The International Consultant completed the two missions assigned to him in Bangladesh on Extension of Sustainable Shrimp Farming, totalling 4� months.

The following activities, as listed in the Terms of Reference (TOR) were carried out on his first mission to Bangladesh, lasting 2� months. Two weeks of this time were spent in his own country to prepare training material.

- Review the problems related to production and health management in coastal shrimp culture in Bangladesh

- Develop a strategy for extension to train farmers

- Conduct two training workshops for fry collectors

- Assist the consultant on Shrimp Health Management to conduct two, 3-day workshops for DOF Field Officers on shrimp health management.

During the second mission, covering 1 month and 23 days, the International Consultant, in close collaboration with the National Consultants and under the direct supervision of the National Project Director (NPD), carried out 40 cluster field trainings for farmers, fry collectors and fry holders using the training material based on the findings of the previous missions by both International Consultants on Extension and Shrimp Health Management.

The specific TOR for this mission were as follows :

- Conduct 40 field cluster trainings for coastal shrimp farmers, fry collectors and fry holders

- Arrange to set up Experimental Demonstration Units by the end of January 1998 for stocking shrimp fry in February 1998.

- Finalise the selection for the fourth Experimental Demonstration Unit in Bagerhat

District

- Prepare a detailed workplan for the four National Consultants

- Amend and update the project workplan

- Formulate Terms of Reference for the Computer Assistant

- Finalise arrangements for the three week training programme on shrimp health management at the Animal Health Research Institute in Bangkok

- Follow-up the selection process to appoint the National Consultant to supervise

This mission was arranged to coincide with the project's mid-review mission of the FAO/FIRI backstopping officer. The NPD was the Director (Marine) of the Department of Fisheries (DOF).

2.0 FIELD TRAININGS

During the mission the consultant visited each Thana of coastal districts where Bagda training is in progress to conduct on-site cluster training programmes. The districts visited by the consultant were Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat and Cox's Bazaar. The field training programmes were conducted by the consultant with the assistance of National Consultants (NC'S), Thana Fishery Officers (TFO'S) and Extension Officers (EO'S) of the respective Thanas of the Department of Fisheries (DOF).

A total number of 40 on-site cluster trainings were conducted in the four districts as shown below:

� Eleven training programmes in Satkhira District Two for Bagda fry collectors and nine for Bagda out-growers (Bagda culture farmers).

� Eleven training programmes in Khulna District

Two for Bagda fry collectors and nine for Bagda out-growers.

- Eleven training programmes in Cox's Bazaar District.

Two for fry collectors, one for fry holders and eight for out-growers.

- Seven training programmes in Bagerhat District.

All seven training programmes were for out-growers. The number of training programmes and the size of target groups were decided upon by the consultant during his first mission in consultation with the National Project Director (NPD) and District Fisheries Officers. The number of training programmes for out-growers and Bagda fry collectors and fry holders was decided upon taking into consideration the degree of intensification and the number of Thanas involved in each of the four districts. In Field Document No. 2 of TCP/BGD/6714 (A) - Disease Prevention and Health Management in Coastal Shrimp Culture prepared by the Consultant it is suggested that one field training programme be held for Bagda fry collectors in Bagerhat District. It was, however, felt that it would be more beneficial to have all seven training programmes for out-growers in Bagerhat District after having discussions with the NPD, NC for Khulna Region and the District Fisheries Officers (DFO'S) of Khulna and Bagerhat Districts.

Districts Number of Number of fry

Out-Grower Thanas Collecting Thanas

Satkhira 06 02

Khulna 04 02

Bagerhat 03

Cox's Bazaar

2.1 Target groups

The target groups of the field training programmes were of thana types:

- Bagda out-growers

- Bagda fry collectors

- Bagda fry holders

In Field Document No. 2 of TCP/BGD/6714(A) - Disease Prevention and Health Management in Coastal Shrimp Culture prepared by the consultant it was suggested that the size of the target group should be 30-35 trainees per group in order to train around 1200 to 1400 farmers. As the training programmes were field oriented this size was selected for effective training. However, due to the keen interest shown by the fry collectors and out-growers in this field training programme, the consultant and the NC decided to relax the size limit of 30-35 trainees in many instances.

The out-growers, fry collectors and fry holders were selected by the respective NC's after consultation with the DFO's and TFO's of the respective District and Thanas. During selection of the trainees for the field training programmes for out-growers the following management practices were included in each group.

