Krishi Samabay

Water Supply

The south-west coastal region of Bangladesh has been experiencing acute shortage of safe drinking water and increase in salinity intrusion in surface and ground water over the past few years. Due to geographical disadvantage, this south-western region is commonly affected by cyclone and storm surges. The situation has become worse as intrusion of saline water gradually increasing day by day inside the coast which seriously affects ground water for drinking purpose. As a result, access to a sweet water supply for drinking purpose has become a question of survival day by day. At present, in the South west Bangladesh in some area most of the populations are mainly dependent on natural sources such as rain water during monsoon period and during other season on pond water which they preserve during monsoon for drinking purposes. There are few tube-wells in the pockets of deep aquifer which in most cases are hard to reach. Finding no other alternative, many also use bacteriological unsafe surface water only by boiling.

Pond Sand Filter (PSF) is one of the popular options of potable water supply in coastal belt. It has a slow sand filter unit to treat surface water, usually pond water for domestic water supply. The filter is installed near or on the bank of a pond. In some area tube-well is not successful especially in the coastal belt of Bangladesh because of salinity intrusion in aquifer to a depth of 700-1000 ft. (DPHE-UNICEF, 1989). Besides shallow tube-well contains high quantity of Arsenic hence the people in this area seek for alternative to ground water. This is why PSFs are popular option of drinking water in this area. The water from the pond is pumped by a manually operated hand tube-well to feed the filter bed, which is raised from ground, and the treated water is collected through tap(s). PSF is a low-cost technology with very high efficiency.

Considering the problems of drinking water in the southern Bangladesh and acceptance of people of the area toward using PSF, GK first started establishing PSF in Matbaria and Sharankhola during 2012-13 in support of the donor FSC, Since then up to 2019-20 the total number of PSF in that area raise to 163 nos.. After handing over of those PSF to the beneficiaries by GK , 6138 families having 29058 beneficiaries were getting the acceptable drinking water before up to 2019-20.

Sanitation

The rural poor of the coastal area are extremely lacking access of portable water and hygienic sanitation during and just after any disaster where the people are insecure. This area is also most vulnerable to climatic extremes hurricanes and soil degradation through rising sea levels.

As per report of NGO Forum for public health in the costal belt 3.3% families use septic tank latrine, water sealed ring slab /offset latrine 33.3%, without water sealed ring slab /offset latrine 22.9%. Healthy Pit latrine -1.3%, unhealthy pit latrine 3.2% suspended latrine – 34.9 % and in open place 1.1%.

Against this situation GK started Sanitation programme in the coastal belt and up to 2022 installed 510 latrines GK initially finalized sites at Matbaria, Sharankhola at Patharghata following some rules as per project. During 2022-23 Sanuitation Programme also extended to Barguna and Amtali. The overall cost of latrine is around BDT 10500 -11500, out of which the beneficiaries of the cooperative   will have to deposit participatory amount BDT 2500/- in advance as down payment. The selected members of the cooperative willing to construct latrine on participatory basis appeal to GK through cooperative and finally the sites handed over to the selected contractors for installation. After installing, the latrines were handed over to the owners. So far 510 latrines have been constructed and handed over to the owners.

FOOD & NUTRITION SUPPORT and Food Security IN SOUTH WEST BANGLADESH

GK since 2008 working in in the coastal area for food and nutrition support and for food security of the poor people .The main activities are Food and Nutrition support through Homestead garden. So far GK established 8500 Home stead garden by which produced different types of vegetable throughout the whole year. From those garden 42000 people are getting nutritional support directly and also economic benefit by selling the excess vegetable to the market. The families having small ponds in their house supported with training and 210,000 fish fingerlings for improving the nutritional support.

For Food security GK re excavated canal for extended Irrigation support to different types of cash crops in the area.

GK re-excavated 144 ponds for conservation of water for irrigating vegetable gardens during crisis period. GK also supported people with different agricultural equipment like tractor for cultivation of land , water pumps for irrigating the crops of cooperative members with low cost,

For improvement of the quality of soil GK established GK supported 2000 women vermi compost pit through which GK is now capable of producing 800 tons of Compost fertilizer per year.
Several trainings on agriculture were conducted by GK on different agricultural activities which enriched the knowledge of the people on agriculture increasing the production on food security of south west districts of Bangladesh.

Local schools and colleges are traditionally used as shelters at the time of disaster. Cyclone shelters are used usually for every four and fifth years when natural calamities occur.

