This is the second issue of the AAPI News Bulletin. The components of AAPI relate to improvement in productivity; strengthening the private sector to provide the technology products; improving the pro-market policy environment; and, strengthening support systems. There are many activities that underpin these components, not the least of which are those that aim to increase productivity through technology transfer. In this issue, we have highlighted the importance of Applicators in accelerating the adoption of Fertilizer Deep Placement (FDP) technology and the work we are doing to stimulate the rapid development of an appropriate, low cost FDP briquette applicator for mass production to supply smallholder farmers.

You will also find articles prepared by Dr. Mozammel Haque, AAPI Training Specialist, that describe Open Sky Shows and Motivational Meetings. These are two of the many activities that we use to motivate farmers to adopt our technologies.

You will also note that from this issue we have started providing tips for the fertilizer briquette producers on machine operation, management, business techniques etc. on a continuous basis. 

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The Development of an Applicator for FDP The application of nitrogen fertilizer is the main ingredient for higher rice yields and urea has become the main form of nitrogen (N) fertilizer in Bangladesh if not the world. The common practice to apply urea to rice crops in Bangladesh is broadcast. Under such practice, for every 100 kg of urea applied, the rice plant might only get 30 kg. The rest is left in the soil or lost in runoff water, or evaporates as gases to the atmosphere. To reduce loses, the IFDC has pioneered the application of “Guti urea” that requires placement of a large urea granule or briquette at a depth of 7-10 cm below the soil surface. This has achieved remarkable results, reducing the amount of urea required by 40% and increasing paddy yields by 25%.   

Application of Guti urea has been by manual method but through the encouragement of the Honorable Minister of Agriculture, and through the research and design efforts by the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) and the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) along with a number of farmers and inventors, there are mechanical applicators being tested and used in the fields. These are well received by farmers but more research and development is needed.

Notes from Chief of Party, AAPI Inside this issue:

Secretary, MOA visited AAPI FDP Block

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Open Sky Show and Motivational Meeting with Farmers to Promote FDP

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Tips for Guti Urea Producers

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Volume 2

Accelerating Agriculture Productivity Improvement (AAPI)

AAPI NEWS BULLETIN April 30, 2011 A project supported by USAID in collaboration with DAE

AAPI News Bulletin is a monthly publication of the AAPI project. Subscriptions are free. IFDC is a public international organization based in Alabama, USA. IFDC focuses o n i n c r e a s i n g a n d sustaining food security and agricultural productivity in developing countries. Managing Editor: Ishrat Jahan Project Coordinator, AAPI Design and Layout: Syed Afzal Hossain Data Management Unit, AAPI

The views expressed in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government

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The APPI project supports this work by promoting the applicators in all its activities. In 2010 Boro season, we have 49 field demonstrations that exhibit the benefits arising from mechanical application. AAPI is also working closely with selected Universities in Bangladesh and the United States to develop new models of applicators that will further enhance the benefits. What we expect to achieve is a user friendly, low cost machine that reduces labor requirements and give a precise placement of the fertilizer briquettes near the root zone of rice plants. The Director General, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has approved a five member technical committee to oversight the development of the Applicator. The members are Professor Dr. Md Rafiqul Islam Sarker, Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU); Dr. Sultan Ahmed, Chief Scientific Officer, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council

AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 2

(BARC); Md Mofizul Islam, Senior Agriculture Specialist, IFDC; Dr. AKM Farhad, Project Director, Guti Urea Project, DAE; and, Mr. Alamgir Hossain Khan, Project Director, Agriculture Machinery Technology Expansion Project, DAE. To date the Agriculture Machinery Technology Expansion Project of DAE has distributed over 3,000 BARI applicators. IFDC, different institutions and private sectors have procured about 400 for use during the Boro season. Training was organized by AAPI and DAE in different locations. The experience indicates the labor requirement for Guti deep placement for each hectare of land is reduced from 8-9 labor days per hectare to 1 which represents a significant cost saving. Encouraged by these developments, TATA India has imported 5 BARI Model applicators from Bangladesh. 

