Field visits to map SIPs command area in Bangladesh IWMI, in partnership with the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL), is assessing the impact of SIP on farmers’ irrigation behaviour and subsequent effects on the overall groundwater levels. The project will compare the farmers’ groundwater abstraction patterns/behaviour and volumes of water pumped by SIP and non-solar (diesel) farmers. At the start of the project (January and February 2020), field visits were carried out in the selected SIPs in the North West (Rangpur and Rajshahi division) and South West (Khulna division) regions of Bangladesh. In January 2021, experts from our partner NGO Forum and officials from IDCOL visited these sites to start mapping and measuring groundwater use.

The following data were collected:

• Spatial site plans with central pump, outlets/risers and number of fields served by each outlet were identified.
• Details on an operation such as water scheduling and delivery
• Farmer related data

This initial baseline information will be used for making a detailed plan on monitoring and instrumentation.

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