Project Proposal

1. Project Summary
Project Name Promoting Climate Resilient Bangladesh
Project Acronym PCRB
Project Location Khulna, Patuakhali, Satkhira and Sunamganj Districts
Country Bangladesh
Project value and 3 million GBP (DFID-50% and IR UK 50 %)
Contribution:
Beneficiaries (Direct and Direct beneficiaries (16,400 HH/78,800 individuals)
indirect) Indirect beneficiaries (8,026 HH/36,445 individuals)

Project Summary The project aims to assist the poor disaster vulnerable
communities of Bangladesh in adapting the adverse impact of
Climate Change and also in reducing the risk factors of
disasters so that they can sustain their livelihood and better life
for the future. The Super Goal of the project is to contribute in
achieving the targets of the Millennium Development Goal
(MDG) of the government of Bangladesh in the face of
increased natural disasters and climate change. It will
contribute to the National Plan for Disaster Management
(NPDM) 2010-2015 and also to the National Water
Management Plan (NWMP).
Project Impact The project will contribute directly to the progress of the
country towards all major development and resilience
framework and strategies in place at global and national level.
It is very difficult to estimate as multiple factors are in place,
but specific measures will be taken in close collaboration of
the national government, mandated organisations, dedicated
project teams and other relevant stakeholders in this regard.
This can be measured by the number of policy and programme
related measures taken in joint partnership with the
Government of Bangladesh at national level. At local level
partnerships with the administrative functions on climate and
disaster risk management will be established and their capacity
to leverage at least 10 % increase in climate adaptive financing
will be ensured at the end of the project period. 3 major project
introduced successful models and initiatives will be replicated
and up-scaled by the government and communities own
initiative.
Project Outcomes/Outputs: Improved rural livelihood strategies of the vulnerable
communities through introduction of climate adaptive
livelihood measures and capacity building towards
predicted conditions of climate change
Improved policy and institutional arrangements to plan and
deliver climate resilient development approaches at local
level (Institutional strengthening)
Build capacities of DMCs, community organisations and
partners to effectively respond to disasters and implement
socially inclusive and innovative community based climate
change adaptation and mitigation
Enhanced sharing, learning and reflection on practical
experience and good models of climate change mitigation
and adaptation for integration at local, national and global
level
Implementing Partner To be selected in the first 3 months of the project as per IR
Global partnership assessment process.
Sector Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change, Water, Sanitation,
Livelihoods, Community Physical Infrastructure
Project Period 1 November, 2012 to 31 October 2015
Contact person in Field for
the project Shabel Firuz
Country Director
House No. 10, Road No. 10, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
Telephone: +88-02-8819392, +88-02-9893458
Fax: +88-02-8825119
Email: shabel.firuz@islamicrelief-bd.org

Syed Shahnawaz Ali

Head of Integration, Climate Change and Disaster Resilience
House # 10, Road # 10, Block - K
Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
Phone: +880 2 8819392 (Extn. 227), Fax: +880 2 8825119
Email: shahnawaz.ali@islamicrelief-bd.org

Contact person in IRW for Haroon Altaf

the project Regional Programme Coordinator Asia Region
International Programmes Division
Islamic Relief Worldwide
International Headquarters
Tel: +44 (0)121 622 0708
Fax: +44 (0)121 622 5003
Email: haroon.altaf@irworldwide.org
 2. Strategic Framework

The project strategic framework is guided by the international and national frameworks and action
plan on risk reduction and climate change adaptation. As said in the BCCSAP09 The combination
of frequent natural disasters, high population density, poor infrastructure and low resilience to
economic shocks make Bangladesh especially vulnerable to climatic risks. The high incidence of
poverty and heavy reliance of poor people on agriculture and natural resources increases their
vulnerability to climate change. Vulnerability results from people being exposed to hazards that
present an unacceptable level of risk to personal safety and their livelihood. The hazard is therefore
the trigger that exposes the vulnerable elements of the community to greater risks. In practice, this
usually refers to the poorest of society. Identifying, analyzing and assessing potential negative impacts
of hazards and then targeting risk that is specific to communities will lead to an increase in
community resilience and a decrease in duration of negative impacts as a result of this.

