At a time when the Government of Bangladesh has undertaken an ambitious and timely master plan to re-excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals across the country, its necessity in the southwest coastal region is greater than anywhere else.
In this region, water scarcity for irrigation during the dry season and waterlogging and salinity during the monsoon take on a dire form. The Sustainable Agriculture, Food Security and Linkages for Integrated Water Resource Management programme (SAFAL for IWRM), implemented by Solidaridad, stands as a transformative ‘proof of concept’ for the national Integrated Water Resource Management strategy. This strategy works towards building climate-resilient water systems, resulting in viable economic prosperity.
The death of a ‘khal’ and the birth of a crisis
For farmers in the southwest coastal region of Bangladesh, water has long been a complex puzzle. For generations, the khals (canals) were the lifeline for agriculture in the region. Comprising 27% of the country’s total land area, the region is currently facing a dual water crisis. Due to silted-up micro-watersheds (canals/khals), the monsoon brings widespread waterlogging, while the dry winter season brings a fresh water crisis and soil salinity. Farming in this hostile environment is akin to gambling with fate.
Funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh and implemented by Solidaridad Asia, the SAFAL for IWRM programme proves that the key to climate resilience is not just in large engineering structures, but in the hands of the local community.
The programme demonstrated that a grassroots, participatory approach to canal rejuvenation can restore the local water cycle, increasing agricultural yield by 16% and household income by up to 75%. This model directly supports the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 and the government’s priority goal of re-excavating 20,000 km of canals.
From siltation to sustainability
For decades, the southwest region was a landscape of untapped potential. Despite being home to 23% of the country’s population, poverty remained entrenched due to silted-up canals and a desperate reliance on saline groundwater.
The community-led water management model, however, has turned this tide by rejuvenating the watershed not just for improving irrigation efficiency and drainage, but also for reviving the living ecosystem.
By revitalising 80 micro-watersheds covering over 100 km of canals, the programme has significantly improved water conditions for over 90,000 farming households. The results are nothing short of a miracle for the delta: groundwater dependence for irrigation dropped from 42% to a mere 4%, while surface water use surged to 55%.
The power of the community-led micro-watershed management
The genius of this model lies in its scale. While large-scale polder management (an integrated system to control water levels in low-lying areas) remains necessary, the SAFAL for IWRM programme demonstrates that community-led micro-watershed management (each covering 200–500 hectares) can be highly effective, enabling farmers to shape their own outcomes.
When farmers manage their local khals, the results are immediate. Around 80 committees formed by local farmers now decide when to excavate canals, how to distribute water and how to protect canal embankments through a community governance mechanism. This has also improved equity, with 98% of the farmers reporting that water distribution is fair, almost eliminating the traditional conflicts that often arise over water.
As water management improved, the ecosystem regenerated, which resulted in increased cropping intensity by 36.8%, rising from 1.9 to 2.6, enabling farmers to cultivate three crops a year compared to two earlier. Agricultural productivity has also increased significantly: overall yields increased 16%, Boro rice yields grew 27% and Bagda shrimp production jumped an impressive 55%. At the same time, relying on fresh canal water instead of groundwater reduced irrigation costs by 26%.
A social revolution in water governance
Mechanical excavation is only half the battle. To achieve a true ‘social revolution’, SAFAL for IWRM has created an institutional framework through the Micro-Watershed Committees. These committees are not merely administrative; they are the guardians of the watershed.
Women have also emerged as key leaders, holding 30% of the leadership positions in these committees. Many have pioneered a “dyke economy” by growing vegetables on embankments, improving household water security while creating new income streams such as dyke-top vegetable gardening and small-scale fisheries. The combined impact of higher yields and lower production costs has produced a powerful income ripple, with average household incomes rising by 75%.
Under their management, soil salinity has decreased, turning a climate-vulnerable region into a productive food basket. Approximately 35,838 hectares of land are now under this water-saving and eco-friendly management.
A scalable blueprint for the Delta
The implications of the SAFAL for IWRM programme extend far beyond the five districts in southwest Bangladesh. As Bangladesh implements its Delta Plan 2100, the SAFAL for IWRM model offers a ‘proof of concept’ for the entire country. It demonstrates that when local communities are empowered to manage their own watersheds, they don’t just survive climate change—they thrive.
By combining climate-smart seeds (salt-, water- and drought-tolerant varieties) with regenerative agricultural practices like bio-pesticides, use of compost, mulching and less-tillage, the programme has turned a climate-vulnerable region into a productive food basket. Surface water availability and regenerative agriculture are contributing to building a richer agricultural ecosystem and enhanced biodiversity. SAFAL for IWRM is a powerful model for developing sustainable, productive and resilient food systems in climate-vulnerable regions of Bangladesh.
The road ahead: Integrated water resource management
As the Ministry of Water Resources of Bangladesh moves forward with its 180-day pilot programme for canal recovery, the SAFAL for IWRM model offers a blueprint for long-term sustainability. To secure the Delta’s future, three strategic priorities are essential:
- Institutional recognition: Granting legal status to micro-watershed committees and formally linking them with local government.
- Public-private investment: Increasing investment to ensure the supply of climate-resilient seeds and fair market linkages.
- Regenerative models: Focusing on regenerative agriculture alongside canal re-excavation to increase cropping intensity without depleting soil fertility.
The SAFAL for IWRM programme has shown that when we restore nature’s systems through community engagement, prosperity follows. The success story of the southwest coastal Bangladesh teaches us that the real solution is not fighting nature, but integrated management.
This article first appeared in The Business Standard, in Bangladesh, on 8 March 2026.