Homestead gardening is a well-known practice in the rural areas of Bangladesh, creating opportunities for year-round income, even when other income sources fail particularly due to water scarcity and drought. Homestead gardens use the small raised areas (chalas) around the homesteads. The management of close by homestead gardens benefits from...

The organic matter content of the soil is an indication of soil fertility. Low organic matter content can worsen the water-holding capacity of the soil which is crucial during drought periods. Several methods can be used to enrich soil and increase its fertility, for example through the use of farm...

These guidelines are based on research on Asian river systems funded by the Government of the United Kingdom's Department for International Development. They deal with five basic questions with regard to floodplain fishery resources. 1. Why manage? 2. What to manage? 3. Who should manage? 4. How to manage? 5....

The floating garden practice is a local indigenous production system most successful in the wetland/submerged areas of selected south and south-western districts (Pirojpur, Barisal and Gopalganj) in Bangladesh. Floating garden agricultural practices have been adopted by local farmers for nearly two centuries. This technology describes how to construct and use...

This manual on safety at sea for small-scale fishers in Bengali language aims to contribute to a culture of safety awareness among fisherfolk, reduce the number of accidents and increase the chances of survival if accidents occur. The manual provides guidance on safety matters related to the work on a...

Bangladesh is one of the world’s leading fish producing countries, with a total production of 42.77 lakh MT in the year 2017-18. Aquaculture contributes 56.24 per cent of the total fish production. The average growth in this sector has been 5.26 per cent for the last ten years. The rate...

A lively roundtable discussion on ‘The use of video in agricultural extension,’ by thought leaders and influencers in Bangladesh, representing government authorities, agricultural extension, research and development organisations as well as media agencies, marked the recent launch of the Bangla website of Access Agriculture in Dhaka. Access Agriculture is a...

In farmer-managed aquatic systems, poor people do not always have the resources to stock ponds with different fish species. Furthermore, in the dry season, water bodies dry out and access to food sources becomes limited. Self-recruiting species (SRS) are animals that do not require repeated stocking in farmer-managed systems and...

You can make a cage from bamboo to contain the crabs. Soft crabs must be separated so they do not fight and damage each other. Give each crab half of a tiny fish per day. If the crab has not eaten its food, it is sick and must be removed....

Fish feed/aquafeed is one of the most expensive inputs for small aquaculture farms. At the same time, it is very important to have a well-balanced feed. This practice describes different kinds of fish feed with step by step description on the preparation of fish feed. Two simple recipes for a...

Bamboo and rattan are ideal resources for development that integrates poverty reduction and environmental sustainability, and INBAR’s priority is giving people at all levels the knowledge and skills they need for long-term development involving bamboo and rattan. Therefore, a homestead bamboo plantation can provide income-generating opportunities for family members and...

Local chickens often produce few chicks because of various reasons. To improve both eggs and chick production, there are some simple measures you can take. By producing more local, healthy chickens, you can better feed your family and make some money.

COVID-19 is a global health crisis that has caused a shock to food and agricultural systems around the world, affecting production, supply chains, trade, markets, and people’s livelihoods and nutrition. This second assessment, developed with our partners, provides an invaluable and wide-ranging analysis that underlines the scale and scope of...

There is growing evidence demonstrating the role of rural family poultry in enhancing food and nutritional security of the poorest; in reducing their livelihood vulnerability and insecurity; and in promoting gender equity. This good practice showcases how an innovative private-community partnership transformed the livelihoods of highly vulnerable families in the...

Studies in Bangladesh found that short duration rice varieties bred by client-oriented breeding in Nepal out-performed all other varieties. Participatory research on transplanted main season (T. aman) rice in the High Barind Tract of Bangladesh identified farmer-preferred rice varieties that gave high returns, fitted with local cropping patterns that could...

Rice fallows offer a huge potential niche for legume cultivation in South Asia. For example, chickpea yields in the High Barind Tract of Bangladesh normally remain below 1 tonne per ha due mainly to crop establishment problems and terminal drought and heat stress. At this level, the crop remains a...

It is with great pleasure that for International Mother Language Day, Access Agriculture announces that its world-leading multilingual agricultural video-accessing platform is now available in Bangla:https://www.accessagriculture.org/bgl The Bangla version can potentially benefit over 80 million Bangla-speaking farmers and rural businesses in South Asia. Bangla is considered to be the eighth most...

The objective of latiraj kachu cultivation is to enable small farmers to grow crops even during flooding season on seasonally flooded land, and to enhance diet diversification and food security of households during a period of the year characterized by food scarcity. This practice describes the conditions under which latiraj...

In Bangladesh, both in flood years and in dry years, rice crop is under growing risks of yield losses due to disasters. The three-tier weather forecasting scheme provides information on the coming weather and allows to plan agricultural activities accordingly, following the ordinary cropping pattern in case of early or...

Northwestern Bangladesh is increasingly exposed to drought, climate variability and slowly increasing temperatures. Strategies enhancing the ability to withstand the negative impact of natural trends and hazards on agriculture are a means to strengthen the livelihoods of the two thirds of the population employed in this sector. One such strategy...