According to the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) 2009 Climate
Change will exacerbate many of the current problems and natural hazards the country faces, it is
then apprehended that climate change will lead to dramatic changes in different economical sectors in
Bangladesh. It includes taking account of the natural hazards into public and private sector decision-
making in the same way that environmental and social impact assessments are currently required.
Advocating for developing or modifying policies, laws, and organizational arrangements, as well as
plans, programmes, and projects, to integrate disaster risk reduction; and also to allocate sufficient
resources to support and maintain them.

In that prospect, IRB aims to implement a comprehensive and integrated program in the coastal areas
as well as in the haor basin so that the communities over there can increase their resilience against the
climatic vulnerabilities, come up with some disaster risk reduction activities and create some income
generating activities. IRB will address both the underlying factors of poverty under selected areas of
04 Districts as their on-going and projected climate change vulnerabilities. Many poverty reduction
strategies have potential to address the underlying risks and to recognize disaster impacts as a
contributing factor to poverty. However, the disaster risk reduction components in such strategies are
often limited to preparedness and response aspects. In this particular program, Climate Change
Adaptation (CCA), Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and poverty reduction are strongly integrated in
terms of activities and quest of knowledge.

Continuing to build community resilience through identifying and expanding indigenous coping
capacities and strengthening traditional warning systems have been considered as very important
strategies and integrated as major thrusts of the project. Marginalized groups (women, children,
disabled persons and the hardcore poor) will be specifically targeted with a goal to strengthening their
capacity and confidence to access a range of support services with a view to minimizing the personal
negative impacts associated with disaster situations. The project development framework recognizes
that the success of this strategy lies in the sustainability of project interventions and that lower level
committees and organizations are best positioned to provide this support at a frequency that will
result in tangible outcomes at the community level.

3. Project Rationale

3.1 Context

Bangladesh, the largest tropical delta and one of the least developed countries in the world, is situated
in between the Bay of Bengal in the south and the mighty Himalayas in the north. It is one of the most
disaster prone areas in the world. A series of disasters including flood, cyclonic storms, tidal surges,
droughts, tornadoes, riverbank erosion, earth quake, etc. occur in Bangladesh regularly and frequently.
The most devastating cyclone and flood of the world occurred in Bangladesh. During the twentieth
century and the first decade (ongoing decade) of the twenty first century, a number of devastating
floods submerged most of the parts of the country, particularly the river basin areas. On the other
hand, during the same period, a series of terrible cyclones/tidal surges visited the coastal districts and
off shore islands of the country.

Extensive floods and cyclones greatly affect the marginal population who loss whatever assets they
have and suffer from lack of work and wages. The cyclones, originating over the Bay of Bengal on
their onward journey towards mainland whipped up tidal surges overloading vast tracts of land with
heavy loss of life besides uprooting trees and homesteads leaving behind trails of devastation. During
last three decades, flood plain land, the riverine char and its adjacent areas unfortunately met to
overwhelming floods. Till to date from 1871, Bangladesh faced more than 30 devastating floods. On
the other hand, the coast and off shore islands had a cruel hit by two dreadful cyclones.

The Southern areas targeted by IRB are symptomatic to this trend. In 2007 and 2009 southern areas
were hit by cyclone SIDR and AILA that saw families lost their homes, livelihoods, and infrastructure
once again, although due to the nature of the cyclone the loss of life was far less. The past experiences
of disaster and the hazardous environment in which they live have shaped the way in which
communities and individuals are responding to risks: the population is characterised by a low level of
resilience1 to disaster, a consequence not only of the huge damage done during SIDR and AILA but
also in part due to the lack of knowledge (indigenous or otherwise) on resilience issues.

