Shushilan

Extensive large scale shrimp culture has been initiated in this region since 1980. Water management is the prerequisite for shrimp culture. In the Third Fisheries Project (TFP) initiated by the Government, some canals were excavated/re-excavated to develop community based water management in some of the coastal shrimp polders. But the activities of TFP failed to achieve the expected results. Another pilot project named Fourth Fisheries Project (FFP) is taken in the shrimp polders to complete and revive the laps and gaps of TFP. Out of four polders, Shushilan has been working in two polders:

Community people in the form of Block Committees (BCs) and Polder Committees (PCs) have been involved in community based infrastructure water management planning. They have selected and prioritized the community canals for re-excavation, sluices for construction and repair, re-sectioning of embankments, culverts for construction etc.

They have been actively involved in quality monitoring and supervision of infrastructure development works feeling ownership on such polder resources. Shushilan has been involved in community consultation and capacity building of such CBOs and also trying to develop a sustainable system for the CBOs to mobilize the local resources. From 2002-2003 it has been working with 20 BCs, one PC and one LC (Landless Committee) in polder 23 in Khulna district and 6 BCs, one PC and one LC in polder 5 in Satkhira district.