Save the Children_SUCHANA: Ending the Cycle of Under-nutrition in Bangladesh_Quarterly Progress Report on Nutrition Sensitive Aquaculture, Fisheries and Horticulture activities of Suchana, WorldFish_January 2022 - March 2022

Abstract

WorldFish is mainly promoting the nutrition sensitive aquaculture and fisheries including horticulture on the pond dyke, available homestead and surrounding lands to the Suchana beneficiary households. 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 through increasing production, consumption and income under HFP and IGA support of nutritious fish and vegetables using homestead ponds, land and through utilizing public and private water bodies/wetland potentials. Considering the topography, agro-ecological and social contexts of the targeted areas, different technologies have been adopted to promote the nutrition sensitive fish farming in the ponds, captured from accessible open water including fish drying and vegetable cultivation at the pond dykes along with homestead and surrounding lands. Entire these interventions are also addressing the climate resilient and adaptation techniques and practices. WorldFish is also emphasizing the access to nutrition specific activities from other consortium teams towards promoting the diversified diets. Up to the reporting quarter, the entire targeted activities of annual implementation plan were achieved. So it was a great achievement for WorldFish as well as for overall Suchana program. Out of 25 key activities, 14 were completed in earlier quarters and reported accordingly; and 11 activities have been achieved fully or partially. Out of the 11 activities, 5 activities were achieved fully within the quarter, and 6 activities have achieved partially to complete the entire targets. Besides the technical follow-ups and coaching at beneficiary households, WorldFish conduced targeted trainings, workshops and linkages events in collaboration with implementing partners, technical partners and the Department of Fisheries. Honourable Director General (DG), Department of Fisheries (DoF) also visited Suchana working areas within the reporting quarter, and he was the Chief Guest of “Consultation workshop with the Department of Fisheries, Bangladesh in view of contribution on revision of the National Fisheries Policy 1998” at Sylhet. More than 50 participants were attended in the event. High officials of the Department of Fisheries (DoF) Head Quarter and divisional office, entire District and Upazila Fisheries Officers, DoF of Sylhet division, journalists of different print and electronic medias, representative of Feed Companies, Fish nursery & fry hawkers and Suchana Fish farmers participated in the workshop. Senior management team, technical leads and technical team members of different components and partners of Suchana also participated in the event. Besides the regular activities, WorldFish team also conducted a rapid assessment specially to assess the performances of the jointly established demo-ponds in collaboration DoF. Based on the findings, the average fish was harvested 132.7 kilogram per Demo-Pond BHHs in last 1ast 1 year. Largest portion (47%) of harvested fish was used to consume by the household members, 9.5 kg per Demo-Pond BHH (7%) was distributed to the relatives and neighbours, and the remaining 60.9 kg (46%) per Demo-pond BHH was sold to the market and nearby households. The average cash income was 10,153 BDT per Demo-Pond BHH by selling the additional harvested fish and the market value of the overall harvested fish per BHHs was 20,529 BDT whereas an average investment was 8,970 BDT per Demo-pond BHH. Accordingly, the average margin from the market value of harvested fish was 11,559 BDT. It is notable that many households were waiting for the main harvest for selling their fish during Ramadan considering to get a better price as that was the in between the main harvesting season. The respondents estimated that on an average 110.1 kg of fish were available within ponds as current stock (biomass); and estimated market value was 17,463 BDT per demo-pond.