The North Eastern area also called Haor Basin is subject to very peculiar conditions and suffers from
extensive annual flooding. This makes livelihoods extremely vulnerable and limits the potential for
agriculture production and rural enterprise growth. For 6 to 7 months of the year, the cropped land is
completely inundated. Strong wave action adds to the vulnerability as it can potentially wash away the
land and poses a major threat to many villages in the Haor. Rural poor households have to depend
upon fisheries and off-farm labour. The communication infrastructure is poorly developed with
submersible rural roads providing some connectivity during the dry season and boats being the main
source of communication during the flood season. The poor communication network limits the
incentives for increasing production, discourages rural growth, limits access to markets and off-farm
employment opportunities and limits access to existing social services particularly health and
education. Strong wave action adds to the vulnerability as it can potentially wash away the land and
poses a major threat to many villages in the Haor. Protection of villages against flood action, proper
management of the fishery resources and securing existing livelihoods such as crop and animal
production are critical needs for the poor rural households living in the Haor region.

3.2 Problem

Bangladesh is a disaster-prone country, the geographical settings and various other anthropogenic
features make the country vulnerable to frequent and devastating natural disasters. Due to unplanned
urbanization, increasing trend of population and impact of climate change, an increased number of
disaster events are occurring characterized by small scale to large scale. The country's vulnerability
lies in the fact that it is an exceedingly flat, low-lying, alluvial plain covered by over 230
rivers/rivulets with 580 kilometres (approximately) of exposed coast line along the Bay of Bengal.
Due to its geographic features, Bangladesh frequently suffers from devastating floods, cyclones, storm

1
Level of Disaster resilience within the community can be understood as the capacity to absorb stress or
destructive forces through resistance or adaptation and the capacity to manage or maintain basic functions
and structures and the capacity to recover after a disaster events, from the Characteristics of a Disaster-
resilient Community- A guidance Note by J Twigg, in 2007 for DFID Disaster Risk Reduction Interagency
Coordination Group
surges, tornados, cold wave, riverbank erosion and drought. The countrys precarious perch in
between two tectonic plates exposes it to devastating earthquakes in near future.

Bangladesh rated as the nation most at risk from extreme weather and geophysical events -
study ranking 229 countries on their vulnerability to natural disasters (NDRI 2010-2011). The
history of striking disaster in Bangladesh gives a devastating scenario with the country ranked first
out of 162 countries based on human exposure due to flood related hazards and third based on
economic exposure. It is ranked sixth out of 89 countries based on human exposure in terms of
cyclone related hazards and twelfth from economic exposure. For earthquake, the country ranked
seventeenth out of 153 countries based on human exposure and forty-second out of 153 countries
based on economic exposure.

Poverty reduction strategies and initiatives in Bangladesh are always affected over the years because
the government and the development agencies are always forced to increase allocation of financial
and human resources to respond to the natural disasters. Humanitarian funding requirements per
emergency have also increased by nearly 50%, reflecting a reform in humanitarian action that
includes early recovery and preparedness (ALNAP). This situation demands vision of a holistic
disaster management programme in Bangladesh considering a transition from a response and
relief focus to preparedness and risk reduction approach in disaster management.

Over Past 20 Years:

In different disasters over the past 20 years, a total of 135 million people have been affected, out of
which 16,513 were life casualties. The total amount of resulting damage in terms of economy was
11.7 million USD (EM-DAT). In 1970, a severe cyclone took a toll of 0.3 millions human lives in
Bangladesh while the toll fingered 0.14 millions in 29 April 1991. In 2007, devastating `Sidr hits
coastal belt of the country affecting all the 32 coastal districts by damaging lives and livelihood
immensely while cyclone Aila made significant livelihood losses in the coastal districts.

In 1988, devastating flood hits countrywide including 52 districts resulted lost of 1,517 human lives
while 65 days long flood inundated 53 districts in 1998. A total of 140,512 people were affected by
diarrhoea all over the country since the advent of prolonged flood on July 30, 2007.

Although most of the earthquakes hit inconsequentially, Bangladesh is one of the vulnerable country
from earthquake due to its surroundings by the regions of high seismicity. Over the years, river
erosion considered as one of the major disasters of Bangladesh both from natural and man-made due
to the impact of climate change and human intervention as well. A research shows, (CEGIS, 2011)
almost 0.1 million peoples become homeless in every year due to river erosion.

The problems of the people living in the coastal regions and in the haor basin are mostly generated
from disasters and geographical isolation that are being aggravated by climate change impact. Poverty
in these regions is as much shaped by the ecological condition and disasters as it is determined by
socio-economic dynamics. Livelihoods, food security, health, hygiene and sanitation and community
resilience mostly depend on the natural hazards. Disaster coping and climate change adaptation
capacity of the community people is not satisfactory.