- Traditional Bagda culture with crop rotation

- Traditional Bagda culture without crop rotation

- Improved extensive culture with crop rotation

- Improved extensive culture without crop rotation

- Improved extensive culture dependent on pump driven water intake.

A large number of out-growers, fry collectors and fry holders benefited by these field training programmes Up to four DOF Officers were included in each group in order that their skills could be further utilized in field training programmes for farmers, fry collectors and fry holders

Districts Type of Training No. of Farmers No. of Officers Total

trained trained

Khulna Out-grower 277 20 399

Fry collector 102

Satkhira Out-grower 247 24 331

Fry collector 60

Bagerhat Out-grower 210 09 219

Fry collector

Cox's Bazaar Out-grower

Fry collector

2.2 Design of field training programmes

Thana type training programmes were conducted during this mission by the consultant with the assistance of NC's, DFO's and TFO's, as follows:

- Field training for outgrowers

- Field training for fry collectors

- Field training for fry holders

2.2.1 Field training for out-growers

This was the largest component of the field training programme and was designed to address the Findings by the International Consultant on Extension (Dr. Siriwardena) and the International Consultant on Shrimp Health Management (Dr. Funge-Smith) during their previous missions from 28th March to 10th August and 20th June to 14th August 1997. These findings were presented and discussed at two training programmes in Cox's Bazaar and Khulna Workshops during the previous mission, attended by 112 Officers from the DOF and the Fisheries Research Institute. The present field training programme was designed by the consultant based on the outcome of the workshops held during the previous mission.

- Train out-growers on low-tech low-cost methods

- Avoid correction of site specific and engineering problems in ponds which

need major engineering modifications at high cost.

- Selection of correct timing for stocking

- Control of predators and competitions

- Increase natural food and provide supplemental food

- Increase survival and provide large strong Bagda fry.

How can we improve Bagda production in extensive farming systems in Bangladesh ?

Before improving production of Bagda, one should be aware of the problems existing in extensive farming systems, as follows:

- Improper siting

- Exposure of acid sulphate and/or potential acid sulphate soils

- Improper dyke construction leading to soil erosion

- Difficulty in proper water management

- Change from low saline water into fresh water during rains

- Inadequate and/or improper pond preparation

- Wrong stocking time

- Inadequate predator control and

- Inadequate food for Bagda fry at stocking.

To resolve the first five problems would be expensive, difficult from a practical point of view and may not be acceptable to a farmer practising an extensive type of culture. It would therefore be more advantageous to resolve the remaining problems which are not costly and are feasible from a practical point of view.

Five ways of improving survival and production of Bagda in extensive systems:

- Stock Bagda fry at the correct time

- Prepare your pond in the proper way

- Reduce predation and competition

- Increase food for feeding

- Reduce disease risk.

Stock Bagda fry at the correct time

- Bangladesh has a seasonal variation in climate conditions.

- December to January are the cold months with a temperature change of

2�C within a day which can cause stress to Bagda fry. High mortality could be expected during fry stage.

June to September is the rainy season. A lot of silt accumulates on the pond bottom causing low oxygen levels. If black mud (organic waste) is present on the pond bottom under low oxygen levels a poisonous gas named hydrogen sulphide is formed. Heavy rains can cause zero salinity in the pond water.

- All these conditions cause a very stressful pond environment for Bagda making it very susceptible to diseases.

- Avoid cold and rainy seasons for stocking.

- Select February to June for Bagda culture.

Salt-Bagda alternate cropping is not a suitable crop rotation as Bagda culture is in the rainy season. Salt-freshwater fish on salt-paddy would be a more suitable crop rotation.

- Extensive Bagda culture can be done one crop per year.

- Selecting the wrong seasons for Bagda culture would allow disease

conditions to persist in the environment.

Prepare your pond in the proper way before stocking Bagda fry

What is the proper way ?

Step 1 : Dry the pond bottom thoroughly

What benefits will you have by drying ?

Drying will remove the waste and mineralise the organic waste which has accumulated during previous culture/cultures

Removal of organic waste will prevent production of hydrogen sulphide.

Drying will kill most of the unwanted predators and competitors that entered into the pond during the previous culture.

Step 2 : Is it good to scrape or plough the pond bottom ?