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AAPI News Bulletin

Contact Persons: Ishrat Jahan Grahame D. Hunter Address: Dhaka Office: Road No. 62, House No. 4B, Apt-B2 Gulshan - 2, Dhaka -1212 Bangladesh Tel: 880-2-9894288 880-2-8817391 Fax: 880-2-8826109 Website: www.ifdc.org

Barisal Office: “Zohora” 834 (New) Police Line Road Barisal Tel: 0431-2176566

AAPI Management:

Ishrat Jahan, Project Coordinator; Grahame D. Hunter, Chief of Party; Md. Mofizul Islam, Sr. Agriculture Specialist; Dr. Shaharuk Ahmed Agriculture Specialist; Md. Mozammel Haque, Training Specialist; Mahmood Hussain, Training Specialist; Abul Hossain Mollah, Training Specialist, Dr. Md. Abdul Mazid Mia, Soil Scientist; Mainul Ahsan, Soil Scientist; Md. Nurul Islam, Market/Business Dev. Specialist; Ram Proshad Ghosh, Mechanical Engineer; Rubina Islam, Gender Specialist; Syed Afzal Mahmood Hossain, Senior Data Management Specialist; AFM Saleh Chowdhury, Chief Accountant; Bishnu Rup Chowdhury, Administrative and Procurement Officer

Farmers using Guti urea applicator in a FDP plot organized by IFDC-AAPI on January 25, 2011 at Chapatola village, Bagerhat

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AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 2

Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture Visited AAPI FDP Block

Mr. C.Q.K. Mustaq Ahmed, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) visited Guti urea block in Batajore, Gournadi, Barisal on April 21, 2011 with Dr. S.M. Nazmul Islam, Chairman, BADC; Mr. Md. Harisul Islam, Mayor, Gournadi Pouroshava; Mr. Md. Shah Alam, Additioanl Director, DAE and other senior DAE officials. He discussed with the farmers about the performance of Boro crop and results of Guti urea. Farmers informed that by using Guti urea they saved 40% urea and expecting 25% more yield during this Boro season. They also informed that less weeds grow in Guti urea plot compared to broadcasted urea plots.

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Open Sky Show and Motivational Meeting with Farmers to Promote FDP

Open Sky Show

The Open Sky Show (OSS) is an entertaining and educational means of motivating farmers to adopt project technologies. It is one of the methods of extension which can reach easily a large number of target beneficiaries in a short period of time. It has proven to be a very effective tool for creating awareness of FDP technology. The OSS includes the showing of several popular documentary dramas on FDP technology. AAPI, and ILSAFARM before it, as well as IFDC have invested in a number of audio-visual productions. This creates popularity in the farming community. From our experience, to obtain best results from the OSS the following points are to be considered.

Selection of an appropriate venue for an open sky show is very important. It should be done in consultation with people with good local knowledge such as the Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer (SAAO) from the DAE.

Village hat/bazaar have proven to be good

venues for open sky shows. Preference might be given to a venue in

front of a school, madrasha, union parishad or any farmers gathering place.

Day long publicity by mike is used to

announce the event. Local influential persons are requested to give

their support viz:

Local Upazila Agriculture Officer (UAO) and SAAO of DAE.

Local business people such as briquette

producers are also invited to attend sky show to express their role in promotion of FDP technology.

The local Upazila Parishad (UP) chairman

and members need to be invited to attend the OSS.

The open sky show commences with a short

briefing about its objective and the advantages of FDP technology in the locality.

After the show, a short discussion is arranged

where FDP technology adopter and/or farmer co-operator who has worked with AAPI is invited to express their views and experiences.

As the venues tend to be open and large numbers of people are in attendance, they are affected by inclement weather. The project tends to concentrate the events in the dry months. The demand for OSS has increased in all our communities. This extension approach could be followed in other projects in order to create awareness.

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AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 2

Motivational Meeting with Farmers It is generally accepted by extension practitioners that a new technology takes five years to become a sustainable farmer practice. Even early adopters need to be reminded of the benefits to maintain their adherence to the practice. The AAPI project uses motivational meeting for this purpose. The past adopters, preferably on block basis who have previous experience on FDP, are targeted as the participants of the meeting. Thirty to forty is a useful number of participants. The meeting is generally arranged at the beginning of the rice growing season when farmers are in a decision-making stage. The selection of participants is very important as they can become a magnet to attract others. In AAPI, it is the Field Monitoring Officer (FMO) who selects the participants in consultation with persons with the local knowledge to select progressive, past adopters, such as the SAAO and UAO. The venue and time of the meeting must be at the convenient place for farmers’ participation. Local leaders may also be invited to attend motivational meeting. As women farmers are encouraged, the time and place should suit family commitments. The presence of briquette producers will ensure the meeting strengthens to establish linkage between supplier and user. Common venues of the motivational meeting are generally village school or house of a farmer or any common area convenient for the participants. In the meeting, there may be method demonstrations and if it is intended (e.g. use of applicators) the location needs to be selected to accommodate the demonstration. The meeting is conducted by the FMO of AAPI project. The meeting encourages lead farmers from the participants who have used Guti urea before to express their views on the technology. The intention is to revitalize their interest in the new season. At the end of the meeting, a commitment is obtained from the participants on the adoption of FDP technology.

