Field Visit Report

Project Title: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

Project Number: G4

Project Leader: Zahir-ul Haque Khan

1.

Introduction

A field visit was conducted in Polder 30 in Batiaghata Upazila of Khulna District and Polder 3 in Kaliganj Upazila of Shatkhira District from 15 to 19 September, 2011. The objective of the visit was to conduct community consultation primarily with the farmers and fishermen through Focus Group Discussion (FGD), Key Informant Interview (KII) and other participatory tools to assess the important issues in water resources management and to identify the key external drivers of change. Three professinals of Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) visited Polder 30 & Polder 3 on 16th and 17th September to see the actual condition of the polder, monitor measurement and ensure the successful completion of the Focus Group Discussions. The other team member of G4 joined them in Khulna on 17th September and participated in community consultation and FGDs on 18th and 19th September.

2.

Schedule of Visit

September 15: Travel from Dhaka to Khulna and meeting with survey team. September 16: Visit Polder 30, Identify prevailing problems, monitor salinity and water level measurement stations, observe rice cultivation and water use pattern. September 17: Visit Polder 3, Identify prevailing problems, monitor salinity and water level measurement stations, measure salinity in Ghers inside polder 3. September 18: Conduct two FGDs in Polder 30 in Khulna, travel from Khulna to Jessore September 19: Conduct two FGDs in Polder 3 in Shatkhira, travel from Shatkhira to Dhaka

3.
IWM: 1) 2) 3) 4) BWDB: 1) 2)

Participants

Md. Zahirul Haque Khan, Director & Ptincipal Specialist, CPE, IWM Farhana Akhter Kamal, Junior Specialist, CPE, IWM Md. Nasim Al Azad Khan, Junior Engineer, CPE, IWM Morsheda Begum, Junior Engineer, CPE, IWM

Mr. Md. Sarafat Hossain Khan, Director, BWDB Planning-I, Dhaka Mr. Md. Masud Karim, DCEO, BWDB, Jessore

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

From IWFM-BUET: 1) 2) Dr. M. Shah Alam Khan, Professor, IWFM Dr. Mohammad Asad Hussain, Associate Professor, IWFM

Study Area:

The study area of G4, shown in Figure 1, includes the coastal zone of Ganges river in Bangladesh part for analysis of flooding, storm surge and salinity.

Figure 1: Study area map of G4 The main focus of the G s are three polders (No. 3, 30 and 43/2F) in the region for analysis on salinity, water availability, storage capacity of drainage khals in the polders, storm surge and drainage congestion. In this field visit, G4 team visited Polder 3 and 30. These polders have high potentials for both agriculture and fisheries and experiencing drainage and salinity problems.

5.

Polder Visit

G4 team visited polder 3 and 30 and consulted with various stakeholders such as farmers, fishers, women and local officials of DAE and BWDB. The polder maps are shown in Figure 2 and 3.

Field Visit Report

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

Fig. 2: Study area: polder 30

Field Visit Report

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

Fig. 3: Study area: polder 3

Field Visit Report

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

The team observed severe drainage congestion and water logging in the area. A lot of people have taken shelter in temporary houses besides the roads. People said that their crops has been damaged by the water logging and they observed that siltation and encroachment of the khals (drainage channels) have cause the water-logging. In some places they said that the polders should be raised by the government because some of the polders are overtopped during spring tide. The team also visited some test sites of G2.

Fig. 4: Confluence point of Rupsa River and lower Solmari River

Fig. 5: Severe Erosion at Polder 30 at Batiaghata Upazilla

5 Field Visit Report

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

Fig. 6: Cultivation of salt tolerent crops in polder 30 on research purpose

Fig 7: Fish cultivation in a cage on research purpose

6.