Because of scraping and ploughing:

Scraping will increase the depth of the pond which may lead to difficulty in draining.

Scraping and ploughing may expose the sub-soil layer consisting of iron and organic waste.

What disadvantages are there in drying after scraping or ploughing the pond bottom thoroughly?

Drying may cause an acid layer on the pond surface

How can I remove this acid layer ?

After drying fill the pond with water up to a depth of 30 cm (1 ft) and leave for one night before flushing. Repeat this action once or twice.

Step 3 : Lime the pond in correct way

What should the farmer know about liming ?

The farmer should know the following :

Type of lime to use

Correct quantity

The method to be used for applying lime to the pond.

There are three types of lime available in Bangladesh :

1. Calcium Oxide

2. Calcium Carbonate

3. Dolomite.

Calcium Carbonate or Dolomite are preferable to Calcium Oxide.

Calcium Carbonate and Dolomite have a buffering action which regulates the PH of the pond.

Most farmers are compelled to use Calcium Oxide as it is abundant and cheap.

The correct amount of liming is important.

If less lime is used it will not correct the pond PH

What is the correct amount ?

Type of lime

Pond bottom soil PH

Type of lime you should know at purchase.

How would you measure your pond bottom soil PH ?

Crush 10 g of pure bottom soil

Dissolve it in 100 ml of distilled water in a glass, jug or container

Where would you find distilled water ?

Distilled water can be purchased from a petrol pump station (battery water bottle).

Use PH paper to measure the PH in the water which is equivalent to the PH in your pond bottom root.

Repeat this process for about 5-6 paints across your pond bottom in order to have a better PH profile of your pond bottom.

What is PH ?

PH can tell whether your pond soil or water is acidic or not.

PH has a number

PH number 7 is neutral

PH 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 are acidic numbers

PH 8,9,10,11,12,13 and 14 are alkaline numbers

How would you know how much lime you should apply to your pond bottom ?

The following table will tell you how much lime you should apply to your pond bottom according to the soil PH and type of lime.

Soil PH Quantity of Dolomite or Quantity of Calcium

agricultural lime/ha Oxide MT/ha

6.0 - 7.0 1.0 - 2.0 0.5 - 1.0

5.0 - 6.0 2.0 - 3.0 1.0 - 1.5

Less than 5 3.0 - 5.0 1.5 - 2.5

1 MT (metric ton) = 1000 kg

1 ha (hectare) = 250 decimals.

Step 4 : How to fill water and fertilizer in the pond ?

- after liming, add 30 cm (one pond) water into the pond

- add fertilizers into the pond water

Why do you need to add fertilizers into the water ?

- to grow natural food (Plankton) in the water

- this natural food also provides oxygen to the pond and shade for small Bagda

What fertilizers are available in Bangladesh ?

- inorganic fertilizers : urea and TSP

- organic fertilizer : cowdung

How much fertilizer should be applied to the pond water ?

- first application : 2 kg of urea and TSP (1 kg urea + 1 kg TSP) or 6-10 kg of cowdung per ha (250 decimals)

- before the second application leave the pond for 3-4 days until the water turns a green/brown colour

- green/brown colour indicates good growth of natural food for Bagda

- fill the pond with water

- second application of fertilizers : 2 kg of urea and TSP (1 kg urea + 1 kg TSP) per ha (250 decimals) each day for 5-7 days or 6-10 days or 6-10 kg cowdung per ha every 2-3 days for 12 to 15 days

- do not apply cowdung daily because it has a slow action. If applied daily for 15 days you may over-fertilize the pond

- observe the green/brown colour of the water

- if the water does not turn green/brown do not add any more fertilizers. Add some green water from a known pond. This should be done as a last resort

How to apply fertilizers to the pond water ?

- dissolve urea and TSP into pond water in a bucket and

- add this water to the pond water

- do not apply urea and TSP in powder form to the pond as this may settle on the pond bottom and favour growth of unwanted organisms

- if you are using cowdung keep it in its dry form

- the cowdung should be soaked before applying to the pond water in order to prevent it accumulating at the corners of the pond

DO NOT OVER FERTILIZE YOUR POND. THIS MAY LEAD TO PROBLEMS DUE TO PLANKTON CRASH.

Do I have to filter the water filling the pond ?