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Tips for Guti Urea Producers Maintaining the Guti Urea Machine in Good Condition All machines that have moving parts must be properly maintained for safety, operational performance, and economic reasons. All safety components of the Guti urea machine must be maintained in good order.

The Guti urea machine has an oiling unit for the gear box. Care should be taken to maintain the gear box oil at the required level.

Urea fertilizer is corrosive, and it is important each day to clear the Guti urea machine of any urea fertilizer particles/dust to the extent possible. During periods when the machine is idle, it should be fully cleaned of urea residue and greased to avoid corrosion/pitting of the metal.

Some other important aspects that should be taken into consideration are as follows:

For every 4 hours of continuous production, 1 hour of rest should be given to the machine.

Clean the feed and compacting rollers and e n s u r e t h a t t h e c o m p a c t i n g r o l l e r pockets are free from dust.

Grease the bearing case and gears with a grease gun/nipple and remove all used grease.

Gear Oil Shell Spirax 140 EP or similar oil should be used.

Gear oil should be checked before starting the machine and, if necessary, refilled to the optimum level as shown in the measuring gauge.

If the Guti urea machine is idle for more than 72 hours, clean and apply grease to the feed rollers and compacting rollers to avoid rusting. Before starting, clean the rollers with a soft cloth. In case quality grease is not available, enamel painting of the pressing rollers may be done to protect these parts.

Gear Box

Compacting Roller

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After every season of operation, the entire machine should be painted with enamel paint. In order to maintain the diesel engine in good condition, the engine oil filter, along with oil and diesel filter, should be changed after an operation time of 1,000 hours. A simple test may be performed to verify the oil thickness. This can be done by using your fingers to examine the gear oil thickness or viscosity. If the oil is very dark and has lost its thickness, it should be changed. At all times, the necessary level of gear oil should be maintained by filling. Always use quality engine oil and fuel to increase the useful life of the engine. Quality Control Providing farmers with a high-quality Guti urea is absolutely essential for success of the Guti urea business. The key factors that determine quality are as follows:

Accurate nutrient content: Guti urea must contain 46% N. The manufacture of Guti urea is controlled by the shop owner, and the process involves only changing the size and shape of the urea particle. In order to maintain an accurate nutrient content of Guti, there can be no additives or other materials included with the urea that passes through the Guti machine.

Dry and free flowing: Urea, due to its chemical composition, is hygroscopic; that means it rapidly absorbs moisture. It is important that the Guti urea remain dry and moisture free. This is best achieved by (1) operating the Guti machine in an area that is protected from rainfall and is free from water on the floor and (2) placing the Guti urea in a closed container/bag with polyethylene lining soon after it is made.

Uniform in size/shape: The Guti urea manufacture will involve some broken particles and some dust. It is important that any less than full-sized particles be recycled through the compaction process so that only full-sized Guti particles are provided to farmers.

Safety and Precaution Human safety is a top priority in the operation of any machinery and equipment. The following guidelines are applicable to the operation of the Guti urea machine.

AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 2

One operator has to be assigned to manage the machine, so that he/she develops the needed skills for proper operation, safety, and maintenance of the machine.

When the machine is in “running condition,” all body parts — hands and limbs — must be kept away from moving parts of the machine, including the motor, gear, feed roller, compacting roller, drive belts, etc.

Do not push urea inside the feed rollers from the hopper by finger or hand; otherwise, there is a great possibility of severe injury or damage to your finger or hand caused by the feed rollers.

Do not touch live electrical connections or wires.

Avoid wearing loose clothing as it may tie up with moving parts of the machine, which could cause an accident.

After any long gap of every production, clean the feed and compacting roller by cloth, air blower, or fiber brush — not by wire brush. The pockets of the two compacting rollers should be cleaned thoroughly. This will ensure uninterrupted and quality production.

Keep water away from the working area. Water falling onto the motor can cause fire, damage to the machine, and electrical shock if water comes into contact with wires of the electric motors.

Always keep the working area clean and non-slippery for the advantage of the operator. Every day after operations, all dirt and urea material should be cleaned properly and dried from the floor and machine’s body; otherwise, due to the hygroscopic characteristic of urea, the floor as well as machine will be moist and slippery.

Storage of other items should be segregated from Guti urea.

Although Guti urea is not toxic and creates no known health hazard, Guti machine operators should wear gloves, gum boots, and a mask to avoid excessive handling of urea to protect the skin of hands and feet and to avoid prolonged breathing of urea dust that may result from the briquetting process.

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AAPI NEWS BULLETIN Volume 2