EurAsia Division
Overview
The EurAsia Division (EAD) focuses on increasing food security, environmental sustainability and
rural incomes through enhanced agricultural productivity and agriculture sector performance,
including expansion in agribusiness and the adoption of improved technologies and practices. In
2014, the division targeted countries in Central, South and Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh,
Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar.
The division engages in a wide range of activities related to crop and livestock agriculture and
associated agribusinesses. Working together with the private and public sectors, EAD programs
are epitomized by the improvement of soil fertility management along with crop and livestock
development systems supporting sustainability and economic growth.
Among others, activity priorities include: technology development and diffusion; improved
farmer access to agro-inputs and advisory services through more efficient agro-input value chains;
agronomic and environmental research; and linking farmers to markets and agro-processing/trade
opportunities. Institutional development, policy advisory services, gender integration and human
capacity building are included in all EAD activities.
Accelerating Agriculture Productivity Improvement
in Bangladesh
2010-2015
Objective – The Accelerating Agriculture Productivity Improvement in Bangladesh (AAPI) project
is strengthening and re-orienting agricultural production systems in Bangladesh. The project is
improving food security and accelerating income growth in rural areas by increasing agricultural
productivity on a sustainable basis. The project emphasizes technology diffusion and development
of support systems to achieve sustainability. The primary technology is fertilizer deep placement
(FDP), which is well-suited to rice production. FDP technology is being extended to other crops,
often at the initiative of smallholder farmers; results are impressive. To a lesser extent, AAPI
supports diffusion of the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) water use management technology.
An environmental component of the project was added in 2012 – to quantify the impact of FDP
technology on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is IFDC’s hypothesis that GHG emissions from
nitrogen fertilizer will be reduced when FDP is used, compared with conventional surface application
of fertilizers. Last year, a new Walmart Foundation Activity component targeted an extra 40,000
women to train in FDP use for vegetable production. An estimated 160,000 women farmers are
expected to adopt the technology, leading to increased family incomes and access to more diverse,
nutritionally rich foods.
Related Intervention Areas – Improve Nutrient Use Practices for Better Economic and
Environmental Outcomes; Improve Efficiency of Input Markets; Improve Management Capability
and Profitability of Farm Enterprises; Analyze, Inform and Influence Policy Reform
Collaborators – Bangladesh Ministry of Agricu