Expert Meeting on Technology Road Maps Adaptation Technologies in Agriculture: Experiences from Bangladesh Expert Meeting on Technology Road Maps 25 March 2013 Bonn, Germany Golam Rabbani Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS)

Outline of the Presentation Background Climate Induced Major Hazards How climate change currently affects agriculture practices (including the coast of Bangladesh) Adaptation Technologies for Agriculture (Crop-Rice) in Bangladesh Adaptation Policy and Strategy of the Government of Bangladesh Some examples of Adaptation technology in Agriculture in Bangladesh

Background Bangladesh is one of the climate related disaster prone countries of the world Climate Change reduces rice production in Bangladesh by an average 3.9 % each year (World Bank, 2010) 4°C increase in temperature would have a sever impact on food production in Bangladesh, resulting in a 28 percent reduction for rice and a 68 per cent reduction for wheat (BCAS, BIDS and BUP, 1996) Bangladesh losses about 0.5 million tones of rice annually as a result of floods (Paul and Rashid, 1993) Salinity affected 1.1 million ha of land (soil) in the coast Farmers are adapting with local and innovative technologies (advantage and disadvantages)

Cyclone Storm surge, salinity Drought Climate Induced Major Hazards That Affect Agriculture Sector in Bangladesh Flood Water logging Bank Erosion Bank erosion Mazumder, 2011

Climate Induced Major Hazards That Affect Bangladesh River flood Flash flood Tidal surge Affected/Exposed Areas: Nearly 80 % areas of the country is low-lying Recent floods affected 30-69 % areas Standing crops damage

Climate Induced Major Hazards That Affect Bangladesh

Climate Induced Major Hazards That Affect Bangladesh Source: BWDB

That Affect Bangladesh Climate Induced Major Hazards That Affect Bangladesh Sea Level Rise 1 Meter Sea Level Rise

Salinity Intrusion in agriculture fields (SOIL) Climate Induced Major Hazards That Affect Bangladesh Salinity Intrusion in agriculture fields (SOIL) Salinity intrusion increased by 27 % from 1973 to 2009 (SRDI, 2010) Farmers are extremely challenged with salinity After Cyclone Aila (2009), many farmers couldn’t cultivate rice for three consecutive years

How climate change induced hazards currently affects agriculture practices in the coast of Bangladesh Impacts on Agriculture sector Vulnerability to LIVELIHOOD Heavy rainfall in short time cause damage to crop Excessive rainfall submerge the vegetables and crops for several days Damages of crops, fisheries and livestock No freshwater for crops Reduce crop production due to salinity in soil Reduced yields loss of crops Cyclone and Storm surge Late and lack of rainfall Tidal surge and Salinity intrusion excessive rainfall (sky flood!) Climate Change Overflows surface water resources Lack of freshwater for irrigation Low level of water in ponds and mini ponds Water quality and quantity Salinity in surface water huge surface runoff Quality of water deteriorates Impacts on water sector Vulnerability to LIVELIHOODS

Current Adaptation Technologies for Crop Agriculture Adaptation Technologies for Agriculture (Crop-Rice and Wheat) in Bangladesh Climate Change key Elements Current Adaptation Technologies for Crop Agriculture (e.g. Rice and wheat ) Hard Technology Soft Technology Temperature variations Heat tolerant variety Early morning flowering variety Improve irrigation system/ supplementary irrigation Irrigation efficiency (magic pipe technology) Changing crop varieties Training/capacity building Crop rotation patterns Awareness raising Erratic rainfall Submergence tolerant varieties Early warning system Short term variety Capacity building Change of cropping pattern

Adaptation Technologies in Agriculture (Crop-Rice and Wheat) in Bangladesh Climate Change key Elements Current Adaptation Technologies for Crop Agriculture (e.g. Rice and wheat ) Hard Technology Soft Technology Drought Drought tolerant variety Rainwater harvesting for lean period Excavation and re-excavation of water channels, mini ponds for irrigation Change tilling practices Drip irrigation system Awareness raising Capacity building Irrigation efficiency Flood Flood tolerant variety Infrastructure e.g. flood control Seed preservation Early warning system Crop forecasting Salinity Saline tolerant variety Infrastructure (protection of agriculture land from intrusion of sea water)