Climate change adds a new dimension to community risk and vulnerability. Although the magnitude
of these changes may appear to be small, they could substantially increase the frequency,
unpredictability and intensity of existing climatic events (floods, droughts, cyclones etc). Current
indications are that not only will floods and cyclones become more severe and frequent; they will also
start to occur outside of their established seasons. Reduced access to formerly limited resources in
Bangladesh will be the most convoluted of all human climate change consequences. Lack of
governance in narrowly based and non transparent decision making process, poor service to mass
people, excessive cost, misallocation of resources, poor coordination in private and public sectors,
lack of transparency and political commitment make country even more vulnerable.
Local community is the one of the most vulnerable due to Global Climate Change. Though the
Development Disaster is the key factor to influence and bringing the disaster in that area but Global
Climate Change is making complex the vulnerability of that area. It is proved scientifically that due to
the Climate Change number of stronger cyclone is hitting the coastal area and this area bear the mark
of this statement. Salinity intrusion due to sea level rise as the consequences of the climate change is
making more saline prone area and forcing thousands of people to migrate. There are several
environmental problem existed such as the consequences of Shrimp farming and the polder system,
Environmental Mismanagement etc which is making harder for the community to reduce poverty but
the cyclone is making hardest to reach with the goal of poverty reduction and meeting the goal of
MGDs ultimately. Mangrove forest diversity is decreasing as a result of salinity and the countless
massive destruction of floral and faunal diversity caused during the cyclone sidr and aila. And the
restoration of that destruction is in still not enough. Meanwhile another cyclone and the odds of
climate change may lead the community with millions of death and may force the community to leave
their native places. This may create complex problem in the policy and plan of the country like
Bangladesh. Now Sundarban is not in a position to cope with the cyclone like sidr. So recovery and
restoration of the both community people and the floral community is the substantial steps to combat
with climate change. Moreover during rainy season the rivers carry huge water from upstream and the
tidal surge in rainy season creates flood in the villages. The extreme temperature accelerating the
glacier melting and the sea level rise. Due to the geographical position, elevation and topography, sea
level rise and the glacier melting from the upstream making and prolonging the flood in this area. The
houses are submerging in high tide and low tide incidence. And the frequent, unusual tidal water
submerging the whole area and due to salinity its totally impossible to practice regular cultivation and
income generation.

Though over the past couple of decades Bangladesh made marvellous progress in human
development, yet severity of extreme poverty is existed in some geographically backward and highly
disaster prone areas. Due to the climate change influence intensity of super disasters has been
increased and fighting the poverty has gradually been become difficulties. Yet over the past decade
Bangladesh has achieved tremendous progress in disaster risk management. The impact of natural
disaster is reducing however this is mainly due to the capacity and resilience of the affected
community rather than the established disaster response systems. It has been well documented in
various studies that communities in Bangladesh have enormous coping capacities to cyclones and
floods and during threats and disaster situations it is the community that are the first responders. They
rely very little on assistance from outside. Nonetheless, due to climate change influences such as
global warming and sea level rise, Climate variability issues associated with El Nino and La Nina
conditions are reported to influence the frequency and severity of cyclones, floods and drought. Sea
level rise on the other hand will present far greater risks to coastal and island communities.

Moreover, increases in population, over extraction of resources, exclusion and marginalisation from
govt.s development planning process also create development induced disasters such as
waterlogging that have the potential to have significant negative impacts on communities that will
bring new considerations into the development planning process.

Climate change adaptation and mitigation, two ways are considered as the weapons of the vulnerable
people to survive within the new situations to be created due to climate change effects. Domestic
response and risk reduction capacities of the people living in the highly disaster prone areas are also
considered as the additional strengths to cope with any unpredictable situation to be created from
horrible natural disasters than those are being currently occurred.