- use a nylon net screen with 576 holes per square inch or 24 holes in a linear inch

- use two net screens: one straight net screen fixed into the gate at the outer end of the pond and a filter hag-type net screen (2-3 metres long) fixed into the gate at the inner side of the pond

What are the advantages of using a net screen ?

- it reduces entry of predators and competitors into the pond

- it increases the survival rate of Bagda by reducing predation and competition

How to control the predator and competitor ?

- use a proper net screen as described above

- another way of controlling predators is to maintain a proper nursery, applying teaseed cake to the nursery before stocking

How much should I apply ?

- 40-60 kg per acre (100 decimals)

- do not apply teaseed cake in the evenings. It may kill the plankton bloom

- apply teaseed cake during high salinity and high temperature for better effect

- teaseed cake kills all aquatic animals with a back bone. It will not kill Bagda or other shrimps

- therefore do not stock Bagda until three days after teaseed cake application

- do not fill water after teaseed cake application and before stocking as this may allow more predators and competitors to come into the pond

What is a proper nursery ?

- prepare the nursery in the same way you prepare the pond

- maintain a one acre nursery/s

- stock no more than 20 Bagda fry per M2

- one acre = 4000 m2

- one acre = 80,000 Bagda fry

- expected survival = 60 %

- the number of Bagda available for release into the main pond = 50 000

If stocked at a rate of one Bagda per M2 in the main pond, you can stock a 15 acre (1500 decimals) pond.

- Provide additional food for Bagda in the nursery

Why should you provide food for Bagda in the nursery ?

- to increase survival

- to make Bagda large, strong and healthy for release into the main pond

- large and strong Bagda can avoid predation and withstand unfavourable conditions

- the risk of diseases is thus minimised

- provide the following quantities of food for one month for Bagda fry in the nursery.

Day Amount food (kg)

1 0.5

2 0.6

3 to 30 0.7 to 6.4

If you have a very large pond and feel you cannot meet the cost, use the fertilizer, lime and teaseed cake only in the nursery. Dry and flush the pond since it will not cost a single take.

How to improve the pond environment ?

- provide deep areas (more than one metre) for Bagda for moulting

- to provide deep areas you may construct radial canals in the nursery and pond

- maintain a good green/brown colour to increase natural food

- apply 2-5 kg (urea + TSP) in the pond water filter each water change

- apply calcium carbonate or dolomite 100 kg / ha (250 decimals) after water change for about 70-80 days of culture cycles

Lime will correct the ph in the water

Lime acts as a disinfectant

Lime helps to grow natural food

Add lime (same amount) after rain.

Check your shrimp's health by yourself:

How would you know whether your shrimps are normal ?

Examine these areas :

- Head

- Legs

- Gut

- Hepatopancreas

- Tail

What does a normal shrimp look like ?

- Appendages should be clean and intact

- Colour should be greenish cream

- Body should be clean, shiny and smooth

- Shell should not be soft or it will crack easily

- Hepatopancreas should be yellow and a normal size

- Gills should be clean and normal colour

- No blackening of appendages

- Behaviour should be normal

How would you perform a visual check on health of your shrimp ?

1. Examine the gut externally

Check after feeding (1.5-2.0 hours for small shrimps, 1-1.5 hours for large animals)

Observation

Gut full

Gut empty or partially filled

Red colour gut

Reason

Shrimps are normal and feeding well

Your shrimps are not feeding (loss of appetite) and not healthy. Spoiled pond bottom. Underfed shrimp eat red coloured worms. Shrimp feed on dead shrimps on the bottom

2. Examine the colour

Observation

Greenish creamy colour

Dark in colour

Blue colour

Red colour (especially in the appendages and uropods).

Reason

Colour is normal

Shallow water depth and/or transparent water without algae

Genetic or nutritional disorders, bacterial infection

Soon after moulting and it is normal

Stressed shrimp. Low oxygen, high ammonia, high hydrogen sulphide.

3. Examine the appendages and tail

Observation

Blackening of appendages

Swollen tail

Tail damage

Red colour (especially in the appendages and uropods).

Reason

Wounds or injuries, cannibalism, underfeeding, bacterial infection

Bacterial infection, spoiled pond bottom with accumulated waste

Tail rot, cannibalism, underfeeding

4. Examine the shell

Observation

Soft shell

Fouling

Reason

Low soil PH, low water phosphate, overstocking, underfeeding, poor quality or rancid feed, low alkalinity, chronic vibriosis

Shrimp weak, less frequent moulting, poor water exchange, spoiled pond bottom

5. Examine the gill

Observation

Brown colour gills

Black colour gills

Pink colour gills

Reason

Accumulation of debris and fouling, lethargic shrimps, damaged gills

Damaged gills, deposition of iron, presence of toxic algae, bacterial infection.