Meetings with Local Officials of DAE and BWDB

Two interviews were conducted with Mr. Motahar Hossain, Agricultural Extension Officer of Batiaghata Upazila, and Mr. Gias Uddin Ahmed, Chief Engineer, South-West Region, BWDB. Information obtained from Mr. Motahar Hossain are summarize below. y One of the problems of proper water management in the area is political pressure. y Department of Agricultural Extension is trying to extend the production of Sunflower and Corn in the area. y People in the area prefer producing Teel as it does not require fertilizer and also marketing facility is very good for this product. y At the vegetative growth stage Ropa Aman can sustain salinity up to 5-6 ppt. y This year BR50 (locally known as Bangla Moti ) was able to sustain 6 ppt of salinity. BR47 and BINA8 are able to sustain 2 ppt of salinity. y On an average, out of 18,000 ha of cultivable land in the area, Ropa Aman is cultivated in 17,000 ha during the wet season. During the dry season only up to 10,000 ha of land is cultivated with
6 Field Visit Report

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

y y y

Teel in 7,000 ha and vegetable and other crops in the remaining 3,000 ha. About 8,000 ha of cultivable land is left fallow during the dry season. Groundwater irrigation may be encouraged during the dry season in the area. In the past salinity level started to build during December, but at present it rises during November. Korola , Seem , Kumra , etc., grow well in the gher areas.

Fig. 8: Discussion with the local Agriculture officials in polder 30 Information obtained from Mr. Gias Uddin Ahmed are summarized below. y WMGs do not work when there is no project. y People want excavation of canals to allow saline water inside the polders (for ghers ), not to solve drainage problem. y After the Farakka Barrage construction, water in the Bhairab River became saline, previously it was freshwater. y Elected people are the mostly corrupt group. y The lands around the gates have been encroached. y BWDB personnel are not trained to ensure peoples participation in their projects. BWDB needs to formulate institutional mechanisms to work with WMOs. y O&M budget from the government is required for the WMOs to sustain. y Budget for the O&M phase must be given proper importance. At present only implementation phase is given importance. y WMOs can be useful for small repair works of polders. y Subsidy should be given for O&M work. y Land zoning is needed for management of agriculture and shrimp production, especially for the Shatkhira area. y Free board of polders needs to be increased considering climate change induced SLR. y One of the major problems in the area is that 20% of the people are the owners of 80% of the land.
7 Field Visit Report

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

7.

Outcomes of Community Consultation

Four group discussions were held with the farmers and fishermen of Polder 3 and 30. These discussions are summarized below: Polder-30 FGD1: Farmers of Fultola, Batiaghata Union, Khulna Group composition: 3 women, 20 men. Information collected through group discussion at the site is summarized below: y y y y y Water Management Groups (WMGs) are active in the area. But the groups need money for its smooth operation. Majority of the people are involved in agriculture. Main agricultural products are Aman Rice during monsoon and sesame during dry season. Aman production is decreasing in the area. Twenty years earlier it was 20 maund/bigha but now it is only 8-12 maund/bigha. This is mainly due to the accumulation of algae in the paddy field. Participants in the group discussion were mainly involved in agriculture but they also had other activities. Farmers are interested in sesame production because it is easy to produce and can be sold at a relatively high rate. Very little effort is required for production. But a little amount of water or even moist soil may damage crop. Groundwater is saline down to a depth of approximately 1100 m. Water logging has been a recurrent problem in the area in recent years. Since the river bed has become higher due to sedimentation, rainfall-runoff from areas inside the polder cannot drain out easily to the river. Drainage during ebb tide used to occur for about 6 hours previously whereas it occurs for only 2 hours at present. Participants believe that Farakka Barrage is among other causes of river sedimentation. Saline water enters the polder areas by seepage through earthen dykes and regulators. During normal high tide (spring tide) river water overtops the polders. Participants believe that river water level is rising because of climate change. Participants believe that even without the IPSWAM project they can continue their work by giving labor, but funds will be needed if major repair of the polder is needed. Participants believe that it will be helpful if the Khas lands are leased to generate fund for these activities. Farmers sought more active cooperation from the BWDB officials.

