Irrigation Practices Under Boro Rice Cultivation in Haor Areas of Sunamganj, Bangladesh
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Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research 8(3): 1-12, 2021; Article no.AJAHR.67209 ISSN: 2581-4478 Irrigation Practices under Boro Rice Cultivation in Haor Areas of Sunamganj, Bangladesh Debajani Chakraborty1*, Pijush Kanti Sarkar1 and Md. Abul Kashem2 1Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh. 2Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. Author DC designed the study, performed the statistical analysis, wrote the protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Authors PKS and MAK managed the analyses of the study and managed the literature searches. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/AJAHR/2021/v8i330115 Editor(s): (1) Dr. Anita Biesiada, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland. Reviewers: (1) Natalia Rebolledo Robert, University of Chile, Chile. (2) J. S. Bindhu, Kerala Agricultural University, India. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle4.com/review-history/67209 Received 08 February 2021 Original Research Article Accepted 16 April 2021 Published 02 June 2021 ABSTRACT A field study was conducted in the ‘haor’ areas of Sunamgonj district, Bangladesh, aimed to investigate the present irrigation practices to identify the related problems for ‘Boro’ rice cultivation. The primary field data were collected by interviewing 120 farmers (landless, small, medium, and large farmers) through survey. Most of the farmers used ‘beel’ (37.5%) as the main source of irrigation water. As water-lifting devices, they mostly used Low Lift Pumps (77.5%). The cost of irrigation was observed the lowest at Derai [Tk. 12,232 ($ 146.784) per season] and the highest was at Dakshin Sunamganj [Tk. 46109 ($ 553.31) per season], respectively. The highest benefit- cost ratio (BCR) was observed at Derai (2.48) and the lowest was at Dowarabazar (2.01). The financial problem, less water supply, lack of irrigation equipment, and knowledge about operating the equipment were identified as the main problems suffered by the farmers. These problems can be solved by distributing irrigation equipments at a reasonable price, and arranging training programs to develop the farmers’ skills. Keywords: Benefit-cost ratio; irrigation cost; low lift pump; shallow tube well. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: Email: [email protected]; Chakraborty et al.; AJAHR, 8(3): 1-12, 2021; Article no.AJAHR.67209 1. INTRODUCTION 2018. The upazilas were Dakshin Sunamganj (Dekhar Haor), Dowarabazar (Dekhar Haor), Rice is the main staple food of Bangladesh, and Derai (Shormongol Haor), Jagannathpur this country’s geography and climate are (Gachtolar Haor and Kapnar Haor), and Chhatak favorable for the cultivation of rice [1]. Aus, (Dekhar Haor). Primary data were collected from Aman, and Boro are the main varieties of rice are a total of 120 farmers and twenty-four samples cultivated in Bangladesh throughout the year [2]. from each upazila by field survey. The samples Irrigation is essential for Boro rice production in were classified into four groups viz. landless the dry period in Bangladesh. As water is an farmers, small farmers, medium farmers, and important factor for the successful cultivation of large farmers. Six farmers from each group of Boro rice, it affects the physical characters of rice each location were interviewed. Pre-testing of the plant-like growth, yield, and nutrient status of the questionnaire was done to identify any soil [3]. The water requirement of rice is not ambiguities in the questions and to identify the static. It varies widely with soil type, water table, range of probable responses for each question weather condition, and saturation of variety, soil, [10]. The questionnaire was tested with five and water management practice. Boro rice alone farmers of Kaikharpar village at Joykolosh union contributed the highest share of total rice in Dakshin Sunamganj upazila of Sunamganj production [4]. The main irrigation method for district on 10 October 2017. The questionnaire Boro rice is the conventional flood irrigation was amended after the session. This procedure method, where 3000 to 5000 liters of water is made the questionnaire unequivocal, suitable, used for the production of 1 kilogram of rice, but and acceptable to the final respondents. Only a it can be lower by adopting the AWD method to single questionnaire was carried out with each 2000 liters [5]. By using the flood irrigation farmer and thus the reliance was placed on the method, the world’s 75 % rice is produced, and ability of the farmers to recall the answers. the largest yield is also obtained in this method Microsoft Excel software was used for data [6]. A haor is a wetland ecosystem in the processing and analysis. Analyzed data were northeastern part of Bangladesh which is organized in tabular and graphical form. The physically a bowl or saucer-shaped shallow local units of data were converted into depression, also known as a back swamp [7]. international units before analysis. 