Stressed shrimps, low oxygen, low PH, fouled bottom, hydrogen sulphide

6. Examine the muscle

Observation

Muscle does not fill the carapace

Muscle does not fill the carapace but the gut is full

Opaque muscles

Cramped muscle

Brown or black lesions

Reason

Shrimp soon after moulting, chronic starvation, chronic diseases which reduce the appetite.

Shrimp are recovering or recently moulted

Shrimp are acutely stressed, microsporidian infection (cotton shrimp)

Stressful handling, inappropriate nutrition

Chronic bacterial infection; spoiled pond bottom.

7. Examine the size

Observation

Size disparity

Reason

Presence of toxic benthic algae plankton crash

8. Examine the hepatopancrease

Observation

Smaller than usual size and dark in colour

Reason

Bacterial infection and destruction of hepatopancrease

9. Examine the behaviour

Observation

Shrimps are coming to edge

Swimming at surface

Reason

Low oxygen, high hydrogen sulphide, incorrect PH, fouling, bacterial infection, white spot

Fouling, gillproblem, bacterial infection.

Vegetation indicates elevation and soil type

Anicennia

Sonnneriatia Medium high tide

Rhizophora Normal tide

Aerostichum Spring high tide

Anicennia Good soil

Rhizophora Acidic soil

Bruguiera

Sonneratia

Indicators of problems in pond

- Gobies swimming or concentrated on the sides - water level low down in pond

- Snail climbing out of the water - water level low down in pond

- A heavy concentration of rotifers or other from the zooplankton - build up of organic matter or heavy growth of bacteria

- Bottom mud containing large number of chironomid worms - shallow, polluted water or spoiled bottom

- Foam on pond surface - high amount of dissolved organic matter.

Make your own meter to measure salinity in water (see figure 4).

2.2.2 Fry collecting and fry holding

The ways and means of improving fry quality by reducing stress during collection and holding were highlighted in field training. Field training programmes on fry collecting and holding were based on the leaflet proposed by the DOF and suggested improvements by this consultant during his previous mission.

The following aspects of fry collection and holding were emphasized during the field trainings.

What are the two most important messages a fry collector and a fry holder should receive

- do not waste the other aquatic organisms collected during the operation of fry collection

- take measures to reduce stress during post-collection.

How would you mimimise the waste of other aquatic organisms

- transfer the collected fry and other aquatic organisms to a container (a pot or a basin) from the net while you are in the water

- dip the net in water to release whatever remaining organisms are left

- transfer the non-targeted organisms into another container with water from the fry sorting container

- dip the container with the non-targeted organisms into the river or sea to release them back

How would you reduce stress on fry during collecting and post -collection

- what factors cause stress

1. length of operation of fry collection gear

2. method of transferring fry from the gearto fry sorting container

3. condition of fry sorting water

4. exposure to sun light

5. handling

- Take the following measures to avoid stress:

1. restrict the fry collection gear to short time intervals in order to prevent stress due to crowding in the net

2. active gears up to 15 minute intervals and passive gears up to one hour intervals

3. when nets are used as fry collection gear (push net) set bag net, dip or immerse the fry collected portion of the net into the fry transferring container. Avoid collecting them by hand or scoop net to transfer fry from the net to the container

4. fry should be held in silt and debris-free water during sorting

5. water should be from the some water source that you collected fry

6. allow the water to settle in a harmel (preferably plastic) after removing debris in the water

7. after settling the silt in the water siphon the silt-free water into a container for sorting fry. Stir the water thoroughly before transferring fry into the fry sorting container

8. fry sorting water should be kept ready before fry collection

9. avoid direct exposure to sun light during sorting. To prevent high cost and administrative difficulties to set up permanent or semi permanent structures for shelter, the following measures are recommended :

- the fry sorting container could be accommodated within the shade provided by an umbrella

- use a "Red Indian" type shelter for shade. This can be constructed by arranging three poles (bamboo) in a three-dimensional triangular manner and covering the sides of the triangle using a cloth or leaves (golpatha), leaving one side to use as the entrance . his can be dismantled easily and kept aside to use next day