As most schools of this locality do not have proper brick and mortar, severity of cyclone SIDR left most of these structures unusable. It is found that during the natural disaster poorer section of people usually take shelter in educational institutions. Middle class and relatively well-off families take shelter with rich relatives who have building of their own or in the residence of the government officials. As a strategy for disaster coping capacity building GK decided to construct 5 educational institute cum cyclone shelters to provide shelter during disaster as well as educational opportunities of 1598 students in normal time and could provide safe shelter of 7000 people located Taltali Secondary High School at Taltali, Gazi Mahmood Junior High School at Barguna Sadar, Pathaghata College, at Pastharghata, B.K Junior Girls High School at Sharankhola and Mohiuddin Ahmed Mahila Degree College at Matbaria under Perojpur Distone in Barguna, one in Amtali one in Patharghata upazilla under Barguna District. one in Matbaria under Perojpur and one in Sharankhola under Bagerhat District within a period of one year. For  such community use of school buildings, every school authority enter a written agreement with GK that they would make school building available to the people for emergency residence during disaster for 6-8 weeks..

After Sidr, Secours populaire François (SPF) of France Supported GK to build up those school buildings.

Cyclone shelter: After Sidr two cyclone shelters were built each having 1400 sq.ft. plinth area and cost of  BDT 2,929,000 which have capacity  to accommodate at least 700 person at the time of cyclone in each shelter. Raised platform was also built around the cyclone shelters. The shelter consists of ground floor, first floor and roof. In most of those constructed areas, tidal surges have not exceeded 6-7 ft. Because of this, the ground floor of the cyclone shelter and raised platform around it raised up to a height so that those can safely be used as a shelter for animals. Like elsewhere in Bangladesh, here too conventionally, young men occupy the roof of the shelter or the people taking shelter there. Those two shelters were constructed in Nameshe para union of Taltali  Upazilla and Kathaltali Union of Patharghata Upazilla under Barguna District. Christian Aid supported GK to build up those Two cyclone shelters after Sidr.

Name of Project: Immediate Response Plan for Flood effected People of Sylhet, Sunamgani, Gaibandha and Kurigram Districts.

Name of Donor: Secours Populaire Francis. France.

Name of Implementing Agency: Gonoshasthaya Kendra.

Area of Implementation: For Agricultural Rehabilitation: Santiganj Upazila of Sunamganj District and Viswanath Upazila of Sylhet District.

Time of Implementation: 22nd August 2022 to 31st November, 2022 ( 3 months 8 days)

Total Budget of the Programmme : 50000 Euro ( BDT 48,50,000)

Fund released by Donor         : 50000 Euro.

Total Unions included in Project : Sunamganj : East Pagla, West Pagla under Agricultural Rehabilitation Birgaon, Joykalash.

Sylhet : Rampasha .

Total beneficiaries under Agricultural activities       : Sylhet Suamganj Total

: 3500 Nos : 8500 Nos.

: 11500 Nos

After approval of FD-6 of the Project both the Managers of Gonoshasthaya Kendra of Pagle of Santiganj Upazila of Sunamganj District and Naodhar Office of Vishwanath Upazila of Sylhet District contracted over on line and briefing them about the programm. From Krishi Samabay posted Regional Manager, of Barguna of Krishi Samabay posted at Pagla to conduct the overall implementation of the activities of the programme. Director arranged a meeting with them in Director Office at Savar and gives them brief description of the Project and implementation procedure of the project. Director instructed Regional Manager of Krishi Samabay along with the local managers of GK offices of Health Deptt.. to meet with the UNO and other government officials related with the activities of the programme also meet with the local Union Chairman .and other public representatives to finalized the list properly. Accordingly Regional Manager visited the Sylhet and Sunamganj area with the local Managers of GK units from 17/09/22 to 27/09/22 to finalize the list of farmers and beneficiaries. They also met with the Local public representatives, agricultural officers, fisheries officer, and animal husbandry officers to get their support during trainings and about finalization of preparing beneficiaries lists. Union wise final number of selected beneficiary families is  shown below:-

In addition to this ,Cow Fodder  distributed among the 1000  families  ( Birganj Upazila -500 and Viswanath Upazila-500 Nos. within 4^th week of November/2022.

So the Total number of beneficiary families under agricultural rehabilitated families 4550 by which 22750 number of people practically supported and rehabilitated.

