1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Char Development and Settlement Project- Bridging (CDSP)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) - Italy

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Dhaka, Bangladesh (Dutch Embassy) - Bangladesh

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Government of Bangladesh (Gov BDG) - Bangladesh

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

The sorjon system is the cultivation of vegetables on raised beds. Ridges are about 60 to 90 cm high, which means crops are kept above the water, even during the wet season. The ditches between the ridges hold water for six to eight months per year and can be used to keep fish as well as being a source of water to irrigate the crops.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The Sorjan is a system that serves as an alternate of deep drains (ditches) and raised beds for crop cultivation and fish rearing. In coastal Bangladesh the ridges are mostly around one meter wide at the top and spaced two meters apart – although in places ridges and spacing can be wider than this. The Sorjan system is applied in lowland areas which suffer from water logging and salinization. The widely spread technology is also practiced in Char Nangulia, Noakhali district in the Meghna estuary in Bangladesh. The main economic activities in this area are small-scale agriculture, livestock keeping, fish rearing and informal business. Before introduction of the Sorjan system (by the Bangladesh by Department of Agriculture Extension) only deep-water tolerant traditional low-yielding paddy could be cultivated during the rainy season and in the dry season, the capillary rise of salty ground water led to poor yields for most crops, if they survived at all.
The beds are about 60 to 90 cm high, which means crops are kept above the water, even during the wet season. The ditches between the ridges hold water for six to eight months per year and can be used to rear fish and ducks as well as being a source of water to irrigate the crops. In most cases nets are spanned over the ditches, allow climbing plants to grow over them utilizing the space in an efficient way. The sorjan system is is applied in low land areas and frequently suffer from water logging and sometimes salt water intrusion. This system with raised bed enables the cultivation of vegetables in these locations.
The main function of Sorjan is to grow crops on raised beds so that roots are protected against stagnant water. As the area is partially excavated, the deeper areas can be used for fish rearing whenever inundated and crops such as cucumber and gourds can grow vines on supporting nets spanned over the ditches to maximize productivity of limited space available. In the Philipines Sorjan system, it has also been reported that rice is cultivated in the ditches with shallow water and at the same time, other crops on the beds.
To install Sorjan a farmer needs to make raised beds for planting the crops and rear fish in the deep drains. This is usually done by hand with help of local laborers, in some cases an excavator is rented to do the job. To support the crop to be planted , a framework of bamboo, string and netting is built over the ditches to support a sequence of climbing plants.
Maintenance of the beds is done regularly whenever necessary and the crop netting is replaced every 3 years. In the area farmers predominantly use urea and other chemical fertilizers to lesser extent, few farmers use animal manure and compost. Most Sorjan ridges have a permanent undergrowth of grass to keep the slopes stable. In some cases, during dry season, goats graze the grass in the ditches and slopes.
Before the rains start in March, cucumbers are planted, and these are followed by a variety of gourds (including snake, bottle, bitter and ribbed gourds) in the early monsoon, with yard long bean (asparagus bean) and country bean (lablab bean) in the later monsoon, with country beans continuing to be harvested through the dry season up to the following March. During dry season the beans are sometimes intercropped with chillies, tomatoes and amaranth. These crops overlap with each other, with relay cropping allowing continuous harvesting for 9 or 10 months per year (early June to March).
The significant increase of income a small-holder farmer can make in the area alongside having fresh fish and vegetable for the greater part of the year have been reasons for farmers taking up Sorjan. The Sorjan system is propagated as a measure to mitigate effects of increased salinity and/or water logging due to sea-level rise. Sorjan does not facilitate any mechanization as the narrow beds and ditch bottoms are only accessible by foot.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• during experiments/ research
• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

Introduced to Bangladesh by Department of Agriculture Extension and originated in Indonesia.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• mitigate climate change and its impacts
• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• No (Continue with question 3.4)

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Comments:

Thesystem is rainfed during the monsoon season (June-October); by storage of water around ridges this water supply will last until January. When planting crop in march water from deep tube wells is used.

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• rotational systems (crop rotation, fallows, shifting cultivation)
• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• wetland protection/ management

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Local conditions make crop cultivation difficult due to poor drainage (water logging) in rainy season and capillary rise of sea water in dry season.

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• adapt to land degradation

Comments:

by growing vegetables on raised beds the crops suffer less from capillary rise of sea water in dry-season and water logging in rainy season.

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

BDT

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

85.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	digging ditches/sorjan	dry season
2.	putting up bamboo and netting	after earthwork is done

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	excavation, bed construction and suspending of nets	person-days	40.0	200.0	8000.0	100.0
Equipment	shovels, baskets and other equipment	lump sum		2000.0		100.0
Construction material	poles + netting	lump sum	1.0	30000.0	30000.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					38000.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					447.06

Comments:

Excavation is often done with help of day labourers. Costs reduce if excavation can be done by excavator.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	repair of ridges	annual
2.	replace bamboo and netting	every third year
3.	fertilizer	several times every growing season
4.	planting/sowing crops	several times a year
5.	mulching	annual
6.	fish fry	annual

Comments:

Maintenance activities are highly specific to situation and crop.

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	repair of beds
Labour	replacement of netting structure
Plant material	Inputs production (seeds crops, fertilizers and fish feed)
Other	fish fry

If you are unable to break down the costs in the table above, give an estimation of the total costs of maintaining the Technology:

400.0

Comments:

Costs of maintenance are highly variable depending on crop type and management. In most cases external labour is only required for establishment of Sorjan. The quanity of mulch spread on the beds is dependent on what material is available at farm-level.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Number of labour-days required to establish and repair earthworks and netting structure

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Reclaimed lands in estuarine area

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

Yes

Specify:

In dry season the root zone is exposed to capillary rise of saline ground water

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Yes

Regularity:

episodically

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

In monsoon season there are frequent problems with waterlogging. In dry season the fresh water lens evaporates and saline ground water is to be found 2-5 meters below ground.

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• individual, not titled
• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• individual

• occupied

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

No

Specify:

Though government project (Char Development and Settlement Project) many settlers have obtained land rights to small pieces of land

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

Comments:

Areas which received support of the Char Development and Settlement Project have much better access to infrastructure and services.

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
extra-tropical cyclone	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	moderately

Other climate-related consequences

Other climate-related consequences

	How does the Technology cope with it?
sea level rise	well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 11-50%

If available, quantify (no. of households and/ or area covered):

11% of farming households

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 91-100%

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Land user's view is congruent with the key resource person's view.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Allows for a more diverse source of income for farmers, as instead of just 1-2 low-yielding crops per year as in Sorjan the same area becomes suitable to grow vegetables almost continuously and rear fish.
Increase of food security due to a higher diversity of locally-grown food crops.
Higher farm-income per land area unit with Sorjan than with traditional paddy field.

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Land user's view is congruent with the key resource person's view.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Sorjan does not allow mechanized farming.	Apply farm management which does not require machienery usage.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

CDSP IV reports

URL:

https://cdsp.org.bd/cdsp-iv-reports/