- use a cup or small scoop net to collect the fry from the sorting container

- Immense the cup or the net with fry into another container with water to release the fry

How would you reduce stress during fry holding

- do not exceed 100 post larval or fry per litre in the container

- use previously settled clean (distilled) water from the same water source of fry collection

- keep all containers with fry on a wet mat (wet gunny hags) to prevent heat passing through from the sand on the beach

- use barrels or sedimentation tanks to settle water

- stir or use aerators (battery operator aquarium aerators or a small air blower) to provide aeration with frequent water exchange

- do not exceed 100 larvae/fry per litre for holding

- use tanks with a large surface area to hold fry. Avoid barrels

- use 15 to 18 inch water depth in the fry holding tank

- do not scoop fry from the holding tank to transfer into another for cleaning purpose

- siphon the water, keeping the siphon end in a small net cage to prevent fry escaping

- feed the fry of holding for more than a day.

3.0 EXPERIMENTAL DEMONSTRATION UNITS (EDU)

The farms selected at Tala (Satkhira District) and Baitagatha (Khulna District) as EDU's have started preparing ponds for stocking under the supervision of the NC for Khulna region with the assistance of the DFO for Khulna District. The potential site identified at Rampur as the EDU for Cox's Bazaar District is the demonstration farm established under the ADB project and administered by the DFO (see Field Documents 1 and 2 of TCP/BGD/714(A) - Disease Prevention and Health Management in Coastal Shrimp Culture by the International Consultant for Shrimp Health Management and International Consultant for Extension respectively).

During this mission, the consultant was informed by the NPD that a decision had been taken by the DOF to sell the ADB demonstration farm to a private party. Due to this administrative decision, the consultant had to select a new potential site for the EDU in Cox's Bazaar. Details of the site evaluated as the potential EDU for Cox's Bazaar District are as follows :

Venue : Hnila, Teknaf Thana

Name of the farmer : Mohamed Ismail

Experience in Bagda culture : 05 years

Education level : Able to read, write and understands well

Size of the farm : 4 acres

Ownership : Owner

Mr Md Ismail has already started the pond preparation process under the NC's guidance for Cox's Bazaar.

A number of farmers who practised the semi-intensive method of bagda culture attended the field training programmes at Cox's Bazaar. It is interesting to note that many of these farmers are now willing to change to an improved extensive method of culture according to the management practice adopted in the field training programmes.

Mr Mustafizur Rahman, Chairman of the Niribili Group, offered one of his farm sites to be used as an EDU for this project without any inputs from the project except for technical advice. Mr Rahman is a well known and respected person in Cox's Bazaar and the pioneer shrimp farmer in Cox's Bazaar District. His experience in the shrimp culture industry is multi-disciplinary in the area of feed manufacturing, production of post hatchery and culturing in grow-outs. Therefore, I strongly recommend to make use of his kind offer to set up a second EDU in Cox's Bazaar District. The details of this site as the second potential EDU in Cox's Bazaar are as follows :

Venue : Kaordwip, Charandwip, Chokoria thana

Name of the farmer : Mr Mustafizur Rahman

Experience in Bagda Culture : 20 years

Size of the farm : 16 acres

Ownership : Owner

Inputs needed from the project : Technical advice only.

The pond preparation process has already started at the second EDU in Cox's Bazaar under the supervision of the NC for Cox's Bazaar District.

At Diaganj in Mongla Thana the farm site which was identified by the consultant during his previous mission in conjunction with the DFO, Bagerhat District as the potential farm for EDU, Bagerhat, cannot be used, as the farmer is not in a position to construct a nursery compartment in the pond.

COLLECTION OF INFORMATION AND MONITORING

4.1 Information on farmers, culture practices, Health status and production economics

During his previous mission, the consultant suggested the collection of statistical and technical information on farming and farm methods, cultural practice, water quality, productivity types and entity of diseases and economics. To facilitate the collection of information, the consultant produced a questionnaire attached as Appendix IV to Field Document No. 2 - TCP/BGD/6714(A) - Disease Prevention and Health Management Coastal Shrimp Culture. During his present mission, the consultant reviewed this questionnaire in order to accommodate suggestions made by the International Consultant on Shrimp Health Management (see Field Document No. 1 - TCP/BGD/6714(A)) - Disease Prevention and Health Management information on the alternative crops.

