IFDC’s main objective in Bangladesh has been and continues to be to increase food security and support poverty alleviation by improving the productivity of agriculture. The Accelerating Agriculture Productivity Improvement in Bangladesh project (AAPI) is expected to achieve an immediate impact on improved yields and increased farmer income due to improved resource use efficiency. AAPI (2010-2015) is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Project emphasis focuses on technology diffusion and development of support systems to achieve sustainability. The main technology employed is fertilizer deep placement (FDP), which is similar to urea deep placement (UDP) technology.
IFDC pioneered the development of FDP/UDP – a technology that reduces nitrogen losses significantly – and introduced it in Bangladesh. FDP is an important technology that has great potential to substantially improve crop yields using less fertilizer and is well-suited to rice production.
Most farmers broadcast urea (the most common nitrogen-based fertilizer) directly into the floodwater of lowland rice, wasting two of every three bags of urea. FDP, the insertion of large urea briquettes into the rice root zone after transplanting, reduces fertilizer use by 40 percent while increasing crop yields 25 to 40 percent. Because the briquettes are placed beneath the soil, fewer weeds grow with this type of fertilizer application.
Working to improve resource use efficiency in agriculture production systems, the AAPI project is supporting water management techniques such as alternate wetting and drying (AWD), a water-saving technology that lowland (paddy) rice farmers can apply to reduce water use in irrigated fields. In AWD, irrigation water is applied to flood the field a certain number of days when pond water is not available. Hence, the field is alternately flooded and then not flooded. In addition to saving water, AWD results in high paddy productivity, less harm to the environment, enhanced efficiency of nutrients and less infestation of insect pests.
The FDP/UDP technology also offers entrepreneurs small business opportunities supplying briquettes to farmers. Establishing village-level businesses to manufacture simple briquette-making machines, as well as the briquettes, is part of IFDC’s strategy to strengthen the private sector.
AAPI is also facilitating opportunities for women to participate. The project has set a target of 20 percent participation by women in technology diffusion training (including entrepreneurial and managerial). Women will also be encouraged to own micro-enterprise briquette machines.
The Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Agricultural Extension are playing key roles in disseminating information, particularly by implementing demonstrations of the FDP and AWD technologies and ongoing farmer education. The Bangladesh Fertilizer Association is supporting efforts to strengthen the supply system for FDP products.
AAPI Articles
Rewarding Retirement for Bangladeshi Accountant (Taken from IFDC Report Volume 37, No 1)
AAPI Project Participates in Feed the Future Initiative and AAPI Project Hosts USAID Officials
IFDC Core Competency: Gender Equity is Key to Feeding the Hungry
Bangladesh Minister of Agriculture Chowdhury and U.S. Ambassador Moriarty Launch AAPI Project
AAPI Press Releases
Bangladesh Minister of Agriculture and U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Launch
USAID Awards New Project in Bangladesh to IFDC
AAPI News Bulletins
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 14, April 2012 (English and Bengali Versions)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 13, March 2012 (English and Bengali Versions)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 12, February 2012 (English and Bengali Versions)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 11, January 2012 (English and Bengali Versions)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 10, December 2011 (English and Bengali Versions)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 9, November 2011 (English and Bengali Versions)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 8, October 2011 (English Version)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 7, September 2011 (English and Bengali Versions)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 6, August 2011 (English Version)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 5, July 2011 (English Version)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 4, June 2011 (English and Bengali Versions)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 3, May 2011 (English Version)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 2, April 2011 (English Version)
AAPI News Bulletin, Vol 1, March 2011 (English Version)