17 In-polder water management - Revision history

Kitty.bentvelsen: /* Lesson learnt on the challenge of an integrated approach */

2021-12-16T14:33:11Z

Lesson learnt on the challenge of an integrated approach

Kitty.bentvelsen: /* Small-scale water management infrastructure */

2021-12-16T14:30:00Z

Small-scale water management infrastructure

Kitty.bentvelsen: /* Managing internal water levels */

2021-12-16T14:25:08Z

Managing internal water levels

Bigblue: /* Context */

2021-11-29T03:13:52Z

Context

Show changes

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 '''It is recommended that CAWM increases its option for improving the relation between crop production and local water management'''. CAWM’s menu presently comprises introduction of the early maturing BR52 T Aman variety, supported by a field crop FFS (for the aman season) and the provision of small-scale infrastructure. This narrow menu of choice increases the likelihood that only a small portion of farmers is served well. Expanding the ‘toolbox’, should be considered, by e.g.:
-*Ascertaining what aspects of the crop choice are most important to farmers in a CAWM area and explicitly include and address these in CAWM planning exercises;
+*Ascertaining what aspects of the crop choice are most important to farmers in a CAWM area and explicitly include and address these in CAWM planning exercises.
-*Shifting focus from paddy production towards Rabi crops. While early aman harvest (and therefore drainage) is required for proper Rabi production, it can also be argued that the need for early aman harvest becomes apparent if more high value crops can be produced in the Rabi season;
+*Shifting focus from paddy production towards Rabi crops. While early aman harvest (and therefore drainage) is required for proper Rabi production, it can also be argued that the need for early aman harvest becomes apparent if more high value crops can be produced in the Rabi season.
 *Developing a diversified irrigation and drainage schedule within a CAWM scheme that does not synchronise all water management efforts in the sub-catchments, but streamlines it. A group of farmers would still agree on cultivating the same paddy variety, but other choices are possible.
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 While the dedicated high-level attention can be understood from the special, highly integral nature of CAWM; the heavy central hand does not sit easy with BGP’s management philosophy, in which local polder teams play the key role in guiding the. This constitutes a contradiction, which was not solved by BGP:
-*In order to upscale the pace of implementation of CAWMs, the lead would need to be vested more strongly in the Polder Team. To facilitate this, the approach would need to be simplified and standardised;
+*In order to upscale the pace of implementation of CAWMs, the lead would need to be vested more strongly in the Polder Team. To facilitate this, the approach would need to be simplified and standardised.
-*In order to optimise the impact of CAWM on farmer livelihoods, the approach needs to be more flexible, more responsive to farmers’ diverse crop choices, more innovative and more locally adapted. Doing so, would require close involvement of senior staff
+*In order to optimise the impact of CAWM on farmer livelihoods, the approach needs to be more flexible, more responsive to farmers’ diverse crop choices, more innovative and more locally adapted. Doing so, would require close involvement of senior staff.
 ====Lessons learnt on local adaptation of CAWM====
 CAWM has primarily focussed on the benefits of improved aman production. In the Patuakhali area, where aman is the mainstay, the relative impact on income of a better aman rice variety is high. In Khulna and Satkhira, boro rice is the mainstay and the relative effect on income by improving aman is lower. Therefore, 60% of the area covered by the CAWM approach is in Patuakhali; and the CAWM crop choice was replicated by farmers (with some support through extension) to roughly thrice this area. Therefore, it is more logical to continue to implement the current CAWM approach with this crop choice in the Patuakhali area. It is recommended to:
-* Expand implementation in CAWM in Patuakhali with the present T Aman focus;
+* Expand implementation in CAWM in Patuakhali with the present T Aman focus.
-* Explore crop choice opportunities for the Rabi season (see also the lesson on ‘farmers’ crop choice, above) and include irrigated crop options, by including infrastructure investments for surface or groundwater irrigation;
+* Explore crop choice opportunities for the Rabi season (see also the lesson on ‘farmers’ crop choice, above) and include irrigated crop options, by including infrastructure investments for surface or groundwater irrigation.
 * Explore other combinations of water management and agricultural products. As an example, within Khulna and Satkhira CAWM could be used to optimise indigenous systems, such as smallholder ghers and cultivation on sorjhon (raised beds).