y y

y y y y

Field Visit Report

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

Fig 2: Focus Group Discussion in Fultola Village, Polder 30, khulna The farmers prioritized the following problems inside the polders: 1. Water logging: It is the main problem in the area. The khals have been blocked by local people because of khal leasing as well as unauthorized encroaching. Moreover the khals and peripheral rivers have been silted up. The insufficient number of culverts has increased the problem. This drainage congestion is hampering agricultural production. Sesame dries up when water is logged at it roots. Due to water logging a kind of algae grows in Aman field and hampers production. 2. Lease of Polders: BWDB drainage khals have been leased to people who have built cross-dams for fishing and caused severe drainage congestion. 3. Sedimentation of River beds: The beds of the peripheral rivers have been raised due to sedimentation. Water can drain away from the polder for only two hours during low tide. 4. Salinity Intrusion: Salinity was very high during last dry season. It has increased than before. The farmers identified various solutions to the problems and ranked in the following order: 1. Raising the embankments and renovation of the sluice gates. 2. Improving the drainage system by khal re-excavation, repair of existing sluices and gates and construction of new sluices and inlet-outlets. The WMAs should be made more functional by fund raising. The BWDB land adjacent to the gates should be leased to the WMAs so that they can utilize the land for crop production to generate funds for the WMAs. Moreover, a portion of the money earned from the LCS can be given to the WMA funds. The functionality of the WMAs should be increased by representative and participatory approach. 3. The leasing of the khals should be stopped as early as possible. 4. Improving navigability of the peripheral rivers. Tidal River Management (TRM) can be a good solution. However, proper crop compensation should be ensured. 5. Training and capacity building of the WMAs are necessary.

Field Visit Report

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

FGD2: Fishermen of Kismat-Fultola, Batiaghata Union, Khulna Group composition: 6 women, 9 men. Information collected through group discussion at the site are summarized below. y Participants in the group discussion are involved in both fishing and agriculture. Most of them are landless and catch fingerlings in the river. Those who have some land are involved in agriculture and some culture fisheries. Women, mostly housewives, are involved in capture fisheries apart from their household work. Previously Boal , Aair , Sarputi , Rayna or Meni , Kholshe , Gojar , Foli , Baila , etc., were available in the area. Recently these varieties of fish are no more available. Fishermen think increase in salinity of river water is the reason behind this. At present Shol , Koi , Tengra , Puti and Taki are available but the catch amount is decreasing day by day. Culture fisheries include Pangash and Mono-sex Tilapia . Salinity increase in the river is allowing crocodiles to move upstream. Participants believe that population increase has lead to increase in number of fishing nets in the river. So fish production has decreased. Participants reported that after a heavy rainfall it takes almost seven days to drain the water from the polder area whereas in the past it took only two days. This is because the river bed has risen considerably. Participants also believe that fish production may increase considerably if the juvenile fish are released to the river while catching shrimp. Participants believe that use of Net-Jal should be stopped. It also destroys fish-eggs. Opportunity for alternate employment should be increased. Compensation for not catching fish is not a solution, since then people may take compensation but still catch fish. Market accessibility for fisheries should be increased through WMGs.

y y

y y y y

y y y y

Fig 3: Focus Group Discussion in Kismat-Fultola Village, Polder 30, khulna

10

Field Visit Report

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

They prioritized the following reasons of decreasing catch amount of fish: 1. Loss of connectivity between river and floodplain. The khals have been leased to various persons and lost navigability. 2. People obstruct the khals by net-board ( net-pata ), charu , or other obstruction in the canals/river. 3. The beels and other fish habitats have been destroyed. 4. The connectivity of the khals and rivers has been lost due to construction of roads which hampers fish migration. 5. The fertilizers and pesticides used for agricultural production destroy fish. 6. Population growth is a major problem. The increase of fishermen has decreased fish production. 7. The navigability of the rivers has decreased. 8. Leasing of BWDB drainage khals and illegal encroachment of khals are causing problem. 9. Fishing the fish with eggs decreases fish production. 10. Market accessibility is a problem. Fishermen have to sell their fish and fries to the middlemen at a lower price than the market. 11. Increasing salinity of the river water attracts crocodiles which is a threat to the fishermen. They identified various solutions to the problems and ranked in the following order: 1. Stopping khal leasing 2. Stopping blocking the drainage khals by earthen dams, net-board, charu , pata etc. 3. Restoring the drainage system inside polders by dredging khals, restoring their connectivity and flow 4. Stopping the fishing of fish with eggs. They suggested that alternative employment during that season can be a good solution to this problem. 5. Decreasing use of the insecticides and fertilizers that are harmful for fish. 6. After separating the shrimp/prawn fries, the remaining water should be drained back to the river in order to keep other fish fries alive. 7. If the small canals are fully drained and dried up to catch fish then the other fishes and fish fries die. This problem will be solved if minimum water is retained in the canals. Polder-3 FGD1: Farmers of Nalta Union, Shatkhira Group composition: 2 women, 8 men. Information collected through group discussion at the site are summarized below. y y y y y Participants in the group discussion are involved in both agriculture and fisheries. Farmers cultivate three crops per year (Aman-Boro-Aus). Production is 12-14 maund/bigha. Since 2001 they have been producing three crops. Previously they produced two crops. Production rate has increased in some areas, e.g. previously it was 5 bags per plot, at present it is 15 bags per plot. Bagda is cultivated during the dry season. Farmers think that if the gher owners leave five feet of land for canal, it could be beneficial for both fisheries and agriculture since flushing and drainage would be improved.

