface
Embankment
River Bed
Sluice gate
1-2 m
How to Adopt New Cropping Systems?
• To realize the new cropping system, it is crucial to
improve the drainage of the polders
• Can drainage be improved? Yes
2-3 m

25. • Previous role: salinity and
tidal surge prevention
• Now with new cropping
systems, the polders have
additional roles
– Water supply and storage
– Drainage
• New function: polder has to be
treated as one “water
management unit”
Re-assess the Role of Polders in
New Cropping Systems

26. Aquaculture-based Cropping Systems

27. Productive,Profitable,andResilientAgricultureandAquacultureSystems(G2)
Aquaculture-Rice System
Water Treatment : D1 = Farmer’s Field Water Depth (30-40 cm)
: D2 = D1 + 20 cm = (50-60 cm)
 Stocking Treatment : S1 = Farmer’s Practice (control)
Farmers practice was documented through a series of consultation meeting at 3 southern unions (Nalta,
Vara Shimla and Tarali) of polder 3. Total 54 farmers participated in 3 consultation meeting.
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Penaeus monodon – 2/m2
Metapenaeus Monoceros-4/m2
Liza parsia 0.25/m2
Rhinomugil corsula - 0.25/m2
Oreochromis spp. - 0.25/m2
Penaeus monodon -0.5/m2
Penaeus monodon -0.5/m2
Penaeus monodon-0.5/m2
Penaeus monodon-0.5/m2
Labeo rohita - 0.25/m2
Catla catla - 0.25/m2
Cyprinus carpio - 0.25/m2
Cirrhinus mrigala - 0.25/m2
Aman Rice

28. Productive,Profitable,andResilientAgricultureandAquacultureSystems(G2)
Aquaculture-Rice System
Water Treatment : D1 = Farmer’s Field Water Depth (30-40 cm)
: D2 = D1 + 20 cm = (50-60 cm)
 Stocking Treatment : S2 = Rotational Monoculture
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Penaeus monodon
3/sqm (early Feb)
Oreochromis spp.
-2/m2 (nursing will be
started at late May and
after shrimp harvesting
it will be released in
the GHER)
Macrobrachium_rosenbergii
2/m2 (nursing will be started in
early July and after Tilapia harvest it
will be released in the GHER)
Aman Rice
For rice: Water will be drained out in June/July and land will be exposed to rain to wash-
out deposited salt. Tilapia will take shelter in refugee pond during June/July. Rice will be
transplanted in early August (30 d seedlings), basal fertilizers (P, K, S, Zn) will be applied
1 d before TP and for N, USG will be applied 10 d after TP. Water depth will be increased
synchronizing with plant height. Rice plant may take advantage of N application for fish
(golda).

29. Productive,Profitable,andResilientAgricultureandAquacultureSystems(G2)
Aquaculture-Rice System
Water Treatment : D1 = Farmer’s Field Water Depth (30-40 cm)
: D2 = D1 + 20 cm = (50-60 cm)
 Stocking Treatment : S3 = Polyculture
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Penaeus monodon - 2/sqm
Oreochromis spp - 2/sqm
Penaeus monodon - 1/sqm
Oreochromis spp 1/sqm
Mystus gulio -1/sqm
(nursing will be started at
late May and after Shrimp &
Tilapia harvesting it will be
released in the GHER)
Heteropneustes fossilis – 1/m2
Macrobrachium_rosenbergii -1/m2
(nursing will be started at early July and
after harvesting of Tilapia and Tengra it
will be released in the GHER)
Aman Rice

30. Productive,Profitable,andResilientAgricultureandAquacultureSystems(G2)
Year-round Aquaculture
Stocking Treatment: S1 = Farmer’s Practice (Control)
Farmers practice was documented through a series of consultation meetings at 3 southern unions ( Nalta, Vara
Shimla & Tarali) of polder 3. Total 54 farmers participated in 3 consultation meetings.
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Penaeus monodon - 2/sqm
Metapenaeus Monoceros 4/sqm
Liza parsia 0.25/sqm
Rhinomugil corsula - 0.25/sqm
Oreochromis spp. - 0.25/sqm
Penaeus monodon - 0.5/sqm
Penaeus monodon -0.5/sqm
Penaeus monodon- 0.5/sqm
Penaeus monodon- 0.5/sqm
Penaeus monodon- 0.5/sqm
Penaeus monodon
0.5/sqm
Labeo rohita - 0.25/sqm
Catla catla - 0.25/sqm
Cyprinus carpio - 0.25/sqm
Cirrhinus mrigala - 0.25/sqm

31. Productive,Profitable,andResilientAgricultureandAquacultureSystems(G2)
Year-round Aquaculture
Stocking Treatment: S2 = Rotational Monoculture
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Penaeus monodon
3/sqm (early Feb)
Oreochromis spp. -4/sqm
(nursing will be started at
late May and after shrimp
harvesting it will be
released in the GHER)
Macrobrachium_rosenbergii -3/sqm
(nursing will be started at early July
and after Tilapia harvesting it will
be released in the GHER)

32. Productive,Profitable,andResilientAgricultureandAquacultureSystems(G2)
Year-round Aquaculture
Stocking Treatment: S3 = Polyculture
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Penaeus monodon -2/sqm
Oreochromis spp. -2/sqm
Shrimp - 1/sqm
Oreochromis spp. 2/sqm
Mystus gulio - 3/sqm
(nursing will be started at
late may and after shrimp
& Tilapia harvesting it will
be released in the GHER)
Heteropneustes fossilis - 2/sqm
Macrobrachium_rosenbergii -2/sqm
(nursing will be started at early July
and after harvesting of Tilapia and
Tengra it will be released in the GHER)

33. Aquaculture Activities at a Glance

34. Homestead Production Systems

35. Background
• Intended to focus on homesteads, as opposed to the off-
household “gher” aquatic agricultural farming systems
research.
• Included analysis of vegetable, fish, livestock integration
in homestead lands and ponds of households in coastal
areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal in India.
• Research will pay special attention to the role of female
farmers and impact of increase in salinity on homestead
production (vegetables, fruit, livestock in addition to
aquaculture).