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 During the implementation of CAWM, DAE has been involved continuously. In 2020, DAE has taken the CAWM concept further on board as a potential mainstream activity and aims to implement it in the wider coastal belt. This is a big achievement for BGP. Key to this were the following factors:
-*DAE initially entered the CAWM approach by supporting it with Farmer Field Schools. This was appreciated and enabled DAE to link its package on crop production to the perspective on water management;
+*DAE initially entered the CAWM approach by supporting it with Farmer Field Schools. This was appreciated and enabled DAE to link its package on crop production to the perspective on water management.
-*DAE District Directors, SAAOs and Farmer Trainers (FTs) were involved in the planning workshops for CAWM, so that DAE staff that was not directly involved in BGP also learned about CAWM and water management;
+*DAE District Directors, SAAOs and Farmer Trainers (FTs) were involved in the planning workshops for CAWM, so that DAE staff that was not directly involved in BGP also learned about CAWM and water management.
 *The obvious synergy between DAE’s usual practices – especially farmer field schools (which are aimed at groups) – and the community-oriented CAWM activity made it relatively easy for DAE staff to find their way in the program.
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 *'''Provide follow-up support''' – The CAWM approach was implemented at a particular location over the course of a single year, only. The consensus now is that a 3-year support period is required; the first year to construct new infrastructure, the second year to introduce a new cropping pattern and the third year for further finetuning. It follows that it is recommended that follow-up support is provided to the CAWM locations that were completed in preceding years.
-*'''Establish SMART targets, outcomes and outputs''' – to ensure greater clarity of the respective roles of implementers, partner agencies (DAE) and BGP management
+*'''Establish SMART targets, outcomes and outputs''' – to ensure greater clarity of the respective roles of implementers, partner agencies (DAE) and BGP management.
 *'''Diversify production choices supported by CAWM –''' In Patuakhali, the focus should remain on short-duration T Aman in combination with attention to rabi cultivation. However, elsewhere other combinations of product and water management can be supported, such as:
-**Low lift pumps (LLPs) or shallow tube wells (STWs) for irrigated rabi crops;
+**Low lift pumps (LLPs) or shallow tube wells (STWs) for irrigated rabi crops
-**Involving BRRI and IRRI in CAWM activities;
+**Involving BRRI and IRRI in CAWM activities
 **For Khulna, introduce other land use such as smallholder ghers.
 *'''Standardise procedures''' – SSWMI cost estimates and designs should be adopted for future CAWM schemes.
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 *Include investment categories for main infrastructure, intermediate infrastructure and small-scale infrastructure in the development project proforma; each with appropriate modalities for (co-)investment.
-*Start implementation planning by initiating cooperation for the development of the polder between implementing agencies, locally present departments and local governments, with the proviso to expand the cooperation to other relevant actors, including the private sector;
+*Start implementation planning by initiating cooperation for the development of the polder between implementing agencies, locally present departments and local governments, with the proviso to expand the cooperation to other relevant actors, including the private sector.
-*With the help of local governments and other local actors facilitate the development of new water management organisations from the outside in: I.e. first form a WMA that is responsible to promote user participation in the polder, and then help this lead the process of establishment of catchment committees and WMGs;
+*With the help of local governments and other local actors facilitate the development of new water management organisations from the outside in: I.e. first form a WMA that is responsible to promote user participation in the polder, and then help this lead the process of establishment of catchment committees and WMGs.
-*Develop an understanding of the future polder, including its production potential for crops and fish and the hydrological processes underpinning this potential through studies and interaction with the user organisations;
+*Develop an understanding of the future polder, including its production potential for crops and fish and the hydrological processes underpinning this potential through studies and interaction with the user organisations.
 *Run annual planning rounds for the polder as a whole, for each catchment and for each WMG and inform decisions on investments an annual development plans with the outcomes of these rounds. In this way, implementing agencies and the WMOs may be able to improve functionality of a particular infrastructure in conjunction with other infrastructure.

