Annexure-3 (2 Pages)
Annexure 19: FOCUSED GROUP DISCUSSION (FGD)
A focused group discussion was made with different stakeholder such as pump owners and irrigators, STW installer, STW operators/drivers/managers, STW mechanics and Electric motor mechanics, irrigation equipment traders, complementary import dealers and support service providers in order to obtain different types of information regarding STW irrigation technology and profitability of Boro rice production. Data/information’s collected through discussion with different stakeholder are described in the following.
1. FGD with STW Installer
STW installers work as a group which consists of 5-7 members in the study area. There were about six (6) groups of installers involved in installing services in the study areas. Generally, they bore 65 to 80 ft for STW installation in this areas. Most of them did not have any technical education from formal institution, but they trained-up by doing the work in practical. Basically, they install STW at the start of the season and rest of the time of year they are involved in other occupations also, particularly in agriculture. Installers opined that they purchase their required equipments jointly or in some cases one group member finances
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the whole amount of expenditure. Each group installs about 15-20 STWs in a season and it depends on new STW entrance in the field and re-installation. There are mainly three types of pipe and strainer used for STW installing in the study area such as PVC, Iron, and Bamboo.
The bamboo filter was made by installer by using bamboo, iron ring, net (filter), string.
Farmers use bamboo filter because of its cost effectiveness. The farmers and installers feel that the bamboo filter helps to discharge more water. The installation charge varies Tk. 1500- 4000 on the basis of boring depth and pipe diameter. In addition the STW owner provides one/two meals to the installers group. Again, installer bore 20-30 feet depth for hand tube well which is used to supply water at the time of the main installing activities. They linked two PVC pipes by heating and also using taps and glue. Most of the time STW owner collects related equipment from nearer market of Hamidpur bazar. There are about 5 shops in that area and they mostly provide hand tube well, pipes, filters, tapes, glue and other materials.
The shopkeepers also provide warranty services for some specific brand of PVC pipes.
Generally, farmers withdraw and re-install their STW after 5-10 years. One thing is interesting that in case of single investment in installer group, the investor plays as an owner (proprietor) and he pays other group members on daily wage basis. After paying wage to the group members, he takes rest of the money as his investment benefits.
2. FGD with STW operator/driver/manager
STW operator is also known as lineman / driver (who maintain supply of irrigation water to the line/channel) in the study area. The main task of STW operator was to operate and maintain STW, but they also maintained supply of irrigation water in irrigation channel in time as per required. They followed some kind of distribution route to irrigate their plots to avoid any conflicts among the irrigators. He was also responsible to care about collection of paddy from the irrigator’s field as irrigation charge. There was no significant difference between operator’s salary with respect to diesel or electricity run STWs.
The manager/driver/operator of the STW was appointed by the owners and their salaries were paid only for Boro season (about 4 months). Payment for operator was paid in kind as 32 maunds (1200 Kg) Boro paddy for a four month period of irrigation season or some where monthly salary is paid for operator and that is near about Tk. 8000 and operator is appointed for 4 or 5 months. Actually, the payment varied from operators to operators due to differences in experiences. Some partners performed as STW manager alternatively in a
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seasonal or weekly or monthly or yearly basis. The partner who worked as manager was also paid the same rate. In case of larger command area, most of the partners tried to employ himself or his family members as a manager to earn some salary and also to establish the control over the STW irrigation business.
3. FGD with STW Mechanics and Electric Motor Mechanics
The diesel operated Shallow Tube Well (DOS) owners mainly go to 3 markets near the study areas for repairing their STWs. There are 10 workshops in these 3 market places. The mechanics only repair DOS and 6 mechanics work in the selected 5 mauzas. Every mechanic is involved with 20-70 DOS, depending on their experiences and quality of works. The DOS owners appointed mechanics each season for their STWs on consideration of rapport, locality and quality of works. The rate of each machine is 3 maunds (about 120 kg) of Boro rice fixed by their association. They feel that the rate is reasonable in a competitive market. The better mechanics have involvement with more numbers of STWs but the rate of payment is the same. They have opportunity to work with STWs owner for 5 months, while 1.5 month is pick season of their work. Repairing of cylinder, piston, nozzle, plunzer, wheel bearing etc were the main works of STWs. According to the mechanics opinion, about 70 percent diesel machineries/engine or motor come from China, 10 percent from India, 10 percent from Japan and the rest 10 percent come from Germany and England. Delivery pipe is fitted with lower diameter than main pipe due to adjustment with lower electricity supply in peak period of Boro season (when much irrigation is required for Boro plots). They reported that bamboo made strainer supply more water than plastic strainer. The price of bamboo strainer is also lower. About 40 percent owners use bamboo strainer, while 50 percent owners use plastic strainer in the study areas. The mechanics are also involved with second-hand machine business. They make profit per STW as Tk. 2000. When they sell the second-hand machine to the owners they do not provide any warranty for any kind of trouble. They also help the owners for purchasing new STW machines with payment of Tk. 200 to Tk. 400 per STW.
There are 5 electric repairing shops (working as electric mechanic/electrician/rural mechanic) in Hamidpur bazar of Ghatail Upazila for the study area. They provide all kinds of electrical services particularly in STW motor repairing, starter making, switch board making, changing phase, and they also helps farmers for purchasing new or old STW motors. Besides seasonal STW electric motor repairing services, they also provide servicing to household electrical goods (fan, refrigerators, radios, etc.) and also rice mill motors.