SAVE_SUCHANA: Ending the Cycle of Under-nutrition in Bangladesh_Quarterly Progress Report_April to June 2017

Abstract

In collaboration with other Suchana consortium partners, WorldFish has supported to select 11,947 BHHs (63.7%), 407 Demo Farmers (97.4%) and 1,306 IGA Farmers (49.2%) from Phase 1 especially for supporting aquaculture. The overall targets for 2017 are 18,750 BHHs, 418 Demo farmers and 2,652 IGA farmers from Phase 1. As the shared component for horticultural interventions, 58,523 BHHs are enrolling. It is expected that at least 50% of them are receiving supports from the allocations in favour of WorldFish components. Total 12,647 BHHs have received technical trainings on nutrition sensitive aquaculture up to the reporting period. Out of them, 1,578 from learning phase and 11,069 from phase 1. Only 1,644 BHHs, 185 Demo farmers have received critical inputs on nutrition sensitive aquaculture up to the reporting quarter. Rest of the BHHs and the entire IGA HHs will receive trainings and inputs on fisheries by 3rd third quarter. The entire BHHs have received inputs on nutrition sensitive horticulture. But a significant proportion of them are affected due to excessive rain and flood water, and they received vegetable seeds for the second time.

One (1) fish hatchery owner, 21 fish nursery operators and 26 fingerling retailers (patilwalas) have received technical training on better quality fish fingerlings for BHHs. As a part of foundation training for the operational team from IPs, 171 SCM, 14 FFs, 4 UCs, 1 UZC and 1 APC participated in the foundation training integrating all components including aquaculture and horticulture. At total 85 staff members since technical officers to the Deputy Project Director of Suchana participated in the two orientation program at Sylhet and Moulvibazar.

During the reporting quarter, WorldFish-MEAL team has prepared the report on rapid assessment of fish and horticulture components of the learning phase. M&E Specialist also presented the findings to the program team, senior team members and at the national lesson learning workshop of Suchana. WorldFish team also prepared the completion report of the learning phase, regular monthly and quarterly progress reports of Suchana. They have also supported to prepare the draft report on the pilot intervention of dried fish activities at Suchana beneficiary households.

Besides the considerable progress, some challenges also faced. During the reporting quarter, a significant numbers of beneficiary households have faced different kind losses due to devastated flood and excessive rain. Most of the BHHs aren’t familiar with improved aquaculture. Traditionally they don’t stock fish fingerling at their pond. Instead of fingerling stocking, they collect some wild fish those are entire through flood water. Inadequate investment of inputs especially lack of fish feed is a challenge for ensuring the efficient production from HFP-Aquaculture. Scarcity of quality fish fingerling is another challenge. Especially larger size fingerling is not available as per requirement. Dropout of technical staff members is also a challenge.

Need to find out some other alternative options for BHHs those don’t have scope of aquaculture but may have some other fisheries options such as small-scale fishing from open water sources during monsoon. Additional motivational initiatives for multi ownership Pond-BHHs may be effective towards HFP-Aquaculture.