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 * Communities must make a financial contribution but may also mobilise funds or other resources from third parties such as Union Parishad or BADC.
 * Since the SSWMI provides benefits to the community, the WMG will have a direct interest in maintaining the infrastructure.
-* SSWMI schemes are to be chosen where the full drainage system is functional ie water from the sub-catchment can be drained through the various channels and ''khals'' up to the point of discharge to the outside river or channel via a sluice or regulator
+* SSWMI schemes are to be chosen where the full drainage system is functional ie water from the sub-catchment can be drained through the various channels and ''khals'' up to the point of discharge to the outside river or channel via a sluice or regulator.
 * By involving the WMA in the supervision of the WMG, there is a check and control on the implementation process.
 The SSWMI fund adopted the following staged process:
-# During a 2-month period, WMGs are familiarised with procedures and requested to apply.
+# During a 2-month period, WMGs are familiarised with procedures and requested to apply
 # Checks of the WMG's provisional application are made by field-level TA staff
 # The final application is submitted by WMG to the TA office
 # The cost estimation is checked using a simplified cost model
-# For successful applicants, a standard form of contract (in Bangla) is entered into by WMG representatives and with the Zonal Coordinator representing the TA team.
+# For successful applicants, a standard form of contract (in Bangla) is entered into by WMG representatives and with the Zonal Coordinator representing the TA team
-# Payments are made to the WMGs through their bank account in instalments with the final payment based on a confirmation by the TA field team that all works have been completed.
+# Payments are made to the WMGs through their bank account in instalments with the final payment based on a confirmation by the TA field team that all works have been completed
 # Demonstration plots are developed to show the agricultural potential of the implemented SSWMI to other farmers.
 A total of 335 SSWMI schemes were funded through Blue Gold: 167 in 2018/19 and 168 in 2019/20 at a cost of BDT 39.9 million (equivalent to Euro 400,000) or some BDT 1.20 lakh per scheme (equivalent to Euro 1,200 per scheme). An overview map presents the distribution of these SSWMI schemes.
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 An alternative would have been to insist on an upfront cash contribution from the WMG. WMGs have, however, not been successful in building up capital reserves (e.g. a Maintenance Fund). There are several reasons why building up a reserve for investment in water infrastructure modification, operation and maintenance has not taken off:
-* There is a fundamental contradiction between the WMG’s voluntary membership – implying that not all beneficiaries of better water management are part of and contributor to the WMG – and the collective nature of the benefits created by water management improvements. Simply put: the members are not eager to develop a capital reserve that is spent on measures that may also benefit non-members;
+* There is a fundamental contradiction between the WMG’s voluntary membership – implying that not all beneficiaries of better water management are part of and contributor to the WMG – and the collective nature of the benefits created by water management improvements. Simply put: the members are not eager to develop a capital reserve that is spent on measures that may also benefit non-members.
-* In many cases, WMG leaders and members are averse to building-up capital, as it brings along issues of transparency and accounting. Rather than facing possible mistrust over how funds are used and accounted for, WMGs choose to not have capital reserves;
+* In many cases, WMG leaders and members are averse to building-up capital, as it brings along issues of transparency and accounting. Rather than facing possible mistrust over how funds are used and accounted for, WMGs choose to not have capital reserves.
-* When building up a reserve, there is an unknown lead time between member contributions and the moment that the collected resources are used, and the time when this generates benefits. People would like to have the use of their money in the intervening period;
+* When building up a reserve, there is an unknown lead time between member contributions and the moment that the collected resources are used, and the time when this generates benefits. People would like to have the use of their money in the intervening period.
 * Even when financial resources are there, members could question whether investment in SSWMI is a priority. Purchase of fertilisers would possibly bring more direct benefits; while households themselves might prefer to reserve their resources for investment in education.
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 The SSWMI fund provides a rich and diverse experience, and the final word on its value and practice cannot yet be given. Replication and further improvement by further roll-out of such a fund would be useful. Some practical recommendations, based on BGP’s experience, include:
-*'''Emphasise construction-safety''' – An accident during construction made clear that safety instructions are needed for box culverts;
+*'''Emphasise construction-safety''' – An accident during construction made clear that safety instructions are needed for box culverts.
