Farmers in the regions of Charfasson, Kolapara, and Golacipa grow crops like rice, mung beans, soybeans, groundnuts, chilies, tomatoes, and watermelon. Watermelon cultivation is particularly successful in these areas. However, farmers face issues transporting watermelons to markets due to poor road conditions, which damages fruits and reduces prices. The project aims to improve watermelon quality and yields, strengthen market linkages, and increase farmers' incomes. Activities include demonstrations of irrigation and pest control techniques, linkage workshops between producers and input/output market actors, and expansion of seed and equipment supply chains. The project expects to benefit 1050 farmers, increase

1. Sub sector: Water melon
1. Situation:
Crop production is the main sources of food and cash of these regions. The main crops of these regions
are Paddy (T-amon), Mung bean, Soybean, Ground nut, Chili, Watermelon, Tomato, Country bean, Okra.
The av. yield is 25t/hac compare to recommend yield is 30t/hac. Water melon is growing well in
charfasson, kolapara, golacipa. Framer practices improve cultivation technology with quality seed. A
good number of buyers come from local, regional and national level and bought watermelon from those
areas. Local level buyer (faria and bepari) and arotder bought watermelon on behalf of regional and
nation buyers, i.e. market linkage is also good. The most difficulty is shifting watermelon from farm gate
to the consumer market. Bad road, crossing channel/river, loading and unloading cause damage of the
fruit. That ultimately decreases the farmer selling price and increase consumer buying price. If
consumers buy Tk 20 per kg than farmers selling price is Tk 10 per kg. Generally transaction is taking
place in watermelon field. Thus farmers have less scope for bargaining.
Last year, less number of buyers was found in patuakhali due to bad road transportation which cause
fruit damage and increase the cost of the product. One company provide hormone for rapid growth of
fruit but using that fruit was rotten and dropped. Certain tidal surge damaged the watermelon field in
charfasson. Ultimately farmers were losing in last year.
Irrigation to the watermelon field is a big issue in this area. Farmer use dug well for irrigated the field
which is costly and labour intensive. Framers have trend to sell green watermelon to get immediate
return but reduced the product quality and confidence of buyers. Considering the experiences and
horticulture sub sector study report, issue is to improve the fruit quality by using boron fertilizer,
increase yield by ensure irrigation; protect fruit from borer and improve bargaining power of producer
so that farmer will benefit.
2. Objectives for working in the sub sector:
• Increase productivity
• Improve market linkage
• Increase farmers’ income
3. What has been done and impact so far:
The RED team facilitated the following activities with the soybean value chain actors, so that farmer can
get access to input market, increase land productivity and finally income:
Activities # of events # of framer attended Outcome
Linkage workshop with producer,
buyers, input seller
7 217 Benefited farmer: 150 (Gr. farmer -
70, Non gr. farmer- 80
Preseason planning workshop 9 255 Land coverage: 2025 decimal
Facilitated demonstration 5 5 Production increased: 2 kg/decimal

2. Informal meeting with producers 12 352
• Organizing producers for cultivation of watermelon and facilitate collection point for improve
selling terms.
• Linkage with seed seller (Supreem Seed Ltd.) to ensure quality seed and pheromone trap
• Facilitate micro irrigation technology (treadle pump) as demonstration for improve fruit quality,
reduce irrigation cost and improve fruit size.
4. Future strategy for reaching the target beneficiaries (High importance)
Farmer Upazila Land coverage Yield Cost
1050 Bhola: Charfasson,
Barisal: Bakergonj
Patuakhali: Kolapara
31500 dec land increase yield 10
kg per decimal
reduce production
cost 3-4 Tk/decimal
It is expected that each farmer will cultivate water melon in 30 decimal land, and through the
interventions the additional income will Tk. 1732500 (Av income increase is Tk 55/dec, total land
coverage 128 hectors/31500 decimal, increase productivity 10 kg/dec, decreased cost Tk4/dec and
increase selling price Tk 1-2/kg)
Specific activities to support the strategies:
• Provide direct assistance to the soybean producers (training, linkages, demonstrations, market
visit)
• Select specific geographic locations for growing of watermelon
• Facilitate collection point to improve competition and ensure higher selling price of water melon
• Involved private company for expansion of distribution channel of seed and pheromone trap
• Improve irrigation facilities for improve productivity and develop supply chain
5. Scale up strategy (secondary importance)
• Develop micro irrigation technology (treadle pump) supply chain in watermelon producing zone
• Seed & Pesticide Company, local input sellers (seed and pheromone trap) will extend their input
distribution channel.
6. Constraints matrix:
Areas Constraints Interventions
Input market • Farmers lack access to quality seed,
irrigation equipment and credit
access to quality seed, irrigation equipment
and credit
Farm
Production
• Farmers lack knowledge about
producing high quality fruit (irrigation,
fruit borer control )
improve technical knowledge of
watermelon producer
Output market • Lack of understanding about meeting
the market demand and business
growth (demand and price
meet the market demand

3. Main Intervention area are availability of quality seed, irrigation facilities, pheromone trap, market linkages
7. Activity plan:
Activity Subject Total Year wise activity distribution Respon
sibility
Year 1 Year 2
Ba Bh Pa No Ba Bh Pa No
Primary focus:
access to quality
seed, irrigation
equipment and
credit
Organize linkage workshop among
producer, seed, pheromone trap and
treadle pump sellers and watermelon
buyers
8 1 1 2 1 2 1
Organize training for develop business
plan on each inputs
6 1 1 1 1 1 1
Organize planning meeting among
producer, input seller sand credit
providers
4 1 1 1 1
Improve technical
knowledge of
watermelon
producer
Organize training for watermelon farmer
on market driven production technology
(C:B ratio analysis)
32 5 5 6 6 5 5
Promote demonstration on best
practices for watermelon production
technology
6 1 1 1 1 1 1
Organize preseason planning meeting at
village level
20 2 4 4 2 4 4
Meet the market
demand
Organize linkage workshop between
watermelon producers and buyers
(Bepari and Arotder)
12 1 3 2 1 2 3
Organization workshop for CPMC to
better marketing of watermelon
4 1 1 1 1
Marketing visit 8 1 1 2 2 1 1
8. Activity Budget:
Activity Cost/b
atch
Part/
batch
Y1 (Jan- Dec 2011) Y2 (Jan-Dec 2012) Total
batch
Total cost
batch T. part T. cost batch T. part T. cost
Marketing training 23,000 20 20 400 460,000 18 360 414,000 38 874,000
Linkage workshop 4,575 25 12 300 54,900 12 300 54,900 24 109,800
Marketing visit 33,000 15 4 60 132,000 4 60 132,000 8 264,000
Demonstration & FFD 2,500 100 3 300 7,500 3 300 7,500 6 15,000
Preseason planning
meeting
500 30 8 240 4,000 8 240 4,000 24 8,000
Promotional activities 20,000 6 120,000 4 80,000 10 200,000
Impact study 25,000 1 25,000 1 25,000 2 50,000
803,400 717,400 1,520,800
9. Monitoring Indicators:
• # of farmers directly involved with project
• Area under improved cultivation
• Increase productivity

4. • # of participants using new technology
• Enter in to new markets
• Reduced cost (production, postharvest losses, carrying cost etc)
• Increase product selling prices
• Increase income