Adaptation Technologies in Agriculture (Crop-Rice) in Bangladesh Climate Tolerant Rice Varieties Climate Related Stress Climate Tolerant Popular Rice Variety Growth Duration (days) Average Yield (Ton/Ha) Flood (submergence) BRRI dhan 51 142-154 4 BRRI dhan 52 145-155 4.5 Salinity in soil, surface and ground water BRRI dhan 40 145 BRRI dhan 41 148 BRRI 28 140 6.0 BR 23 150 5.5 BRRI dhan 27 115 BRRI dhan 47 152 BINA-8 130-135 5.0 Drought BRRI dhan 55 (also saline tolerant) 7.0 BRRI dhan 33 118 BRRI dhan 39 122

“Saline Tolerant Varieties” as the effective adaptation option for Rice Farming in the most vulnerable Coastal Zone in Bangladesh Popular saline tolerant Rice varieties Crop Season Months Salinity tolerant level (ds/m) BRRI 28 Boro Dec-May 1-4 BRRI dhan 40 Aman June-Dec 8-10 BRRI dhan 41 BRRI 23 BRRI dhan 47 BINA-8 Boro and Aman Dec-May/ 12-14

key Adaptation Technologies in Crop Agriculture in Bangladesh Stress (flood, drought and salinity) tolerant varieties Short duration crops Innovative farming practices (floating gardens, irrigation efficiency) Crop diversification Changing/shifting cropping pattern Adjustments in irrigation system (excavation of mini-ponds, supplementary irrigation) Cropping intensity (1, 2, 3, 4……crops in a year)

Adaptation Policy and Strategy of the Government of Bangladesh Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan 2005 National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPA) 2004/2005 Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP, 2009) Food security, social protection and health Comprehensive Disaster Management Infrastructure Mitigation and low carbon development Research and knowledge management Capacity and institutions

Current Adaptation Governance: Conceptual Framework Trusty Board Managing fund and selection of adaptation projects 15 members Adaptation Actions/Projects MoEF Line Ministries Technical Committee review and recommendation of adaptation projects CTF Policy and Strategy BCCSAP NAPA CCT Climate Finance Evaluation Team BCRRF High Level Committee DoE Departments/Institutes Implementing Organizations NGO/CSOs Communities

Some examples of Adaptation technology in Agriculture in Bangladesh Adaptation technology in practice: Flood Prone Areas Floating Bed Preparation Collection of materials (water-hyacinth and other aquatic vegetation) Making a floating bed (May to July) Farming crops and season Mostly vegetables, both summer and winter Ball or cushion like structure Seedling raising Technology Case-1. Floating Gardens (Vegetable Farming)

Some examples of Adaptation technology in Agriculture in Bangladesh Technology Case-1. Floating Gardens (Vegetable Farming) Growing vegetables Vegetables growing People also grow vegetables for own consumption and sell surplus to the market Income Women earns 5 USD/Day (May-June) for preparing “Dolla” (small ball shaped structure) Farmer earns 200 to 2000 USD/season depending on the size of the floating bed

Some examples of Adaptation technology in Agriculture in Bangladesh Technology Case-2. Saline Tolerant Rice Variety Adaptation Technology in practice: Coastal Zone Saline Tolerant Rice Variety BRRI 28 (mid 1990s to 2008) BRRI dhan 47 is saline resistant variety BRRI 47 can resist 8-10 dS/m (moderate level of salinity) About 5 tons/ha Duration about 150 days Source:

Some examples of Adaptation technology in Agriculture in Bangladesh Technology Case 3. Traditional Adaptation Technology Homestead Vegetable Garden on raised plinth Most of the farmers now practice vegetable farming

Some examples of Adaptation technology in Agriculture in Bangladesh Technology Case 3. Traditional Adaptation Technology Vegetable farming at different level (adapting different degree of salinity) of raised plinth Traditional practices in coastal areas Mainly own consumption Alternate livelihoods option under saline condition

Some examples of Adaptation technology in Agriculture in Bangladesh Technology Case 3. Traditional Adaptation Technology Adaptation technology in practice: Drought Prone Areas Adjustments in irrigation for both rice and vegetable cultivation improve irrigation efficiency in water scarcity areas small water reservoir in the agriculture fields for irrigation Mini ponds supplementary irrigation

Adaptation Projects in Agriculture Sector Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund Bangladesh Climate Resilience Fund Adaptation Projects in Agriculture Budget (USD) 1 Innovation & Extension of rice based technology to reduce the adverse impact of climate change. 0.75 Million 2 Stress tolerant rice, wheat, pulses & oil seed production, processing & distribution project 3.1 Million 3 Innovation of Sustainable Crop System for Drought Prone and Coastal/saline Area to Face Climate Change Impact. 4 Innovation of various Crop System for Drought Prone and Coastal/saline Area to Face Climate Change Impact 0.6 Million 5 Agriculture Adaptation in Climate Risk Prone Areas 22.5 Million

Thank you