The amendments made to the questionnaire are as follows :

Section 2 : Culture practice and sources of inputs

A new subsection is added after the methods of feeding entitled Water Source.

Two more Water quality parameters are added after bottom DO entitled Bottom Ammonia Concentration and Water Hardness.

Section 6 : Information on shrimp health (Bagda)

Three more health checks are added, namely body muscle, size disparity and behaviour.

A new section is added as Section 7 :

Information on alternate crop.

The revised questionnaire is annexed to this document as an Appendix

Sample Size

As per Letter of Agreement farm data has to be collected from a sample of 100 farms from all five districts (Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Cox's Bazaar and Chittagong). The consultant, together with the NPD and NC's of the respective districts, reviewed the following farms in each Thana for monitoring and information collection.

District Thana No.of farms for monitoring

Satkhira Shamnagar 06

Kaligonj 05

Dehata 05

Asasuni 05

District Thana No.of farms for monitoring

Sadar 04

*Tala 04

Khulna Paikgacha 06

*Boitagatha 04

Dacope 06

Dumoria 05

Bagerhat Mongla 04

Bagerhat Sadar 02

*Rampal 06

Cox's Bazaar Cox's Bazar Sadar 06

Chokoria 10

Moheshkhali 10

Ukiya 05

Teknaf 05

Chittagong Banskhali 03

Tota 100

Criteria for selecting sample farms

This information on farm and farm management practices should be used to assess the status and sustainable development of the industry. In order to achieve this, information should be collected from all types of management practices in extensive farming systems In view of this, the consultant would include farms with the following management practices in the sample for monitoring.

- Traditional Bagda culture with crop rotation

- Traditional Bagda culture without crop rotation

- Improved extensive culture with crop rotation

- Improved extensive culture without crop rotation

- Improved extensive culture dependent on pump driven water intake

- Semi-intensive farms converted into improved extensive culture.

Frequency of monitoring

A fortnightly monitoring frequency is recommended to obtain a better variation in parameters as an extensive method of management practice water exchanges in ponds during full moon and new moon period. The fortnightly parameters given in Section 3 (Water Quality) of Appendix 2 - Collection of Information in Sections 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5 and 7 are required only once in a culture cycle. Hence, the consultant would like to recommend collection of information requested in Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 for all farms in each Thana. This will fulfill the recommendation "All farmers should register with the DFO" made by the consultant in his previous mission (see Field Document No. 2 - TCP/BGD/6741(A) - Disease Prevention and Health Management in Coastal Shrimp Culture). Collection of this limited information from all farms could be achieved by utilizing TFO's and their staff to register the farms at Union level in each Thana. The following table shows the distribution of farms in each district. The average number of farms to be registered will be around 50 per month, with the exception of Bagerhat District, which amounts to 80 farms per month. DOF should utilize the project facilities to register as many Bagda farms as possible during the project cycle, assuming that farms are equally distributed in each Thana in a district.

District No. of Bagda farming Thanas No. of farms Average farms/ Thanas

Satkhira 06 3573 595

Khulna 04 1597 399

Bagerhat 03 2934 978

Cox's Bazaar 05 2039 408

Chittagong 01 81 81

This exercise will provide a good data base with reliable statistical information on the physical and technical aspects of the farms and farming to assess the status and sustainable development of the industry.

Reagent (Chemical) requirement for monitoring

The test kit sets (Hach FFIA) provided for water quality monitoring have enough reagents to monitor 100 numbers of samples of each parameter. There are three parameters : Alkalinity, bottom DO and ammonia concentration needing Hach FFIA reagents for monitoring. The reagent requirement for these three parameters to monitor 100 farms fortnightly for a period of one year is as follows :

No. of parameters requiring reagents = 03

No. of samples needed to analyse per month = 600

(100 farms x 3 parameters x fortnight sampling)

No. of samples needed to analyse per year = 7 200

Respective NC and NPD submitted to the FAO Operations Service for only 300 samples (100 x 3 parameters). Hence, there is an additional requirement of reagents of 6 900 samples.

