| Diversifying crop
production
and
improving
diet
and
economic
security in
Bangladesh
Small-scale demonstrations
are key to having project benefits realized by
farmers.
|
|
The Bangladesh Crop
Diversification Program (CDP) addressed the
national nutritional imbalance created by the
predominance of rice monoculture in Bangladesh.
The project was carried out in cooperation with
the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI),
the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE),
the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM)
and the Bangladesh Agricultural Development
Corporation (BADC). The goal of CDP was
to improve the dietary diversity and level of
food self-sufficiency in Bangladesh by increasing
the production and consumption of pulses (chickpeas,
lentils, soybeans, mung beans); tubers and root
crops (Irish and sweet potatoes); and oilseeds (mustard,
sunflower, groundnuts).
The CDP
directly benefited one million small and marginal
farm families. It was awarded the prestigious
1994 Canadian Award for International Development.
Project
activities/outputs included:
- Released
nine varieties of potato, five of
advanced lines of pulses and five of
oilseeds;
- Completed
53,000 crop cultivation demonstrations
over four growing seasons;
- Demonstrated
cultivation and harvesting of sunflowers
and soybeans in 5,137demonstration plots;
- A
shuttle breeding project in which
Bangladesh and Canadian mustard and
rapeseed were crossed to produce improved
varieties;
- Completed
14 review and planning workshops with DAE
regional personnel, farmers, NGOs and
banks to develop a new community-based
approach to extension plans aimed at
farmers;
- Trained
150 Bangladesh scientists in Bangladesh,
Canada, India, Malaysia, Philippines and
Thailand;
- Trained
2,400 Bangladesh agricultural
extensionists in CDP cultivation
technology to farmers in such areas as
production, harvesting, storage and
utilization;
- Established
the Centre of Improved Technology (CIT)
for demonstration of enhanced methods and
equipment for the processing of CDP crops;
- Developed
forward-marketing arrangements under
which the processors guaranteed CDP crop
prices in advance of planting;
- Prepared
and distributed 25,000 information
packages on techniques for production,
storage and primary processing of CDP
crops; and staged 19,800 cooking
demonstrations throughout the country;
- Establishment
of homestead and school gardens, food
preparation and demonstration of improved
post harvest technologies for women;
Gender awareness and equity training for
senior and intermediate level staff of
the CDP implementing agencies.
|