The social status and livelihood is very much linked and these two things are depended on ecosystem
services. As this community belongs to this large Mangrove forest they are depended on the
ecosystem services of the mangrove forest. Community depended on diverse occupation depended o
the season. But most of them earn their livelihood thorough agriculture and Fishing. But after the
severe affect of any disaster, they are struggling with their occupational status. They used to collect
the wood, honey, leaf etc from the mangrove forest. Extraction of resource from the respective are is
the main earning source. Shrimp farming is another important occupation, which is belongs to the
higher class of the society. Middle and poor class forced to engage in as labor in the shrimp farming.
Shrimp farming and the sea level rise due to Global Climate Change influencing the sea level rise and
making difficult to cultivate rice. Women are very much vulnerable for the social structure and
Changes in environment (Climate change) and its induced disaster bringing the sufferings more.

3.3 Identification and solution

3.3.1 Identification

1. Poverty and Food Insecurity:

Poverty and food insecurity is widespread in the project areas. The situation aggravates after any
disaster event. It was seen after AILA, more than two thirds of the population (67 percent) in four
upazilas of Satkhira and Khulna districts (the areas worst affected by the cyclone) are originally poor,
and consuming 2,122 kcal/person/day or less. More than half (55 percent) are extremely poor and
food insecure, consuming 1,805 kcal/person/day or less.

The recent Poverty Estimates, calculated by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, WFP and World
Bank, indicates that 58 percent of the population of Shayamnagar upazila of Satkhira district are
extreme poor (below the lower poverty line), and that for Koyra upazila of Khulna district are 35
percent. The two major livelihoods in the affected areas, farming and fishing, suffered significant
damage and loss due to continuous inundation of paddy fields and shrimp ghers/ fish ponds by saline
water. Households were experienced severe shock as they entirely or partially lost their housing and
productive assets of higher monetary value.

Again, the haor Basin is one of the poorest regions of Bangladesh. A number of studies have identified
it as one of the hot-spots of poverty in Bangladesh. Data on child malnutrition shows that the haor
region is substantially worse off than Bangladesh, 55 percent children under-five being underweight
as against 41 percent for Bangladesh as a whole.

2. Unstable Livelihoods:

Agriculture and shrimp farming are the major areas of employment and livelihood in the selected
upazilas. Around 85% people are employed in agriculture and landless farmers make up almost 66%
of the population. The height of the sea level is increasing and consequently in many places the saline
water from the Bay of Bengal is seeping into the land. The land and environmental degradation
caused by this create serious problems for agriculture (i.e. severe soil degradation caused by erosion,
contamination and compaction, losses of organic matter through improper farming practices, land
transformation and deforestation). Water logging means that for long periods large areas of land
cannot be used for agricultural production, significantly reducing employment opportunities in the
region.

3. Agriculture:

Due to the climate change and intrusion of sea water into the locality, salinity of soil and inland close
water bodies has been increased. Normally it was also observed that there was no salinity impact on
rice production due to high rainfall during monsoon season. But in the later part, when the rainfall
ceases, it was assumed that soil salinity might increase and go beyond the safe limit of rice crop (4
dS/m). In some areas of the proposed upazilas, soil salinity level crossed the safe limit and increased
up to 7-8 dS/m. Salinity grips nearly 80 percent villages under Koira upazila in Khulna district,
causing persistent crisis of safe drinking water and extensive damage to arable lands, especially those
producing paddy and vegetables. Due to high salinity following the onslaught of cyclone AILA on
May 25 in 2009, paddy yield per bigha of land has come down to 8-10 maunds while it was 20-22
maunds earlier in Koira upazila, according to the Department of Agriculture Extension in Khulna.
Salinity is gradually damaging fertility of land like slow poisoning due to infiltration of saline water
due to collapse of 156 kilometres of embankments after AILA hit the coastal areas including Koira
and Shayamnagar upazilas.

Agriculture is the principal profession of the Haor people. However, day-by-day the net cultivable
land for agriculture is decreasing due to siltation through flooding. Therefore, people are forced to
give up cultivation- their traditional and oldest profession, and struggle to find new employments.

