Bangladesh Country Investment Plan - Feed the Future

8. CIP PROGRAMMES
This Chapter highlights the main features of the 12 CIP programmes: (i) their expected outputs;
(ii) the challenges and priorities arising from consultations; (iii) some remaining implementation
challenges. Programmes 1 to 5 contribute to the food availability component. Programmes 6 to 9
contribute to the food access component. Programmes 10 to 12 contribute to the food utilization
component.
Programme 1: Sustainable and Diversified Agriculture through Integrated
Research and Extension
Expected Aggregate Output: Productivity is enhanced, food production is diversified and
resilience to climate change is increased through effective generation and propagation of
sustainable technological innovation/solution.
Priorities from the Consultation Process/ Current Challenges: Many key stakeholders,
including those from the National Agricultural Research System institutes, extension agencies and
farmers themselves, have named technology generation and adoption for strengthened, diversified
agricultural production as key priorities. Key DPs such as DANIDA highlighted the importance of
extension services as the main driver of agricultural development. Further, there was a strong
consensus throughout the consultation process that effective strategies for climate change
adaptation and mitigation are a priority. As such, there is a need to develop more adapted crop
varieties that will contribute to strengthened and diversified sustainable agricultural production.
Support will be required to strengthen physical and human capacities of the key players in
research and extension to ensure effective interventions in this programme area and eventually
improve, in a sustainable way, the productivity of the ecosystems.
Proposed Focus and Priority Interventions (Sub-outputs):
1. Enhance research & knowledge generation and adoption to increase agricultural
productivity and diversity in a sustainable manner: Research & technology development in
support of increased productivity in varied ecosystems is required in the following areas: (i) for
crops, varietals development (short maturing Aus and Aman rice, new HYVs, biotechnology)
build on respective experiences of private and public sectors; management practices (fertilizer,
cropping patterns, cultural practices for char land, hill and coastal areas); and water and soil
conservation; (ii) for livestock, disease control ( trans-boundary zoonotic diseases), poultry &
dairy development and value added activities; (iii) for fisheries, inland aquaculture
development (breeding, feeding, case culture, disease, etc) and coastal aquaculture and marine
fishery (shrimp and brackish water species) . As mentioned above, there is a need for
strengthened human, physical and institutional capacities of key research players, including
NARS institutes and universities. The development of human resource capacities through
strengthening the quality of the education system at various levels (from secondary schools to
university) is a priority. Although strengthening the overall agriculture education system is
beyond the CIP, it is required to invest in particular curriculum and capacity development
activities with focus on food and nutrition security.
2. Improve extension services to propagate knowledge & practices, supported by communitybased
experimentation & learning and indigenous knowledge: Interventions should be based
on existing programmes (such as the National Agricultural Technology Project) and aim to put
in practice the agricultural extension policy. They are required in the areas of technology
adoption & community-based learning (farmers skill training, soil health improvement,
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