Project Working Locations
The SACA project operates across a diverse set of agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in Bangladesh, strategically selected to represent the country's major rice-based cropping systems. These locations provide a robust platform for research, demonstration, and scaling of Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices. The project integrates long-term experiments, field trials, and community-based scaling initiatives across both research stations and farmers' fields.
Northwest Bangladesh: Rajshahi District
🔹 Godagari (AEZ 26) and Durgapur (AEZ 11)
These sites host two of the longest-running CA experiments in Bangladesh, established in 2010 on farmers' fields.
The region is characterized by high cropping intensity and groundwater-dependent irrigation, making it ideal for studying CA's impact on water balance and soil health.
Activities include long-term monitoring of soil and water dynamics, piloting of collective action models (Samoloy), and bundled service provision trials.
Northern Bangladesh: Thakurgaon District
🔹 Sadar Upazila (AEZ 1)
A new site selected for its light-textured soils, contrasting with the heavier soils of Rajshahi and Mymensingh.
This location will host a two-year system-based trial to evaluate CA's performance under different soil conditions.
It also serves as a pilot area for Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) and Non-Puddled Transplanting (NPTR) trials.
Central Bangladesh: Mymensingh and Gazipur
🔹 BAU Campus, Mymensingh (AEZ 9) & Gazipur Upazila (AEZ 28)
BAU Campus: Home to two long-term CA experiments established in 2012 and 2018, managed by Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) and focus on soil fertility, acidification, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Gazipur: Hosts research stations of both BRRI and BARI. BRRI is initiating a new CA long-term experiment (LTE) in 2024.
BARI maintains six LTEs on CA, which will be accessed for specific research questions.
These sites are central to APSIM modelling, hydrology studies, and rice agronomy trials.