The haor basin in north-eastern Bangladesh is subject to very peculiar conditions and suffers from
extensive annual flooding. This makes livelihoods extremely vulnerable and limits the potential for
agriculture production and rural enterprise growth. For 6 to 7 months of the year, the cropped land is
completely inundated. Strong wave action adds to the vulnerability as it can potentially wash away the
land and poses a major threat to many villages in the haor. Rural poor households have to depend
upon fisheries and off-farm labour to supplement the meagre farm income. The common property
nature of the water bodies or Jalmohals and the uncertain lease arrangements inhibits the full growth
potential of the fisheries sector. The haors are known as an area of severe poverty and limited
livelihood options with many people seasonally migrating to find work.

Again in the haor areas, there are lots of problems like river erosion and insufficient lands for people,
frequent natural disaster especially the flood, cyclones and heavy monsoon, lack of adequate transport
and communication, infrequent presence of Government Officials providing the essential services,
lack of access to the common property such as the Jalmahal (water body), lack of governments
essential services especially in education, health, water and sanitation, communication, and
agriculture and livestock and fisheries, lack of marketing facilities for the poor agriculture producers
and fishermen, land grabbing by the influential, shortage of schools especially the girls school and
lack of proper management of school, educational activities affected by flood and students are at risk
during the flood and other natural disasters, destruction of biodiversity, lack of dredging of the rivers
and canals, presence of dadan, a local form of money lending existing in agriculture and fisheries,
lack of non-agriculture based employment opportunities, lack of adequate flood shelters etc.

4. Drinking Water:

Safe limit of salinity for drinking water is 600 ppm. Intrusion of saline water due to storm surge
accompanied with heavy rain fall inundation of ponds previously used for drinking water and salinity
level of water crossed safe limit of drinking water. Crisis of safe drinking water is major problem in
the areas. Women and girls, who are generally responsible for household water collection, have to
travel long distance to fetch pure drinking water and they are either forced to travel 2-6 hours by boat
or walk on foot to fetch fresh water. The people set out from home before sunrise every morning to
fetch water from a deep tube-well, 18-20 kilometres away from their home even at Koyra Sadar.
Many of the school going girls are engaged with household water collection instead of school
enrolment. The dropout rate, therefore, has increased sharply in the study area after AILA. It is
explored that the price of 20 litres of is Tk. 40. The most of the people cannot afford to buy a drum of
20 litres water for Tk 40. But water of these tube-wells has also become unfit for drinking due to
excessive salinity and iron. Similar scenario is seen in many areas of Shayamnagar upazila.

In addition, there are few ground water aquifers in the areas due to a natural shortage of heavy sand
particles beneath the ground. Because of the excessive extraction of ground water through deep tube
well irrigation, aquifers of this area are often contaminated by arsenic and further affected by a
decrease of the water level under the ground. Arsenic has now become a major problem in
Shayamnagar upazila. According to the Groundwater Arsenic Calamity survey conducted by Uttaran,
a local NGO, almost 79 percent of aquifers of the southwest coastal region are contaminated by
arsenic.
5. Sanitation:

Project area had a high coverage of latrines before the cyclone, a large number of which were heavily
damaged by AILA. Still, the poorer strata of the society could not install sustainable latrines. After
AILA, hygiene promotion efforts were found to be inadequate, inconsistent and irregular. The
situation has not improved.

6. Flooding and Water Logging:

The incessant heavy down pours of the rainy season causes flooding in the region. This water cannot
be drained because of rising sea levels and the consequences of CEP, leaving vast areas water logged.
Each year more thousands of hectares of land go under water for 6-8 months. The problem of stagnant
water is gradually approaching down river to the south/coast as it follows the declining slopes of the
river basin, spreading fast and inundating more areas. It is estimated that each year ten-twelve
thousand hectares of land is becoming permanently waterlogged and the rate is rapidly increasing in
these regions.

During heavy monsoon rains have stranded hundreds of thousands. A large number of villages in the
region have been affected by floods. The poorest and the most vulnerable individuals in the project
areas have to be homelessness and face a severe shortage of food. Flooding in these areas is a
common phenomenon and the local communities believe the duration and depth of the floods is
increasing cumulatively.

