Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

Section 1: Project Title

Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

Project duration: 12 months

Number of direct beneficiaries: 1500

Number of indirect beneficiaries: 5000

1
Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

Section 2: Project Summary

BRIEF PROJECT SUMMARY

Overall objectives To build resilience of vulnerable river islands (char) communities

to impacts of climate change, with improved adaptation of
livelihoods and welfare facilities and reduced vulnerability to
climate risks.

Specific objective To ensure access to all-weather water & sanitation for 1500
people in flood-prone river islands, and support climate-adapted
and alternative livelihoods for 300 vulnerable families, along with
capacity for resilient technologies in 15 target communities.

Outcomes/Expected 1. Adoption of climate adapted livelihoods for 300 vulnerable

Results households will result in improved food & livelihood security,
including 20% reduction in seasonal hunger.

2. All-weather access to safe water & sanitation facilities and

improved flood-proofing of homesteads benefiting 15 char
settlements along with capacity built in 40 local stakeholders on
resilient technologies will lead to reduced risks and distress from
flooding.

3. Supplementary livelihood activities and knowledge of safe

migration will empower 300 women and reduce their
vulnerability to VAWG (including trafficking) and enhance
household resilience.

Main activities 1. 4 training programmes on CSA methods for smallholder

farmers will be followed by support for 15 early adopter
smallholder farmers in uptake of CSA methods. Intensive
promotion of CSA methods will include campaigns as well as
Farmer Field Schools and demonstration sessions conducted at
these farms and seed inputs to additional farmers. 2 Facilitation
centres will provide ongoing support for agricultural adaptation
to climate change, including access to inputs and technical
guidance via helplines to experts.

2. 15 safe water & sanitation facilities using flood-adapted

designs will be installed to benefit WASH-deprived households,
with associated trainings on their usage & maintenance. WASH

2
Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

awareness campaigns will be conducted and community WASH

committees formed in 15 settlements. Communities will be
trained in flood-protection measures for homesteads and most
vulnerable families/groups in the target settlements assisted for
selected measures. Training programmes will build capacity of
communities, front-line workers, NGOs, local government in
resilient technologies for flood-prone areas.

3. 70 women of economically vulnerable families will be

supported for supplementary income streams (agri produce food
processing- it should not be animal based livelihood), and
provided associated skills training, support linkages and market
information. Women’s groups will be formed in 15 settlements
and an education programme on assertiveness and safe migration
conducted; group leaders will be provided leadership training
along with inputs on vigilance/prevention/protection with regard
to trafficking.

3
Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

Section 3 - Project Overview: Overall & Specific Objective

Overall objective, aim, or vision of the project

EDUCATION To enable the most marginalized children to access quality

education and prospects for a better future

GENDER EQUALITY & To contribute to the creation of a society free from all forms of
WOMEN’S discrimination and violence against Dalit, Adivasi and other
EMPOWERMENT vulnerable women (DAVWs)

INNOVATIVE To support marginalized communities to live financially secure

LIVELIHOODS and productive lives, free from any form of discrimination
DEVELOPMENT

OTHER OVERALL OBJECTIVES

The project aims to build resilience of vulnerable river islands (char) communities to impacts
of climate change, with improved adaptation of livelihoods and welfare facilities and reduced
vulnerability to climate risks.

As a multi-pronged solution to climate risks faced by the chronically poor and vulnerable
river-island dwellers in Bangladesh, with a particular as well as women, the project would
contribute to several of the SDGs, including: SDG1 (No Poverty), SDG2 (Zero Hunger), SDG3
Good Health & Wellbeing (Indicator 3.9.2), SDG5 (Gender Equality), SDG6 (Clean Water &
Sanitation), SDG11 (Sustainable Cities & Communities), SDG13 (Climate Action). It would also
contribute to both Mitigation [Agriculture (non-energy) sector] and Adaptation objectives of
Bangladesh’s NDC [Food security and livelihood (and related priorities of Stress tolerant
variety improvement and cultivation), Disaster management].

Specific objective of this project

To ensure access to all-weather water & sanitation for 1500 people in flood-prone river
islands in the districts of Munshiganj and Narayanganj in Bangladesh, and support climate-
adapted and alternative livelihoods for 300 vulnerable families, along with stakeholder
capacity for resilient technologies in 15 river-island dwelling communities.

Project’s Expected Results/Outcomes

1. Capacity for Climate Smart Farming in Smallholders:

Adoption of climate adapted livelihoods in the farm sector for 300 vulnerable households will
result in improved food & livelihood security, including 20% reduction in seasonal hunger.

