Assessing the economic benefits of improved irrigation management: a case study in Bangladesh

Abstract

This paper explains the economic benefits that the country can achieve if improved irrigation management is followed in Bangladesh. The present study has been carried out using data from different studies by different organizations on the existing status of irrigation management practices in Bangladesh. As a result, defects were detected in the system, which are possible to eliminate through taking up various effective measures. A quantitative assessment has been done based on savings to be acquired as a result of eliminations of the defects. An additional amount of US$140 million may be saved from improved irrigation and water management practices, US$543 million from elimination of the present system loss of water and US$155 million by providing supplementary irrigation in the Aman (summer) season. An amount of US$108 million may be saved by enhancing mechanical efficiency of the diesel driven irrigation equipment through proper operation and in time repair and maintenance, US$362 million through proper conservation of water in khal (local drainage channel), beel (small water bodies), haor (comparatively larger water bodies) and pond and US$38 million by controlling unplanned installation of irrigation equipment. The Government of Bangladesh is to spend only an amount of about US$1.74 million for successful implementation of proper irrigation and other management activities, when in total an amount of about US$1,344.26 million may be thus saved and added annually in the economy of Bangladesh. The amount thus saved is about one-fifth of the total Bangladesh Budget for the Fiscal Year of 2002/03 (US$7,570 million) and about one-sixth of the total Bangladesh Budget for the Fiscal Year of 2003/04 (US$8,962 million).

A Review of Roof and Pond Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Water Security: The Design, Performance and Way Forward

“…PHS application can also increase the farmers' income with supplementary annual harvest and allow an annual planting season throughout the dry seasons [110]. For example, farmers in India experienced a substantial increase in income from USD 109.97/year to USD 216.36/year [111] and in Bangladesh, the cost of irrigation can save about USD 1344.26M [112]. Besides boosting the farmers' income, PHS application also assisted the cost benefit during flood events.…”

A Review of Roof and Pond Rainwater Harvesting System: The Design, Performance and Way Forward

“…PHS application can also increase the farmers' income with supplementary annual harvest and allow annual planting season throughout the dry seasons [86]. For example, farmers in India experienced substantial increase of income from USD 109.97/year to USD 216.36/year [87] and in Bangladesh, the cost of irrigation can save about USD 1,344.26 million [88]. Besides become the farmers income, PHS application assisted the cost benefit during the flood event.…”

Modeling Rainwater Storage in Distributed Reservoir Systems in Humid Subtropical and Tropical Savannah Regions

“…The authors compared the evaporation rates at different concentrations of feedyard effluent with clear water evaporation at different salt concentrations. Another study (Demmy et al 1993) used an effluent-filled aluminum pan mounted within a dairy waste holding pond for measuring evaporation and seepage rates, and estimated an average daily seepage rate of 22.4 mm/day and evaporation rate of 0.5 mm/day, which yields seepage rate 44.8 times higher than the evaporation rate. The seepage rate varied from 1.2 to 48.2 mm/day.…”