FAO Bangladesh is improving food security and increasing agriculture production in the southern coastal region of Bangladesh through significant activities in six upazillas (Dumuria, Batiaghata, Paikgacha, Patuakhali Sadar, Galachipa and Amtali) across Khulna, Barguna and Patuakhali districts, under the project titled “Enhancing Food Security through Improved Crop Water Management Practices in the Southern Coastal Areas of Bangladesh”. Water, being one of the most substantial contributing factors to agricultural production, is also a constraining issue for food security. The success of the project relies on enhancing the capacity of personnel from local institutions such as Sub Assistant Agriculture Officers (SAAOs) from Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), farmers from Water Management Groups (WMGs) through Training of Trainers (ToT) and Farmer Field School (FFS) training programme.
Training of Trainers (ToT) and Farmer Filed School (FFS) Training
A total number of 70 Farmer Field School (FFS) trainings have been planned under the project. Among them, 27 trainings have been completed, whereas, continuing 43 trainings sessions, partaken by both male and female farmers, are concentrated on field crops and vegetables. All the FFS training sessions are scheduled to finish by 15 March, 2015.
The overall curriculum of the ToT and FFS training covered the spectrum of agricultural machinery (low lift pump, power tiller, salinity meter and power thresher), cultivation of rice and culture other crops with lower water requirements i.e. wheat, maize along with homestead fruits and vegetable gardening as well as food processing.
The recent FFS training has been ongoing since 14 December 2014 with 1,075 farmers, comprised of 43 water users groups (WUG) with 25 farmers in each group; the session is expected to finish by 15 March, 2015.
Previously, during the period of December, 2013 - May 2014, 53 Sub Assistant Agriculture Officers (SAAO) participated in the ToT session. At the same time, 675 farmers under 27 water users groups (WUG) also joined the FFS training under the respective project. Later on, fifty three (53) more SAAO successfully joined and completed the ToT session during 29 November, 14-11 December, 2014.