7. Migration:

The coastal region of Bangladesh and the life and livelihoods of nearly 40 million people is extremely
vulnerable to climate change impacts including rising sea level, reoccurring cyclones and increased
salinity. Climate expert predicted that with the rise of sea level only one metre most of the coastal area
of Bangladesh will be under water. This area has seen two devastating cyclones, cyclone SIDR in
2007 and cyclone Aila in 2009. Nearly 200,000 people from the coastal district of Satkhira and
Khulna were still living under open sky on the embankments as saline water inundates their homes
even after two years of Cyclone Aila.

According to a recent study conducted by Department of Environment (DOE), recent disasters like
Aila resulted into significant migration from the highly disaster prone areas of Satkhira and Khulna
district. The study reveals that 20%, 18% and 15% families have already been migrated from Koyra,
Dacope and Shyamnagar respectively. Most of them have migrated to Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat,
Pirojpur, Borishal, Potuakhali, Gopalganj, Faridpur, Jessore and Narail.

A large number of families (about 10%) are living in the nearby city areas; but they temporarily return
for getting relief, when it is distributed.The study reveals that from Koyra about 1200 families have
permanently migrated, whereas from Dacope and Shyamnagar these numbers are about 800 and 1300
respectively. Most of people have migrated to Khulna, Satkhira, Rangamati, Dumuria, Doulatpur,
Jessore and Kesobpur areas for looking jobs. Some people have also migrated to West Bengal of India
in search of jobs. Whereas about 3000, 1500 and 1300 families have migrated temporarily from
Shyamnagar, Koyra and Dacope respectively. The trend is continuing and every day 3 families are
migrating to other areas.

The same trend has been observed in Sunamganj. Besides the common trends of family migration, the
working male members are migrating to the capital city and the nearby ones temporarily and thus
there create a social instability.
8. Problems Related to Disaster Management:

The Government of Bangladesh has established a multi-layered institutional mechanism for disaster
management, with formal recognition of the role of various stakeholders. Historically, NGOs and
other informal support mechanisms in the country have also made significant contributions in
disasters and during disaster recovery. Disaster managers have recognized this: Despite the presence
of strengths such as long experience in disaster response and recovery, peoples resilience and donor
support, management strategies have suffered from a host of policy and institutional weaknesses.
Most prominent is the absence of a functioning partnership among the stakeholders within these
formal set-ups. What is lacking is the development and embodiment of a culture of collective
decision-making in planning, in resource sharing, and in implementing disaster management policies
and programs in an integrated and transparent way.

Recently, the National Disaster Management Council (NDMC) and the Inter-Ministerial Disaster
Management Coordination Committee (IMDMCC) developed National Disaster Management Act
(NDMA). In theory, the policy framework on disaster management re-establishes multi-layered
institutional mechanisms, with formal recognition of the role of various stakeholders from Ward to
National levels. The new plan emphasizes a bottom up process which uses information compiled at
grassroots level to inform the development of disaster management plans at Union, Upazilla, district
levels. In practice, a huge disconnect exists between district level disaster management authorities,
and ward level communities. In case of Upazila Disaster Management Committee (UzDMC), UNOs
are appointed to chair local DMCs. However, they are also chairing numerous other committees and
do not have the time nor the resources to proactively address Disaster Management issues in their
regions. Rather, these DMCs are activated only during the response and recovery phases of local
disasters. Therefore, the focus of the Upazila level DMCs has been on response rather than
preparedness. A few of the leaders of Upazila level DMC are not aware of the Standing Order for DM
drafted in 1997 and updated in 2010.

For response when their communities face extreme disaster situations, but Union level DMCs are not
currently active. The leaders of Union Disaster Management Committee (UDMC) are not aware of
any local DM plan. A few had heard of the Standing Orders for DM, and none of them had heard of
the new NDMP strategy. Unanimously, the Union leaders agreed that developing plans at Ward level
was the right way to proceed and claimed that they would support the validation of ward level plans
and use them to inform the process of developing Union level DM plans. DMCs at ward and union
level are needed to strengthen in order to build preparedness/relevant coping mechanisms.

The NDM Act states that the Disaster Management Bureau (DMB) will fill this gap by rendering
assistance to Union and Upazila level disaster management committees and facilitate the process of
developing these plans. However, the DMB does not currently possess the human, technical, or
financial resources to conduct risk assessments or to prepare ground level plans. The new NDMP
proposes to establish uniform CRA processes to ensure consistency in the conduct of community risk
identification and compatibility with the risk reduction planning processes of the DMCs. However
currently, there is no standard system.

