Adaptation clinic: An exemplary advisory service to the climate vulnerable farmers in Bangladesh
From 2018, Brac’s Climate Change Program initiates an extension service approach titled as “Adaptation Clinic”, from where farmers can avail primary extension services related to their crop production such as diseases problem, crop variety selection, climate adaptive technologies in agriculture
Heavy rainfall, warmer temperatures, increased monsoon precipitation, more cyclones and water salinity are exacerbating the current strains impeding Bangladesh's growth and leading to continuous consequences for agriculture, water and food security.
Agriculture has been playing a significant role in ensuring the country's food security and economic growth for a long period of time. It has been stated that around 87% people of the country rely on agriculture directly and indirectly.
However, low rainfall in the dry season, heavy rainfall in the rainy season by aggravating long-term flood and stagnation, heatwave, cold wave, prolonged summer season, and shorter winter season are the consequences of climate change that creates significant negative impact on crop production resulting in cultivable lands turn into fallow lands.
Currently in Bangladesh, about 4.2 lakhs hectares of land are annually or seasonally fallow and remain mostly unused. Farmer's in those climate vulnerable areas face enormous problems in agriculture because of the sudden climatic crisis.
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In this context, from 2018, Brac's Climate Change Program initiates an extension service approach titled as "Adaptation Clinic", from where farmers can avail primary extension services related to their crop production such as diseases problem, crop variety selection, climate adaptive technologies in agriculture.
"Adaptation clinic'' at first who heard this name could think of a hospital because of the word clinic. But in reality, it is a clinic for farmers who can avail primary advisory services related to their crop production. Farmers get free services like any kind of advisory services related to agriculture in the context of climate change in our country.
As an agrarian country like Bangladesh, Climate change is a very important issue. Currently, this Adaptation Clinic approach of BRAC (Climate Change Program) is running in Asashuni upazila of Satkhira district, Keshabpur upazila of Jessore district, Dewanganj and Bakshiganj upazilas of Jamalpur district, Sapahar upazila of Naogaon district, Galachipa and Kalapara upazilas of Patuakhali district.
Adaptation clinic operated in two modalities:
1. Office based advisory services : Here, anyone can get agriculture related services. Farmers usually come here for their soil , water test and crop disease problem. Through adaptation clinics running since 2022, BRAC provides farmers with climate tolerant seeds (e.g. flood, drought and salinity tolerant seed varieties) and high value crops (e.g. sunflower, maize, summer melon etc.) with short production period and quick maturity.
Apart from this, imparting knowledge to the farmers about various climate tolerant adaptive agriculture techniques is also an important part of this project.
Through such techniques, like installing cemented pillars or trellis for multi-storied and vertical homestead vegetable cultivation, raised beds Line and logo method for paddy cultivation, mulching, cover cropping, sack method of vegetable cultivation, Integrated weed management, vermicomposting, dyke cropping around ponds farmers are able to sustain their crops even in extreme weather events.
Recently the Climate Change Programme, BRAC, has prioritised entrepreneurship among farmers and socio-economic protection of farmers by providing agricultural machinery and introducing crop insurance.
2. Mobile adaptation services : To spread the services of Adaptation Clinic to remote areas, Mobile Adaptation Clinic is conducted at a certain place in the village once in a fortnight. The women farmers of the village can get the necessary agricultural services at home through the mobile adaptation clinic.
Many times it is not possible for women to go outside the house and take advice/training from an adaptation clinic or agriculture office despite their desire.
But when the mobile adaptation clinic sits in the open field next to the house or in the big yard of one's house, a woman farmer can easily learn about adapted crop seeds and farming methods, improved agricultural technology, field and horticultural crop cultivation, agro-forestry activities, agricultural mechanisation and commercialization, weather and climate information. That is why the participation of women in mobile adaptation clinics is gradually increasing.
Due to climate change, the crop production in the country is being disrupted and the country's food security is under serious threat.
It is possible to advance the agricultural sector by increasing the overall production along with increasing cropping intensity through sustainable cropping systems. The Adaptation Clinic of BRAC's climate change program is working to reduce the probability of disaster in crop production to a great extent through proper planning and adaptation.
This clinic promotes adaptation through nature-based solutions to increase production in agriculture to adapt to climate change.
Climate adapted seeds, organic fertilisers, pesticides, and improved agricultural technology from the adaptation clinic have generated a lot of interest among other local farmers in a short period of time. If this service can be gradually extended to more climate vulnerable areas, it can contribute to the agricultural economy in addition to reducing food security risks.
Kaniz-Fatema-Tuz-Zahura is a Deputy Manager at the Climate Change Programme, BRAC.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