4.2 Use of Thana Fisheries Officers (TFO's) for data collection and training

Whilst it is the responsibility of the NC's to implement most of the project activities, it is recommended that the TFO's be used in certain project activities, as they have experience in data collection and monitoring. The International Consultant on Shrimp Health Management has recommended a daily allowance of 200Tk. per TFO for every full day's work performed on the project (see Field document No. 1 - TCP/BGD/6714(A) - Disease Prevention and Health Management in Coastal Shrimp Culture). He also recommends that two TFO's be employed for 20 days a month which will cost US$ 2,232 to the project. The TFO's should assist the NC's on the following activities :

- Collect information on the farmer and farmer's practice in order to register farming at Union level ;

- Fortnight monitoring on water quality and health status of the 100 sample farms ;

- Information on fry holders.

Considering the amount of information that has to be collected and frequency of monitoring for effective and uninterrupted data collection, the consultant recommends the involvement of all 19 TFO's in Bagda farming Thanas in the four districts. For this additional task, the project should pay an incentive of 750 Tk. per TFO per month, which will cost US$ 3,804 to the project. This incentive should be given on a monthly basis for each TFO upon receipt of information for registering at least 50 farms per month and satisfactory data from monitoring of farms. The work performed by each TFO should be certified by both the respective NC and NPD and submitted to the FAO Operations Service.

4.3 Estimation of cost for information collection and monitoring

Cost for additional reagents = 234,600 Tk. = US$ 5, 214 (3400 Tk. per 100 samples)

Cost of fuel

Khulna Region :

2000 km per month for car

2280 km per month for 13 motor bicycles in 13 Thanas in Khulna region

8200 Tk. per month for fuel

98,400 Tk. per year = US$ 2,400

Thanas in Cox's Bazaar and Chittagong districts

38,200 Tk. per year = US$ 850

300 litres of petrol per month for the speed boat = 82,000 Tk. per year = US$ 1,822

Total cost for fuel = 2400 + 850 + 1822 = US$ 5,072

The vehicles (cars and motor bicycles) for transportation have to be provided by the DOF and NPD for information collection and monitoring.

5.0 WORKPLAN FOR NATIONAL CONSULTANTS

During the previous mission both international consultants agreed in close collaboration with the NPD on the following responsibilities of NC's :

- Identification of farmers for cluster field training programmes ;

- Assisting the International Consultant on extension (Dr. Siriwardena) in conducting the cluster field training programmes during his second mission

- Information collection from farms based on the questionnaire prepared by the International consultant on Extension (Dr. Siriwardena)

- Supervision of Experimental Demonstration Units on Modification, Improvements and Management

- The International Consultant on Shrimp Health Management (Dr. Smith) suggested an information collection survey on fry holders.

Two National Consultants have been appointed for six months with effect from 10th December 1997. Mr Habibur Rahman Khandker, DFO, Satkhira District, has been appointed NC for Khulna region while Dr. Nithya Nanda Das, DFO Cox's Bazaar, has been appointed NC for Cox's Bazaar and Chittagong districts. Swapan Chandra Paul, Scientific Officer, will be appointed as NC for Khulna region and Cox's Bazaar and Chittagong District respectively from May 1998, once the period of the first two NC's lapses.

The first two responsibilities have already been completed by the first two NC's. The cooperation extended by Messrs Rezaul Karim and Swapan Chandra Paul, NC's for the second six months in these two activities is much appreciated.

The two NC's are in the process of supervising the pond preparation of EDU's in Thala (Satkhira District), Boitaghata (Khulna District) and Teknaf (Cox's Bazaar District). The workplan for the operation of EDU's is given in section 3.0 under Experimental Demonstration Units.

5.1 Continuation of field training programmes

Considering the enthusiasm and interest shown by both the out-growers and by collectors/fry holders to learn better management to increase production and improve quality it is advisable to continue field training for both out-growers and fry collectors/fry holders after the 40 training programmes that have already been completed by the consultant.

The consultant would like to recommend a total of 80 additional field training programmes for both out-growers and fry collectors/fry holders in Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Cox's Bazaar and Chittagong districts. The timing, venues and NC responsible for these additional field training programmes are given below :

The total number of trainees = 80 x 30 = 2,400

Cost of folders (10 Tk. per folder ) = 24,000 Tk.

Cost of writing paepr (12 A4 size) = 1,200 Tk.

Paper packets (100 Tk. each)

Cost of pens (3 Tk. each) = 7, 000 Tk.

Cost for refreshment (20 Tk. per person) = 48,000 Tk.

Total = 81,400 Tk.

Additional field training programmes for the period of February to mid-May 1998.