Pro-poor groundwater development: the case of the Barind experiment in Bangladesh

The Barind region, a water-stressed area in northwest Bangladesh, had an underdeveloped agricultural economy and high levels of poverty until two projects revitalized the area with enhanced groundwater irrigation. The Barind Integrated Area Development Project in 1985 and Barind Multipurpose Develop...

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Main Authors: Banerjee, Partha Sarathi, de Silva, Sanjiv
Format: Brief
Language:Inglés
Published: World Bank 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/107830
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author Banerjee, Partha Sarathi
de Silva, Sanjiv
author_browse Banerjee, Partha Sarathi
de Silva, Sanjiv
author_facet Banerjee, Partha Sarathi
de Silva, Sanjiv
author_sort Banerjee, Partha Sarathi
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The Barind region, a water-stressed area in northwest Bangladesh, had an underdeveloped agricultural economy and high levels of poverty until two projects revitalized the area with enhanced groundwater irrigation. The Barind Integrated Area Development Project in 1985 and Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) in 1992 used new water extraction technology and innovative management practices such as deep tubewells (DTWs) fitted with smart card–operated electric pumps to develop drought-resilient irrigation. Both projects have helped the Barind region reduce poverty and achieve self-sufficiency in rice. However, there are concerns about declining groundwater levels in the Barind and nearby regions, resulting in a temporary halt in DTW expansion. Preliminary evidence presented in this case study suggests farmers served by shallow tubewells (STWs) may be losing access to groundwater in some parts of the Barind region, which can have significant development implications because these tubewells remain the predominant source of irrigation. This evidence provides grounds to question whether an irrigation model reliant on DTWs is sustainable and equitable in the long term. Further research is needed to better establish groundwater conditions and understand the risk to STW users to inform future policy on DTW-driven agricultural development.
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spelling CGSpace1078302025-11-07T08:01:52Z Pro-poor groundwater development: the case of the Barind experiment in Bangladesh Banerjee, Partha Sarathi de Silva, Sanjiv groundwater development irrigation programs deep tube wells shallow tube wells groundwater irrigation costs metering agricultural production rice farmers poverty sustainability case studies The Barind region, a water-stressed area in northwest Bangladesh, had an underdeveloped agricultural economy and high levels of poverty until two projects revitalized the area with enhanced groundwater irrigation. The Barind Integrated Area Development Project in 1985 and Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) in 1992 used new water extraction technology and innovative management practices such as deep tubewells (DTWs) fitted with smart card–operated electric pumps to develop drought-resilient irrigation. Both projects have helped the Barind region reduce poverty and achieve self-sufficiency in rice. However, there are concerns about declining groundwater levels in the Barind and nearby regions, resulting in a temporary halt in DTW expansion. Preliminary evidence presented in this case study suggests farmers served by shallow tubewells (STWs) may be losing access to groundwater in some parts of the Barind region, which can have significant development implications because these tubewells remain the predominant source of irrigation. This evidence provides grounds to question whether an irrigation model reliant on DTWs is sustainable and equitable in the long term. Further research is needed to better establish groundwater conditions and understand the risk to STW users to inform future policy on DTW-driven agricultural development. 2020-01-01 2020-03-23T07:40:15Z 2020-03-23T07:40:15Z Brief https://hdl.handle.net/10568/107830 en Open Access application/pdf World Bank Banerjee, P. S.; de Silva, Sanjiv. 2020. Pro-poor groundwater development: the case of the Barind experiment in Bangladesh. Washington, DC, USA: World Bank. 8p. (Water Knowledge Note)
spellingShingle groundwater development
irrigation programs
deep tube wells
shallow tube wells
groundwater irrigation
costs
metering
agricultural production
rice
farmers
poverty
sustainability
case studies
Banerjee, Partha Sarathi
de Silva, Sanjiv
Pro-poor groundwater development: the case of the Barind experiment in Bangladesh
title Pro-poor groundwater development: the case of the Barind experiment in Bangladesh
title_full Pro-poor groundwater development: the case of the Barind experiment in Bangladesh
title_fullStr Pro-poor groundwater development: the case of the Barind experiment in Bangladesh
title_full_unstemmed Pro-poor groundwater development: the case of the Barind experiment in Bangladesh
title_short Pro-poor groundwater development: the case of the Barind experiment in Bangladesh
title_sort pro poor groundwater development the case of the barind experiment in bangladesh
topic groundwater development
irrigation programs
deep tube wells
shallow tube wells
groundwater irrigation
costs
metering
agricultural production
rice
farmers
poverty
sustainability
case studies
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/107830
work_keys_str_mv AT banerjeeparthasarathi propoorgroundwaterdevelopmentthecaseofthebarindexperimentinbangladesh
AT desilvasanjiv propoorgroundwaterdevelopmentthecaseofthebarindexperimentinbangladesh