2. Resilient Technologies for Flood-prone Areas:

All-weather access to safe water & sanitation facilities and improved flood-proofing of

4
Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

homesteads benefiting 15 char settlements along with capacity built in 40 local stakeholders on
resilient technologies will lead to reduced risks and distress from flooding.

3. Women’s Empowerment and GBV Risk Mitigation:

Supplementary livelihood activities and knowledge of safe migration will empower 300 women
and reduce their vulnerability to VAWG (including trafficking) and enhance household resilience.

5
Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

Section 3 – Project Overview - ACTIVITIES

Activities that this project will implement to achieve each of the desired Expected Results / Outcomes listed above

Activity Package Description of each Task

no.

1.

1.1 CSA 1.1.1. Developing CSA Training module comprising suitable CSA practices for the target area.
Training 1.1.2. Conducting CSA training for farmers on a quarterly basis for each target char.

1.2 Early 1.2.1. Selecting 3-5 best-fit CSA practices (submergence-tolerant varieties, crop-diversification, mixed farming, etc.), and 15
adopters early adopters/farmer innovators in target area.

1.2.2. Supporting the early adopters with inputs and technical support for uptake of the best-fit CSA practices, providing
continuing handholding.

1.3 CSA 1.3.1. Designing CSA campaigns using suitable inclusive media.
campaign
1.3.2. Conducting 2 CSA campaigns promoting best-fit technologies in target area

1.4 FFS/demo 1.4.1. Conducting Farmer Field Schools (2/year) at early adopters’ farms demonstration on CSA practices and promoting
uptake by other farmers.

1.5 Faciltation 1.5.1. Aiding grassroots partners with inputs for CSA (eg., flood-resilient seeds) and training and promotion kits.
Centre
1.5.2. Supporting operation of 2 CSA Facilitation Centres by grassroots partners for propelling CSA uptake.

2.

2.1 WASH 2.1.1. Identifying households particularly deprived of WASH facilities in target area and constructing/installing 15 toilet-blocks

6
Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

installatio and water filtration systems that are flood-adapted.

ns
2.1.2. Training of local masons during the installation process.

2.2 WASH 2.2.1. Developing 15 user committees, one at each WASH installation site, and training members of proper usage and
committee maintenance of the facilities.
training

2.3 WASH 2.3.1. Designing WASH IEC material.

campaigns
2.3.2. Conducting WASH awareness campaigns for communities and children (2/year) for each target char.

2.4 Flood- 2.4.1. Selecting 3-5 best-fit low-cost flood-protection/risk-mitigation measures (eg., periphery-plantations; raised platforms)
protection for homesteads/ settlements and developing training content.
training
2.4.2. Conducting training on above measures for communities.

2.5 Flood- 2.5.1. Identifying most vulnerable homesteads in 15 settlements and suitable flood-protection/risk-mitigation measures.
protection
support 2.5.2. Supporting the selected families with inputs for adopting the flood-protection/risk-mitigation measures.

2.6 Training 2.6.1. Designing training on resilient technologies.

on
resilient 2.6.2. Conducting above training for local stakeholders, including community leaders, frontline workers, NGOs, local
tech government.

3.

3.1 Vocational 3.1.1. Identifying supplementary income streams [eg., agri-produce (not animal-based) processing] suitable for women of
training, economically vulnerable families in target chars, including linkages and markets.
linkages
3.1.2. Developing vocational training programmes for women.

3.1.3. Conducting 2 vocational training programmes for women of each target char, and linking them to support services (eg.,
veterinary) and providing market information.

3.2 Suppleme 3.2.1. Providing 70 women (individually/ in groups) with support packages for undertaking supplementary income activities.

7
Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

ntary
income
package

3.3 Safe 3.3.1. Developing a training module on safe migration for women.
migration
education 3.3.2. Conducting educative sessions for women in 2 target chars on safe migration and assertiveness.

3.4 Leadershi 3.4.1. Developing training module on trafficking prevention.

p training
3.4.2. Identifying women leaders on 2 target chars.

3.4.3. Conducting training for women leaders in the 2 chars on leadership and trafficking prevention.

8
 Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

Section 4 - Situation Analysis / Stakeholder Analysis

PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES AND TARGET GROUPS

Stakeholder Numbers Brief Description Beneficiaries

list
F M

1. Children 70 70 Children of small farmer families in selected chars Y

in Munshiganj and Naranayangaj districts. They
suffer health issues due to poor WASH, and hunger
and malnutrition due to chronic poverty and
frequent disasters.

