GBDC Reflection Workshop April 2013 ….an area of unique human and agro-ecosystems….. ….home to 38 million people…. AAS in the “Southern Bangladesh Polder Zone”

The AAS Development Challenge The AAS development challenge is to achieve sustainable and continual improvements in agricultural productivity, livelihoods and nutrition of poor communities in the Southern Bangladesh Polder Zone in the face of increasing salinity, changing hydrology, climate change and within a context of complex and dynamic markets and social change.

Our Starting Point We believe in and seek to harness an immense and inherent potential for: 1. People to innovate and adapt 2. Continued and sustainable improvements in aquatic agricultural systems in the polder zone

1. Sustainable Increases in System Productivity 2. Equitable Access to Markets 4. Gender Equity 5. Policies and Institutions to Empower AAS Users 3. Socio-Ecological Resilience and Adaptive Capacity 6. Knowledge, Sharing, Learning and Innovation AAS Research Themes

Norms for greater gender equity at the household, community and hub levels is established. Farmers lead, have improved understanding of and have improved access to modern science and technology Private sector, government and NGO services and structures are poor- responsive Sustainable reductions in poverty & improvements in Nutrition Strategic Changes: Greater gender equity in household decision-making Including food decisions More control and/or ownership of monetary and other productive resources by women Women playing more influential roles in community governance Women are respected as important economic actors the local economy Government policies support gender equity and are implemented Women and the poor have organized group approaches to gain voice and power in negotiations Strategic Changes: Farmers have enhanced science skills which they use to do research, analyze research and share it with other farmers and communities. Farmers are aware of and linked to key sources of information and science Formal sector researchers and scientists regularly communicate and engage with farmer scientists Farmers are linked to and share their research and knowledge with other community members and adjacent communities CGIAR scientists actively support and link their research to community based research agendas Strategic Changes: Agriculture input systems are women and poor responsive. Agriculture information systems are developed with women and poor as specific target audiences and their structures are designed for this purpose Markets are women and poor- friendly in terms of participation in buy, selling and negotiating prices. Women are involved in and their opinions equal for water and other common resource committees Women and the poor have organized group approaches to gain voice and power in negotiations KHULNA HUB LEVEL THEORY OF CHANGE XX =

Polders 3, 30,433/2F

PROGRAM OF FARMER AND COMMUNITY LED RESEARCH AND INNOVATION PROGRAM SUPPORTIVE RESEARCH FOCUSED ON AGENDAS 1-6 Prioritization of Researchable Participatory Technology Development Agendas Establish partnerships for research

Issues prioritization process 1. Prepared list of issues 2. Prepare ballot box and cards

3. Individual voting 4. Counting, analyzing and discussing

A RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF TWO LINKED AND COMPLEMENTARY LEVELS OF RESEARCH Program of System-Level Action Research & Strategic Research Agendas Community Vision-Informed Researcher Leadership Community Level Program of Action Research, Inquiry and Capacity Building GoB, NGO & P. S. Support Research Partner Support SCIENCE OUTPUTS DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES A PLATFORM FOR PRACTICE, KNOWLEDGE, COORDINATION & COMMUNICATION

2013 Village Level Action Research Work with poor farm households to: Manage local water resources Identify, construct suitable water management units and establish community water management systems Pilot and develop rainwater and freshwater homestead collection and storage Improve integrated agro-ecological farming systems Livestock Fodder (variety testing, animal health, markets) Testing of non-rice field crops

2013 Village level action research Work with poor farm households to: Develop sustained links to service & knowledge providers Improve farmers’ knowledge of livestock market systems (constraints/opportunities Creating awareness of and changes in gender equity at household level Facilitate discussions about the benefits of greater gender equity for livelihood outcomes

2013 Strategic and System Level Research Improved and equitable micro-level water management systems Review and monitor management practices that reduce conflict and increase inclusion Technology options for drainage and salinity control Modeling salinity systems and system resilience to water intrusion Modeling productivity of sorjan systems under plausible scenarios Poor and women responsive market systems that provide appropriate, timely inputs Document then pilot existing fish seed supply systems Facilitate livestock (focus on fodder) value chain Challenged Ponds Technology Development Work with research partners to:

2013 Strategic and System Level Research Climate change adaptation Rice field habitat restoration research (for increased fish populations) Ecosystem services Overview of agro-biodiversity resources with focus on local crop varieties Gender systems level research Cage aquaculture technology risk research with focus on women Gender and social analysis in AAS Villages Nutrition systems level research Understanding of equitable intra-household food distribution Work with research partners to:

OBSERVATION Low rice production RESPONSE Breeding Define salinity Fertilizer trials Slow adoption of new varieties, low input use Demonstrations Participatory selection Training Share crop system (1/3 of harvest). No access to credit. No control over water. ?????? Must have “own” local rice varieties for own consumption and guests ???? The WorldFish work on “challenged ponds” is exploring this same model: Why is there low productivity? Is it a lack of technology or are there other underlying factors?

Identify groups interested in research agendas and benchmark farmer's experiences Initiate and design research for suggested technologies Coordinate researcher visits for technical backstopping and farmer-researcher interaction Identify and build networking opportunities between farmers, communities and orgaznizations Analyze, document and share final results with community, researchers and organizations and plan next research agendas Establish dialogue with farmers on specific issues for better understanding and suggest best practice options for PTD (easy win) Train staff on research topics and research design Field visit support and dialogue visits Co-writing publications Science Advisory Group Write publications and provide support/training on report writing & publication Support staff on effective communication methods Train on PAR processes, gender equity, monitoring tools and technique Provide thought leadership and documentation of PAR processes Process Support & Documentation Farmer Led Action Research ­ Science Quality Farmer Science Process Science

Thank You