Enhancing the capacity of fish-farmers and their support agents in understanding and using climate risk information at scale in Bangladesh

CCAFS research on climate risks in Bangladesh aquaculture is now been put into use through a network of partners agents and aquaculture services, enabled first through training. Training tools and activities on “Climate information services for aquaculture in Bangladesh” adaptable to fish-farmers and associated support and servicing agents has shown immense potential to enable climate risk management.  The training has lead to enhanced capacity of 46 support agents (fish-farm managers, hatchery managers, fish breeding professionals, extension staff) and around 1237 fish-farmers for managing climate risks at scale in 2020.  

Developing countries like Bangladesh are the hardest hit by climate change. The work taking place here to help adapt to its impacts and build resilience is an example for the world to follow. UK’s International Environment Minister, Lord Goldsmith.

WorldFish jointly with International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), CIMMYT, ICRISAT, BMD and International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) organized a week long training dialogue on Climate information Services for Aquaculture in Bangladesh which was identified by the participants themselves as a very first of its kind in managing climate risks for aquaculture operations in the country.  Before the training, focused group discussions with fish-farmers and hatchery managers in Khulna and Barisal district of south-west coastal region of Bangladesh revealed that temperature and rainfall variation during the breeding and grow out phase of different fish and shrimp species are the key climatic challenges faced by fish and shrimp aquaculture operators. Farmers also emphasized the uncertainty of fish-farming management decisions in line with temperature and rainfall variability. During the training, climate sensitive aquaculture operations and potential management decisions were explored to help farmers and their support agents to manage climate risks. For instance, high temperatures contribute to decrease water pH and imbalance in dissolved O2 and CO2 accelerating the amount of harmful NH3 and H2S gas produced. They can result in fish physiological stress,  reduced digestion capacity and food intake, both of which can reduce survival rate. In order to manage these risks, fish-farmers can apply lime to balance water pH, can use aerator to accelerate dissolve oxygen level of pond water, reduce feeding during afternoon and provide vitamin C supplement in the morning to enhance fish growth. A post training feedback survey in 2020 reveals that more than 90% participants have found the identification of the climate sensitive aquaculture operations were of significant value to them.

WorldFish and partners gathered all relevant experts from national and international organizations to initiate the dialogue at Bangladesh Meteorological Department and conducted the week long training dialogue to enhance the capacity 20 participants from 15 institutions of different aquaculture value chain actors in managing climate risks for their respective aquaculture operations. A post training feedback survey in November 2020 (after one year of conducting the training dialogue and after one more fish farming season) reveals that more than 90% participants have found the identification of the climate sensitive aquaculture operations particularly water quality management and feed management along with potential management decisions were of significant value to them. The training participants also disseminated their learnings and enhanced the capacity of nearly 46 support agents (fish-farm managers, hatchery managers, fish breeding professionals) and around 1237 fish-farmers for managing climate risks at scale. After the cyclone Amphan in May 2020, one training participant (Training and Extension Coordinator; Pranti Aquaculture Ltd, Khulna) communicated to express his acknowledgement and how the training knowledge benefitted him for having the timely information and making management decision and reducing climate risks. Considering these significant outcomes, WorldFish has also been working with other project platforms to scale the services. For instance, The Aquaculture: Increasing income, diversifying diets and empowering women in Bangladesh and Nigeria (IDEA) project funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has already reviewed the training materials and incorporated a new section on how to manage climate risks in aquaculture operations. This is expected to reach 200 Local Service Providers (LSP) identified by the project in drought prone region of Bangladesh particularly Rajshahi and Rangpur division. Each LSP has a client base of approximately 200 Fish-farmers. So this initiative is most likely to enhance the capacity of approximately 40,000 fish-farmers in the region to manage climate risks in their day to day aquaculture operations. Moreover, WorldFish is in discussion with the Department of Fisheries (DoF) to integrate climate information services on the “Fish Advice” App developed by DoF under the Access to Information (A2I) Programme. Successful integration of the identified climate sensitive aquaculture operations and management decisions from CaFFSA project in this app is expected to reach 167,922 fish-farmers and support agents with climate information services by 2021.