2. Women 68 - Women belonging to small farmer families in Y

0 selected chars in Munshiganj and Naranayangaj
districts. They suffer chronic poverty; participate in
farm labour; are vulnerable to violence, hunger,
distress, migration.

3. Men - 68 Men engaged in small farming or fishing in Y

0 selected chars in Munshiganj and Naranayangaj
districts. They are vulnerable to increasing
economic stress, due to chronic poverty, reducing
farm yields, depleting fish catch, and frequent
floods and displacement.

4. Other - - - -

(including
disabled)

Q6: How will your project work with other stakeholders?

Stakeholders Name How will your project work with this group?

1. CBO’s (list) - -

2. CSO’s (list) Onneyshan in Grassroots activities would be undertaken in

Munshiganj district partnership with these local CSOs. This will
and JSSKS in include establishment of CSA early adopter
Narayanganj district farms and WASH installations, providing local
handholding and support, and anchoring the

9
 Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

proposed Facilitation Centres.

3. Local leaders Chairman Union All project activities would be taken up with
(e.g. traditional, Parishad for Teutia, the concurrence of these leaders; installations
Panchayat, etc. and Barodi would elicit their agreement; trainings and
(list) activities would strive to engage them.

4. Local institutions Upazila Agriculture CSA and flood-mitigation activities will engage
– e.g. Education Officer (UAO) and with these officials, involving them for
(also schools, Sub-Assistant providing their inputs and promoting the
clinics), Health, Agriculture Officer selected practices/technologies.
Police, etc. (list) (SAAO), Union
Agriculture Assistant
(UAA), Disaster
Management
Committees- for
Louhojong and
Sonargaon

5. Sources of Bangladesh The project would draw on expertise available

expertise - e.g. Agricultural Research at these institutes for selection of best-fit CRM
Educational, Institute, technologies/methods and providing technical
Health and inputs to beneficiaries.
Livelihoods International Centre
(business) for Climate Change
experts from and Development
elsewhere. (list) (ICCCAD),

BRAC University,
Bangladesh Rice
Research Institute,
Bangladesh
Agricultural Research
Institute, Soil
Resource
Development
Institute

6. Other NGOs - -
working close by
and/or with same
Themes (list)

10
Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

Section 5 - Situation Analysis: Problem / Needs Analysis

NEEDS OF PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES AND TARGET GROUPS

1. Girls Participatory need assessment was carried out and involved independent FGDs
with girls. Most significant needs were identified, as were needs specific to
WASH, Health, Economic, and GBV.

2. Boys Participatory need assessment was carried out and involved independent FGDs
with boys. Most significant needs were identified, as were needs specific to
WASH, Health, Economic.

3. Women Participatory need assessment was carried out and involved independent FGDs
with women. Most significant needs were identified, as were needs specific to
WASH, Health, Economic, and GBV.

4. Men Participatory need assessment was carried out and involved independent FGDs
with men. Most significant needs were identified, as were needs specific to
WASH, Health, Economic.

5. Other: Local Key informant interviews were conducted as part of above participatory need
officials, assessment, and area and group specific needs were elicited. Needs and
CSOs constraints of the particular sector (government, CSO) in addressing the
development issues were also elicited.

Needs identified for each Target Group

1. Girls Key needs identified included: WASH, Education (often disrupted due to poverty),
Health. The problems are exacerbated by natural disasters, the frequency and
severity of which are increasing due to climate change. Vulnerability to child
marriage, trafficking and other GBV were also amplified in the scenario of a
family’s repeated exposure to disasters and associated economic stress.

2. Boys Key needs for boys were also those of WASH, Education (often disrupted due to
poverty), Health. As with the girls, lack of access to these was acutely felt,
particularly during and in the aftermath of disasters, and in times of economic
distress for the family; these two tend to converge.

3. Women Key needs for women were identified as WASH, Health and Economic. They suffer
physical drudgery and the disproportionate impacts of poverty in terms of
household economic stress, and its ramifications for food insecurity and GBV, and
increased levels of VAW and high vulnerability to forced migration for labour and
trafficking.

4. Men Key needs were WASH and Economic, as well as Health. Lack of access to
economic enablers and the stress of chronic poverty and deprivation and
frequent indebtedness, along with intermittent food insecurity and hunger, were

11
Project Title: Climate Resilience for Char Communities in Bangladesh

debilitating for the men.

5. Other: Local Stakeholders feel the need for enhanced and updated knowledge of solutions to
officials, climate risks, in terms of mitigation and adaptation measures, and channels for
CSOs sourcing necessary inputs to help ameliorate the suffering of the char
communities.

12