Irrigation scheme performance assessment is vital to evaluate the impacts of irrigation practices, to identify performance gaps and to improve system performances. However, the performance of Jari and Aloma Small Scale Irrigation (SSI) schemes was not assessed since its operation. Therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate the water delivery, on-farm water management and organizational performances of the two SSI schemes.

The International Water Management Institute is the lead institute for the Ganges Basin Development Challenge research project titled Water Governance and community-based management in coastal regions of Bangladesh. This study is one out of five research projects in the Ganges basin commissioned and funded by the CGIAR challenge Program on Food and Water inundation, salinity intrusion and severe flooding in the coastal areas is a frequent occurrence in Bangladesh. This leads to loss of life and property as well as severe impacts on livelihoods.

The coastal polders of Bangladesh are characterized by extremes in terms of both challenges and opportunities. The polders are home to about 8 million people, where 85% of rural householders live under the national poverty line. The polders are subjected to flooding during the rainy season; drought and salinity during the dry season, and cyclones. In addition, the impacts of climate change, especially sea level rise, will be most severe in this region.

The important position and role of mixed farming systems in land use intensification in subSaharan Africa is reviewed. This is done by examining the current situation that is followed with a justification for mixed farming. Further sections follow on changing patterns of land use, including the effects of tsetse flies and trypanosomiasis, and on constraints to further crop-livestock integration.