858460 hectares is the total area of the haor-type wetland ecosystem. The haor basin is situated in 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Sunamganj, Habiganj, Moulovibazar, Sylhet, Kishoreganj, Netrokona, and Brahmanbaria 3.1 Sources of Irrigation Water districts outside the core haor area. Among the Table 1 shows the sources of irrigation water total 373 haors of Bangladesh, 95 haors are used in the study area for rice production. Beel situated in the Sunamganj district which (37.5%) was the main source of irrigation water covers 268531 hectares area [8]. Boro is the in the Sunamganj district, while the dam of BADC only crop that grown in the study area throughout (almost 1%) used the least for irrigation. River the cropping year. In haor areas, farmers use (21.67%) was the second-highest used source of water from beels for irrigation, and submersible irrigation water as opposed to groundwater dyke for water management [9]. Poor irrigation (19.17%). The other small scale used irrigation facility is the major hindrance for higher sources were khal (13.33%), pond (8.33%), and productivity of Boro rice. The main aim of the small depression (duba) (3.33%). study is to help to increase agricultural production in haor areas using modern In Dowarabazar upazila, most of the farmers irrigation practices. To achieve this, the focus will used khal water (62.5%) for irrigation. A very little be given to the specific objectives: (i) to amount of BADC dam water (4.17%) and pond investigate water source for irrigation, water (4.17%) were used. Farmers also used irrigation methods used and its utilization pattern, river water (Surma River) (29.17%) and beel (ii) to analyze present irrigation practices, and (iii) water (12.5%) for irrigation. In Dakshin to explore different problems related to irrigation Sunamganj upazila, groundwater (95.83%) was of Boro rice and find out their probable solutions. the most used source than small depression (duba) which was only used by 4.17%. In Derai 2. MATERIAL AND METHODS upazila, the most used source was beel (62.5%) which was higher than river water (Kalni River) The field survey was done at 5 upazilas of (29.17%) compared to small depression (duba) Sunamganj district from February to September (8.33%) which was least used. In Jagannathpur 2 Chakraborty et al.; AJAHR, 8(3): 1-12, 2021; Article no.AJAHR.67209 upazila, most of the farmers used river water of the farmers used 150 to 250 feet pipes to (Etakhula River) (50%) for irrigation. A very little supply water by LLP and the depth 350 feet from amount of khal water (4.17%) and small which STW sucked water. In the low land, water depression (duba) water (4.17%) were used. remains in the field all time so the farmers did not Farmers also used beel water (29.17%) and use machines rather than using traditional pond water (20.83%) for irrigation. In Chhatak equipment like don and swing basket. Their upazila, beel water (local name: Hourwa Beel) irrigation requirements were almost fulfilled by (83.33%) was the most used source than pond rainwater. Comparatively high lands were water which was only used by 16.67% (Table 2). irrigated by power-operated equipment. 3.2 Irrigation Equipment Used Most of the farmers used these machines from mid-December to mid-March while only a few From Table 3, Low Lift Pump (77.5%) and numbers were used from mid-November to mid- Shallow Tube Well (20%) were used in the March or mid-February. The farmers prepared highest numbers. On the other hand, traditional their land during mid-October, transplanted it equipment likes don, and swing baskets were during mid-December, and harvested in mid- used the lowest (4.17%) as shown in Fig. 1. Most March for the Boro rice. Table 1. Sources of irrigation water in Sunamganj district Source of irrigation water Number of % of respondent respondents Beel 45 37.5 River 26 21.67 Groundwater 23 19.17 Khal 16 13.33 Pond 10 8.33 Small depression (Duba) 4 3.33 Dam of BADC 1 0.83 Data source: Field survey- 2018; Total number of respondents: 120 (Some farmers used more than one source for irrigation water) Table 2. Sources of irrigation water in study areas Source of Number of respondents (% of respondent) irrigation water Dowarabazar Dakshin Derai Jagannathpur Chhatak Sunamganj River 7 (29.17%) 7 (29.17%) 12 (50%) Khal 15 (62.5%) 1 (4.17%) Pond 1 (4.17%) 5 (20.83%) 4 (16.67%) Small depression 1 (4.17%) 2 (8.33%) 1 (4.17%) (Duba) Beel 3 (12.5%) 15 (62.5%) 7 (29.17%) 20 (83.33%) Dam of BADC 1 (4.17%) Groundwater 23 (95.83%) Data source: Field survey- 2018; Total number of respondents- 24 from each upazila (Some farmers used more than one source for irrigation water) Table 3.