Director Krishi Samabay arranged allocation of different vegetable and Paddy seeds from BADC and for quick disposal arranged to collect all the seeds from Sylhet and Sunamganj BADC Go down for minimizing the cost of transport by consulting with the higher Authority of BADC. BADC has given the allocation of vegetable seed and Latest variety of Paddy seed BRRI 89 and BR-92 having highest production from Sylhet and Sunamganj BADC Seed Go down. Regional Manager with the help of Manager Pagla and Noadhar received the vegetable seed and Paddy seed from BADC Go down and distributed all the Paddy seeds and Vegetable seeds among the selected flood victim farmers within specific time for plantation. Five types of vegetable packets distributed among the farmers. Union wise distribution of seeds of Vegetable and Paddy seeds from BADC Store completed within schedule time. Selection of suppliers of Fingerlings, Ducklings and CI Sheet already completed and work orders already issued to them. Distribution of fish fingerlings and CI Sheet already completed. Work order for Ducklings supply already given to the supplier but not yet completed. Present Position of distribution of different inputs are shown in the Table-1.

One of the major activities was Training Programme. In the meantime Training Programme of Home gardening, Fish cultivation and Duck farming completed in all respect in Pagle of Santiganj Upazila of Sunamganj District. Local GK Unit managers, Local Upazilla agricultural Officers, Fisheries Officers other government officers Local union Chairman, Memmbers and other Public representatives attended the training Programme. For every training GK supplied proper Training materials related to the training. so that they can prepare it nicely and may continue it for long tie every year.  As for example for Home garden, Training, Time of showing planting different vegetables seeds, How to prepare the home garden.  Training already started. Naodhar Office of Vishwanath Upazila . One Regional Manager of Krishi Samabay has posted at Pagla to conduct the overall implementation of the activities of the programme. He with the help of Local GK Manager contracted with the local concerned officers make the raining programme success.. In the meantime all the Training Programms on Home garden, Fish Farming and Duck Farming completed except one Duck Farming Training at Naodhar of Biswanath Upazila. List of number of trainees so far received completed  up tp 25/11/2022 are shown below :

In every distribution programme of Paddy seed Local Agriculture officer informs the cultivation system of the High yielding variety of BRRI 89 among the farmers and also distributed learning, materials of that seed. From this seed the farmers will able to produce 7-8 tons of paddy per ha.

The progress of rehabilitation is was completed within schedule time with the help of the local administration, Public representatives of the local area, Govt. Officials and GK Staff are supporting GK for implementing the programme in all respect. This rehabilitation created an immediate impact especially to the families who have lost their houses. Different trainings on agriculture increase the knowhow of different technique of cultivation of rice and vegetables. Farmers also knew the technique of fish cultivation and duck farming.  Hope the desire goal of long term rehabilitation will achieve after few months when the farmers will get their production. And hence a study report on the impact will conduct on march next.

VERMI COMPOST is nothing but the excreta of earthworm which is rich in humus and nutrients.  It can be reared artificially in a container made of brick, wood, cement etc and produce required quantities of vermi compost by feeding these earth worm with bio-mass and watching properly the food of earthworms, we can produce the required quantities of vermin compost.

Vermi composting is the process of turning organic debris into worm castings. The worm castings are very important to the fertility of the soil. These castings have Vermi-Compost is organic and all natural. It is environmentally friendly , re-establish soil and plant health , detoxify soils ,increase soil fertility , increase resistance to pests attacks , increase resistance to disease attacks , chemical free, stronger plant growth , increased flowering , increased water holding capacity of soil even up to 30% , use on any plant as all natural and organic manure ,improves fruit and flowers ,helps to de-compact compacted soil ,adds beneficial biology back into soil and on to plant leaf surfaces ,minerals and nutrient in plant available form ,all the benefits of compost in a liquid form ,cost efficient. Observing so many advances GK started a programme for the production of Vermi Compost fertilizer through group members of the cooperative in 2011-12. Total Vermi Pits established by Krishi Samabay of GK is 2001 Nos.

The Farmers are now capable to produce nearly 1000 tons of Vermi Compost amounting to BDT 1 crore Taka per year.  Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) arrange to supply two RCC rings with necessary  amount of earthworms along with the training for vermi compost production and marketing to a farmer free of cost. The farmers first produces vermi compost by using supplied materials of GK and then increase the number of rings at his own cost to increase the production of vermi compost.  Now many farmers are producing vermi compost at a large scale under the supervision of GK Field staff. Farmers are now producing compost on cooperative basis also. After applying those in the own agricultural land as per requirement the excess amount of vermi compost is sold to market. The production of Vermi compost increase the agricultural production as well as improve the health of soil and the  farmers are financially benefited which improve  the socio economic condition as well as  developed of the area. FSC, Cher Support Committee, GIZ and Basati supported GK in this activity.

One Mr. Sankar of village- Chhotosinga of Mothbaria Upazila under Pirojpur district is now sailing vermi compost of 60,000.00 taka in a year. Like him Mrs. Kajoli Rani, Khushi and Banani each are selling the compost of about 20,000.00 taka per year.