11

Field Visit Report

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

y y

Female participants think that drinking water is scarce. They drink filtered deep tube-well water. It is free from salinity and arsenic but contains high level of iron. Sometimes the polder is overtopped during normal high tide in the river.

Fig. 4: Focus group Discussion in Nalta Union, polder 3, Satkhira They prioritized the following problems: 1. Water logging is the main problem in the area. It hampers rice production. BWDB khals are often obstructed by encroachers and fishermen which is the main cause of the severe water logging in the area. There are unplanned ghers in the area which blocked the drainage from the agricultural land causing water logging. There have been unplanned human habitats filling low lands. 2. Last two years were extremely dry so that salinity was much higher than before. 3. Polders are overtopped during Spring tide. 4. The increase of fertilizer price hampers rice production. They identified various solutions to the problems and ranked in the following order: Stopping khal encroachment, decrease sedimentation of khals and improving the drainage system. Raising the polders to resist polder overtopping. Making the ghers in a planned manner. Zoning of the lands will be a good solution. WMA under proper supervision of BWDB is necessary. The sluices should be operated in such a way that it ensures requirement of the majority people. 5. Ensuring fair price of fertilizers, insecticides and diesel. 6. Find a better solution for drinking water. 7. Saline tolerant varieties can be grown in the fallow land. FGD2: Fishermen of Bhara-Simla Union, Shatkhira Group composition: 15 men. Information collected through group discussion at the site are summarized below. y Participants in the group discussion are mostly the members of the Union Parishad. Chairman of Union Parishad presided over the discussion. Two participants are not members of Union Parishad.
12 Field Visit Report

1. 2. 3. 4.

G4: Assessment of the impact of anticipated external drivers of change on water resources of the coastal zone

y y y y

All the members are owners of ghers ; they have their own shrimp businesses. They appeared welloff from their attires. Most participants believe that previously the main function of polders was to prevent saline water from entering the polders, but now the main purpose is to retain water inside the polder for shrimp culture. Virus attack on shrimp is a recent problem. It occurs during the rainy season. Fish may die from 2472 hours of virus attack. Groundwater is not available in the area. Some participants believe that after Farakka Barrage construction, sedimentation has increased considerably in the nearby Ichhamoti River. Three of the sluice gates in the area are out of order.

Fig. 4: Focus Group Discussion in Bhara-Simla Union, polder 3, Satkhira The fishermen prioritized the following problems in the area: 1. Main problem in the area is the availability of drinking water. Saline water is stored in the ghers for shrimp production. The freshwater aquifer is found at more than 300-500 ft depth. 2. A virus is hampering shrimp production. 3. Drainage congestion is also a severe problem in the area. Unplanned ghers without proper drainage system has caused water logging. 4. Due to sedimentation of the riverbeds drainage congestion has been increased. They blamed Farakka barrage for sedimentation of riverbeds. 5. Increased rainfall is another reason for water logging. 6. Polder overtopping and breaching is a major problem in the area. They ranked the flowing solutions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Ensuring drinking water Make the ghers in a planned way with proper drainage system River bank should be protected from severe erosion. Polder height should be increased and brick soling of the polder is necessary. The drainage should be improved by increasing sluice gate capacity, restoring khals, removing unauthorized pipes etc. 6. The water management should be under a institutional framework.
13 Field Visit Report