DFID Nutrition sensitive aquaculture and horticultural activities of Suchana Quarterly Progress Report July to Sep 2020

Abstract

WorldFish is leading the nutrition sensitive fisheries and aquaculture components of Suchana program. It comprises nutrition sensitive aquaculture and fisheries interventions along with the coverage of half (50%) of the beneficiary households for vegetable gardening to improve nutrition status of women of reproductive ages and children less than two years in Sylhet and Moulvibazar districts. WorldFish is committed to contribute to increased production and consumption of nutritious fish and vegetables in homestead or leased ponds, land and through utilizing public and private water bodies/wetland potentials under Pillar 3. Considering the topography, agro-ecological and social contexts of the targeted areas, different technologies have been adopted to promote the nutrition sensitive fish culture in the ponds and vegetables cultivation at the pond dykes including the homestead and surrounding lands. Based on expectations from the beneficiary households, poultry has also been incorporated especially for some of the households those have pond but pond’s water areas are less than three decimals per household and those were targeted who have no ponds but potentials for subsistence fishing interventions. All these interventions are also addressing the climate resilient issues. WorldFish is also emphasizing the access of nutrition specific activities from other consortium team towards promoting the diversified diets. Based on decisions of Suchana consortium and WorldFish senior management team, entire Suchana team are working hard to achieve the intended targets since beginning of withdrawn the lockdown situation due to COVID 19. In the meantime, most of the targeted activities related to WorldFish have been achieved or close to the achievement in 100% except few events (like training and meeting) related to the government officials due to their additional responsibilities during the COVID 19. Besides the participation in the training and linkages events, 15,159 BHHs, 2,630 IGA-BHHS and 191 Dem-pond operators have received targeted inputs on nutrition sensitive aquaculture, subsistence fisheries options or integrated models including small-scale poultry rearing along with aquaculture or subsistence fisheries based on the expectation from the individual households and access to their resources. Out of 191 Demos, 71 Demos were established in collaboration with Department of Fisheries (DoF), the sign board of 71 Demos contained logo of DoF along with Donors. Based on findings from the process monitoring, almost ninety percent of the Demo-pond BHHs (88.3%) and HFP-pond BHHs (89.3%) harvested fish from their pond within past 30 days. The average harvest 8.5 Kg per Demo-Pond BHH and 6.8 Kg per HFP-Pond BHH. Most of the harvest were used for their own consumption (7.0 kg/ 82% for Demo-Pond BHHs and 6.5 Kg/ 95% for HFP-Pond BHHs), little were distributed (0.4 kg/ 4% for Demo-Pond BHHs and 0.3 Kg/ 4% for HFP-Pond BHHs) to relatives and neighbours and very little were sold (1.1 Kg/ 4% for Demo-Pond BHHs and 0.1 kg/ 1% for HFP-Pond BHHs) to the market or nearby households. Only 11.3% (7) Demo-Pond operators and 3.6% (1) HFP-Pond BHHs sold their harvested fish in last 30 days and the average income was 1,383 BDT per Demo-Pond BHH and 150 BDT per HFP-Pond BHH. Up to the reporting quarter, a total 33 fish nursery operators have received training on improved fish fingerling production technologies and 40 patilwalas (fingerling hawkers/ retailers) have received separate training on improved fingerling transportation process, stocking technologies and practices. A total 18 nursery operators along with 2 hatchery operators, and 32 patilwalas (fingerling retailers) participated in separate linkages events. A total 506 staff members from 41 unions participated in the trainings. Out of 506 participants, 356 Suchana Community Mobilizers (SCMs), 120 Field Facilitators (FFs), and 30 Union Coordinators (UCs) participated from 41 unions. Besides the good progress in most of the targeted activities, some beneficiary households have also faced challenges due to flood water and excessive rains. Still, situation of COVID 19 is one the big challenges to maintain the regular field operation. Some staff members are getting sick, some beneficiary households and/ other community member aren’t comfortable with the visit from outsiders like Suchana and government officials in the village at the beginning of withdrawing the lockdown. On the other hand, Suchana staff members don’t know that which households are infected or not. However, situations are improving gradually.