-*'''Aim to realise the full potential benefit of the small infrastructure by promoting introduction of High Yielding Varieties, high value crops and intensified cropping patterns''' – This requires a focus on agricultural commercialisation and on the opportunities within the market system;
+*'''Aim to realise the full potential benefit of the small infrastructure by promoting introduction of High Yielding Varieties, high value crops and intensified cropping patterns''' – This requires a focus on agricultural commercialisation and on the opportunities within the market system.
-*'''Investment in SSWMI can also make sense in areas where the primary infrastructure is not (yet) fully functional''' – The relatively inexpensive investments helps enhance control of water resources in a sub-catchment. Investment in the tertiary system does not have to wait – as was done in BGP – until the primary infrastructure is largely rehabilitated, but can be incorporated in polder development from its onset.;
+*'''Investment in SSWMI can also make sense in areas where the primary infrastructure is not (yet) fully functional''' – The relatively inexpensive investments helps enhance control of water resources in a sub-catchment. Investment in the tertiary system does not have to wait – as was done in BGP – until the primary infrastructure is largely rehabilitated, but can be incorporated in polder development from its onset.
-*'''Monitor operation and maintenance of the small-scale infrastructure''' – as the effects, be it positive or negative, of SSWMI are not yet fully understood;
+*'''Monitor operation and maintenance of the small-scale infrastructure''' – as the effects, be it positive or negative, of SSWMI are not yet fully understood.
 *'''Scale-up and scale-out the SSWMI-fund''' – The SSWMI investments generated a high demand. The strong desire for improving water control at the sub-catchment is in all likelihood not confined to the BGP project area. Once standards for design, costing, cost sharing and contracts are established, the approach can easily be scaled-up and -out.
-*'''Consider incremental investment cycles''' – WMGs that did well in year one, should be given further opportunity in subsequent years, possibly with different arrangements for sharing investment costs;
+*'''Consider incremental investment cycles''' – WMGs that did well in year one, should be given further opportunity in subsequent years, possibly with different arrangements for sharing investment costs.
-*'''Make planning for SSWMI an explicit part of the planning cycle of the WMOs''' – In BGP, the SSWMI-fund was executed as a stand-alone campaign. In hindsight, it could have been incorporated in the water management planning that WMGs do as part of the catchment planning (see above). In this way, coherence with wider developments (i.e. opportunities offered by development of primary and secondary infrastructure) is sought, and the practice of regular planning and review is more strongly promoted in the new organisations;
+*'''Make planning for SSWMI an explicit part of the planning cycle of the WMOs''' – In BGP, the SSWMI-fund was executed as a stand-alone campaign. In hindsight, it could have been incorporated in the water management planning that WMGs do as part of the catchment planning (see above). In this way, coherence with wider developments (i.e. opportunities offered by development of primary and secondary infrastructure) is sought, and the practice of regular planning and review is more strongly promoted in the new organisations.
 *'''Discuss operation and maintenance ahead of the investment decision''' – Though not always easy, it is important to get the communities commitment to using and caring for the infrastructure. Insist on explicit definition of responsibilities.
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 * Farmers field schools (FFS) led by DAE for knowledge transfer to support the introduction of modern crop varieties.
 * Improved water management including:
-** Coordination with WMA and catchment level (sluice) for conflict resolution, removal of blockages from khals and smooth and timely release of drainage water;
+** Coordination with WMA and catchment level (sluice) for conflict resolution, removal of blockages from khals and smooth and timely release of drainage water
-** Construction of small-scale water management infrastructure, to regulate water at the sub-catchment (tertiary) level;
+** Construction of small-scale water management infrastructure, to regulate water at the sub-catchment (tertiary) level
 ** Hand-dug field canals (‘nullah’) for better drainage and water retention.
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 # Select suitable area (primary infrastructure functional, secondary or tertiary infrastructure can be improved, social coherence, good organisation)
-# Regular meetings with CAWM farmers to inform about process;
+# Regular meetings with CAWM farmers to inform about process
-# Regular coordination meetings between BGP TA and DAE-staff;
+# Regular coordination meetings between BGP TA and DAE-staff
-# General planning at District level with DAE field staff and selected lead farmers;
+# General planning at District level with DAE field staff and selected lead farmers
-# Specific CAWM sub-catchment planning with WMO and farmers to define the new cropping pattern, decide on water management interventions and improve infrastructure;
+# Specific CAWM sub-catchment planning with WMO and farmers to define the new cropping pattern, decide on water management interventions and improve infrastructure
 # Farmer Field Days or crop cutting ceremonies to share the experience with neighbouring farmers and LGIs.

