AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Accelerating Agriculture Productivity Improvement (AAPI) Volume 8
A project supported by USAID in collaboration with DAE Notes from Chief of Party, AAPI
Inside this issue:
Stakeholders Workshops with the Imams (an Alternative Motivational Strategy for the Promotion of UDP Technology)
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The Impact of UDP Technology in AAPI 2010-11
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Maintenance of Briquette Machines: Tips for Entrepreneurs
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AAPI Events in November 2011
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AAPI News Bulletin is a monthly publication of the AAPI project. Subscriptions are free. IFDC is a Public International Organization (PIO) based in Alabama, USA. IFDC focuses on increasing and sustaining food security and agricultural productivity in developing countries. Managing Editor: Ishrat Jahan Resident Representative IFDC Bangladesh Eurasia Division and Project Coordinator, AAPI Design and Layout: Syed Afzal Hossain Data Management Unit, AAPI
We now have all our data tabulated for AAPI’s first year. We have seen two seasons completed, Boro and Aus. This issue publishes some of the AAPI result impacts and they are very impressive indeed. We are at or over the target on all. The value of the saving on the urea subsidy for this first year of AAPI amounts to $5.79 million. This alone more than covers the total AAPI budget for the year. In this eighth issue, you will find an article prepared by Mr Ram Prashad Ghosh, AAPI Engineer, on maintenance of briquette machines. This is important for all owners of machines. Remember your business is only as good as the product you sell and your machine is its most valuable asset. We also have an article written by Mr Mofizul Islam on the progress we are making in getting a new improved applicator on to the market. On October 9, we were privileged to attend a workshop convened by the Department of Farm Power and Machinery at Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU) where a new prototype was unveiled. Dr Mozammel Haque has written an article on how the Imams in Mymensingh district are actively promoting Urea Deep Placement (UDP ) technology. It is gratifying to
October 31, 2011
see how they are contributing to the project goals of food security and income generation in their communities. AAPI is now focusing on up scaling its activities from Boro 2012 to achieve an expansion of the UDP technology in about 1.0 million hectares in the South and South-west region of Bangladesh by Boro 2013. All our staff are working full swing in the field to achieve AAPI scale up target. *** Applicator is One of the Driving Forces for Future UDP Technology’s Expansion The UDP technology is economically profitable to farmers with increases in yields compensating the increased labor cost. However, the hand deep placement of Guti urea is a timeconsuming and laborious field operation, especially when it is done separately a few days after transplanting. Deep placement of urea briquettes popularly known as Guti urea requires 7-10 labor days per hectare for manual deep placement. Labor numbers vary largely due to the expertise and skill from place to place. In many places, even though the farmers are motivated to use Guti
The views expressed in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government