36. Background
• Research will be preceded by a baseline survey and
literature review.
• Purpose of survey is to benchmark understanding on how
people use the resources, identifying options for
improving homestead economy, resilience, nutrition and
health.
• Purpose of the review is to evaluate input efficiencies,
productivity and nutritional value of different models of
integrated homestead farming in selected villages,
representing different salinity and flooding risk.
• Gender analysis should have been an integral part of the
review.

37. Progress
• A survey of >1200 randomly selected HHs was conducted
across 3 polders (polder: 3, 30, 43/2F) in SW Bangladesh
during January-May.
• Homestead size: average 20% of total land.
• Landless (< 0.19 ha): 54 % HHs, followed by 26% with 0.2-
0.6 ha.
• Household income sources are different across land size
classes
– Labour for landless group, agriculture for the HHs with land >0.2ha
• 51% HHs have ponds with av area of 13 decimals (525 m2).
• We are exploring the influence of pond on household
characteristics, but income seems to be positively
associated with presence of a pond.

38. Moving Forward
• Research approach during 2012 which could combine
analysis of household survey data, ongoing FtF and CSISA
• Research question:
1. What are indicators of “improved” homestead systems?
• These should reflect dimensions of homestead production
systems, including productivity, resilience, nutritional
values, income, land size, seasonality. For ponds, we may
explore size, production, productivity, no. of harvests etc.
2. How indicators for an improved homestead system are
associated with relevant human development
parameters?
• Such as household size, education, children under 5,
women-headed households etc.

39. Moving Forward
3. What are the benefits households, women and children
might get by moving from a non-improved to an
“improved” garden and pond?
4. What are the best bets for household “improvements”?
This analysis might also have to look at conditions related
to influence of salinity? It could also explore possible
synergies/conflicts/trade offs between homestead and
ghers investments.
5. What are the blocks households face in achieving these
improvements and how might these be overcome?
• What is the role of AAS capacity building in addressing
these blocks? This would provide insights that might
contribute to scale-ability, and actions to address
blocks/opportunities.

40. Improved water management

41. Existing Crop and Water Management Scenario
A M J J A S O N D J F M A
T. Aman (140-160 d) Rabi (130-140 d)
Deep flooding at the beginning
of rainy season constrains the
establishment of aman rice and
adoption of modern HYV rice
Prolonged water log at
the end of rainy season
delay establishment of
rabi crop

42. Key Issues in Achieving Food Security
• Key to increasing food production and improving
rural livelihoods in the coastal region of Bangladesh
is improved water management,
– Improved drainage to reduce the depth of
inundation during the rainy season
– Drain-out water from rice fields rapidly at the end
of the rainy season to allow timely establishment
of rabi crops
– Maximize use of available freshwater for crop
production in the dry season.

43. High Tide
Low Tide
LandLand Surface
Embankment
River Bed
Sluice gate
1-2 m
Can Drainage be Improved?
2-3 m

44. Objective
• Overall objective of this study is to work in a
pilot “watershed” area to demonstrate the
benefits of improved water management at
the community level
– to adopt improved crop and crop management
practices
– for safe harvest of the dry season crops to achieve
higher land and water productivity.

45. Study Site: Kismat Fultola, Polder 30, Khulna
Mini-watershed
Sluice gate
River

46. Methodology
• Study will be conducted at the community level in polder 30
involving
• Land owners (47 farmers) and tenants in watershed area
• Local water users association and
• Public representatives
• Demonstrate the procedures of rainfall, river water and sluice
gate management necessary for adoption of high yielding rice
varieties and associated fertilizer management techniques
• to get higher productivity in the wet season
• to demonstrate early establishment of non-rice crops for
safe harvest of the crops and consequently higher
production and income

47. Methodology
• Prior to rainy season, drainage networks and drainage outlet
will be established to facilitate HYV rice cultivation for higher
productivity in the aman/rainy season 2012.
• Provide good quality HYV rice seeds and training to adopt
similar cropping calendar to facilitate N topdressing .
• Drainage system will be managed to maintain a water depth
of about 20 cm, above which water will be drained out.
Terminal drainage 2-3 weeks before rice harvest to facilitate
early establishment of rabi crops.
• Neighboring farmers (male and female), member of WUA,
local leaders and journalists will be invited to provide insight
on improved water management and cropping plan.
• Monitoring of cultural practices for aman and rabi crops in
and outside of the watershed area to compare with the
farmers’ previous practices

48. Improved Cropping System
15 July
15 Nov Mar-Apr
Rabi (120-140 d)
01 Dec-01 Jan
Aman (140 d)
M J J A S O N D J F M A M
Rainfall ~1500+ mm
leaching down soil salinity
River water
EC 1-5 dSm-1
Aman-Rabi Cropping System
Residual
soil water
Terminal Drainage
TD Drainage
Yd (FP)= 2.5 + 0.5 t/ha
Yd (IP) = 4.5 + 1.0 t/ha
Irrigation

49. Conclusion
• With advances in germplasm/species, on-farm
water management, it is possible to have 2-3
crops (ag+aq)/year despite of salinity and
water shortage in DS
• Water management is the key, especially we
have to improve drainage
• Polders have been built 40 years ago, with the
new farming systems
– polders have new roles ….. new roles need new
management, new institution set up ……for
food security and increased income

50. Thank You