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 * Many interests need to be catered for. It is difficult to get all interests at the table and it is complex to find a proper modus operandi for the regulator. If operation is not agreed upon, this may result in a weak pursuit of the most common interests and a high likelihood of elite capture.
 * Suboptimal sluice gate operation results in:
-** waterlogging and drought;
+** waterlogging and drought
-** sedimentation of and cross dams in the khal system (reducing the potential of the catchment to serve all interests), and;
+** sedimentation of and cross dams in the khal system (reducing the potential of the catchment to serve all interests), and
 ** adapted but marginally profitable production systems.
-* At the end of 2019, 50% of the sluices were under control of WMOs. Powerful stakeholders such as shrimp farmers or fishermen may decide when sluice gates are opened or closed – generally not benefitting the larger numbers of farmers or the larger tracts of lands;
+* At the end of 2019, 50% of the sluices were under control of WMOs. Powerful stakeholders such as shrimp farmers or fishermen may decide when sluice gates are opened or closed – generally not benefitting the larger numbers of farmers or the larger tracts of lands.
 * If under control of Water Management Organisations, proper operation and maintenance of sluices often is shouldered by the WMG nearest to the sluice; operating it as they seem fit. Other WMGs have little say over its operation.
 * Main khals, serving multiple WMGs, constitute common pool resources, the management of which is often neglected. This results in water hyacinth infestation and widespread sedimentation. As a consequence, large parts of the polders become hydrologically disconnected from the sluice.
 At the sub-catchment scale, secondary and tertiary khals transport water to and from the inner parts of the polder. Reduced connectivity and control of the secondary and tertiary khal fails to meet increasing demands:
-* Many secondary and tertiary khals have cross dams in place to help to store water for a small group of people ( e.g. for irrigation purposes or fish cultivation) living next to the khals. This reduces the connectivity of the sub-catchments and hampers drainage and irrigation for significant portion of lands. Would sluice operation be optimised, it would not have any effect on these more interior areas;
+* Many secondary and tertiary khals have cross dams in place to help to store water for a small group of people ( e.g. for irrigation purposes or fish cultivation) living next to the khals. This reduces the connectivity of the sub-catchments and hampers drainage and irrigation for significant portion of lands. Would sluice operation be optimised, it would not have any effect on these more interior areas.
-* The construction of new roads is often planned without taking into account water drainage requirements;
+* The construction of new roads is often planned without taking into account water drainage requirements.
 * When zooming in at a scale where height differences are small and water management conditions for farmers are more or less homogeneous, there is a lack of infrastructure to retain or drain water in order to harness the production potential of this particular area.
 [[File:IPWM interventions.png|center|thumb|800x800px|'''Figure 17.2: Local Water Management Organisations (WMA/WMG/group) and their area of influence''']]
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 In-polder water management (IPWM) is the maintenance, operation and modification of the hydraulic infrastructure inside the polders to facilitate viable and profitable production systems. IPWM helps to increase returns from interventions in primary infrastructure (see Section C) and from involvement and capacity building of WMOs (see Section D [[14 Consultation and participation in planning|Chapters 14]] and [[15 WMO capacity building|15]]) which in turn provides an environment for increased agricultural production (see Section E). Since IPWM works on different scales and is context-specific, a mix of approaches has been employed:
-# '''''Catchment Planning (50-1,000 ha)''''' – Through coordination between WMGs through a catchment O&M committee, plans were made for improving sluice operation to manage water levels in the catchments, and agreements forged with respect to maintenance and other actions that benefit the catchment’s performance;
+# '''''Catchment Planning (50-1,000 ha)''''' – Through coordination between WMGs through a catchment O&M committee, plans were made for improving sluice operation to manage water levels in the catchments, and agreements forged with respect to maintenance and other actions that benefit the catchment’s performance.
-# '''''Intermediate scale infrastructure (50-500 ha)''''' – Conveying water between primary khals on one hand, and tertiary khals and fields on the other; the polders’ secondary khals play a key role in the distribution and management of water. However, secondary khals are hardly ever equipped with control structures. The experience with an intermediate structure in Polder 29 may give insight in the potential of such structures;
+# '''''Intermediate scale infrastructure (50-500 ha)''''' – Conveying water between primary khals on one hand, and tertiary khals and fields on the other; the polders’ secondary khals play a key role in the distribution and management of water. However, secondary khals are hardly ever equipped with control structures. The experience with an intermediate structure in Polder 29 may give insight in the potential of such structures.
 # '''''A small-scale water management infrastructure (SSWMI) fund (10-150 ha)''''' – Provision or improvement of water management infrastructure (using a ‘hands-off’ approach) on tertiary khals (i.e. outside the jurisdiction of the Bangladesh Water Development Board). Sometimes in combination with Demonstration plots (0.2-1.0 ha) to demonstrate the agricultural potential of SSWMI.
 # '''''CAWM, Community-led Agricultural Water Management (10-50 ha)''''' – The optimisation of sub-catchments (10-50 ha), a scale that allows for synchronised cultivation of crops on lands with the similar elevation; for community collective action at a scale that is replicable by other farmer groups. This is used for horizontal learning, and also for further discussion about IPWM.