I am currently in Dhaka, Bangladesh with another student from Trent University. We are attached to a Bangladeshi organization called Padakhep. Our particular focus is on agriculture and food security in the country. We both have a lot to learn considering that much of this, such as the Bangladeshi context and an in-depth understanding of agriculture, is new to us. As is to be expected, a lot of revisions had to be made regarding the initial expectations of my internship. This is partly because, while I have only been here for two weeks, it is clear to me that Padakhep is a well-managed NGO, with fairly steady funding and a team of professional and motivated staff. As is often the case with development internships, it is therefore very likely that my learning will be much greater than my direct contribution. This is a difficult ethical dilemma that I worry about, particularly when engaging in this type of learning. On the one hand, accepting this reality helps me to avoid a perception of myself as the noble development worker saving the day. On the other, it also makes me question the cost of receiving these very important lessons. By engaging in efforts to orient me to their operations, am I more of a nuisance than a possible help? Wouldn’t the funds I’m receiving be more useful to the organization than my physical presence? How can I make sure I make the greatest contribution, both during these three months and afterward?

In treading this fine line between giving and taking in development work, I am constantly reminding myself to be aware of the significant privilege I have simply in that I am able to travel to other countries. Remaining humble and aware of my lack of knowledge is important, particularly in the face of special treatment while abroad. The Bangladeshis we have met have been extremely welcoming to us and will often go out of their way to ensure our comfort. While this hospitality is appreciated, it can also put us in tricky ethical situations. The other day we were at a seminar and a request was made for people to speak in English solely on our account. We were only attending as observers and felt extremely uncomfortable with the fact that the efficiency of their discussions was then hindered by our presence. In the future, I will make greater attempts to avoid these types of situations.

Despite these worries, I still believe that these types of cross-cultural exchanges can be mutually beneficial. However, striving for this, I must constantly question my position and avoid taking advantage of people’s hospitality. I will do my best to keep all of this in mind as I research and assist in the specific project assigned to me by my mentor at Padakhep, which is set to commence in the next month and is a multi-year initiative. The purpose of the project is to achieve yield gap minimization in rice-cropping in four districts in the country. First, Padakhep will engage in field studies to determine the causes of the yield gaps, and then will begin implementing the most effective solutions considering these localized obstacles.

I knew very little about the technicalities of agriculture before arriving here. Through my studies I was aware of the general debate regarding whether funding should be focused in urban or rural areas, as well as the dysfunctional nature of the global food regime. Perhaps necessarily, in development we are often taught these broad theories, but lack the more localized, and technical details of how to implement a project. Investing in agriculture is one thing, but which projects more specifically? How does one weigh the advantages and disadvantages to individual initiatives? Upon arrival, I knew next to nothing about how rice is actually grown or processed, how irrigation functions, or which natural methods for pest control exist. While scientific explanations will not be necessary, a basic understanding of these issues is a prerequisite for me to consider which strategies are feasible, given the agricultural climate in Bangladesh. Our trip to the Rangpur and Dinajpur districts was a great help in providing this type of knowledge. We visited a rice processing factory, Padakhep’s seed packaging facilities, a rice-intensification farming pilot project and interviewed various stakeholders involved with ensuring food security in the region. These field studies, as well as the background documents provided by my mentor, have begun to paint a better picture of agriculture in Bangladesh. I am excited to see what the coming weeks will bring.

Category: Bangladesh, On location // 1 Comment »