Until the standard system is developed, and until the DMB has the capacity to implement the NDMP
in the way it is proposed, the DMB have requested that organizations with the capacity to assess
community hazards, vulnerabilities and risk, do so at Ward level in order to assist in the compilation
of grassroots level hazard maps and contingency plans. As these plans are developed and validated,
they will inform the development of Union level DM plans, Upazilla, District, so on and so forth. In
order for the proposed bottom-up process of the NDMP to succeed, the DMB are largely dependent on
organizations like HEED who are focusing on DRR at ward level.

9. Inadequate Promotional Measures of Adaptive Crop Agriculture Including Innovative Farming

Practices in the Coastal Zone of Bangladesh:
Bangladesh is vulnerable to the potential impacts of climate change. The agriculture sector contributes a
major share to the GDP of Bangladesh, which is about 30% and employs about 63% of the working force.
Climate variability makes crop agriculture in Bangladesh highly vulnerable. Therefore, adaptation measures
have to be looked at for the sustainability of agriculture. Recently CEGIS has conducted a study for
Climate Change Cell (CCC) in partnership with BRRI, BARI, BARC and BUP to find out suitable adaptation
measures that have the potential to help farmers adapt to climate changes and to identify suitable
varieties of crops that would be able to adapt to climate change. From field experiments it was found
that introduction of high yielding salt tolerant variety BRRI Dhan 47 could produce sustainable grain yield
in the coastal regions.

It was also observed that there was no salinity impact on rice production due to high rainfall during monsoon
season. Salt tolerant T. Aman varieties like BR23, BRRI Dhan 40 and BRRI Dhan 4l may be the solution to
overcome salinity impact at the later stage. Tomato, Okra and Aroid were grown successfully under
improved management practices with raised bed and mulch in the medium saline soils of Satkhira and
Khulna. The existing cropping pattern of Fallow-T.Aman (Local) Fallow or Fallow-T.Aman (Local)-Boro
(Local/HYV) may be replaced with the pattern of Kharif I- T. Aman-Boro or Kharif I-T.Aman-Rabi.
Numerous indigenous varieties of different crops are existed in the areas which are suitable to sustain
in climate change situation and improved crop management can increase the productivity. In Koyra
and Shayamnagar, farmers have some local practices that can be modified as improved version of
technology to be adapted in changing situation have replicable effects. All these technologies are not
promoted widely in all parts of the proposed upazilas.

10. Tidal River Management (TRM): Peoples Way of Solving the Problem

IRB working closely with local implementing partners and communities to learn and successfully
persuade the national and international policy makers to adopt indigenous water and river
sedimentation management practices, which is named by water experts as Tidal River Management
(TRM). To put is simply, TRM is effective management of river flow and sediment management to
raise land level on low basins in the catchments areas of the rivers. TRM resulted in ecological
restoration of rivers; has the potential to be replicated in hundreds of beels in the region, and perhaps,
in tropical deltaic regions in other countries as well. TRM approach appears to be highly acceptable
among the key stakeholders and the cost of implementation is rather low compared to many other
coastal development projects (EGIS, 2002).

Although, TRM and peoples involvement in water management have been recognised within the
highest policy level; nexus of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), contractors and
political rent seekers continued their traditional water management. It is widely accepted that
governance and institutional issues of structural water management are at the core of the
difficulties. BWDB appears less interested adopting the TRM approach as it reduces corruption and
increase accountability to the community. Till date, only two TRM projects had been completed by
the BWDB; and these projects also did not compensate farmer who lost their land by the project
because of the cumbersome bureaucratic procedure. The current compensation processes also do not
considered the loss of landless peoples livelihood let alone the gender dimension of the project
implementation and compensation.

11. Comprehensive and integrated measures to address problems

With the problems noted above, there needs to be a comprehensive integrated approach that can
address the vulnerabilities of the people of the target areas especially in the field of climate change
adaptation, disaster risk reduction and livelihood promotion. Creating some good evidences at the
community level, making the way for those to be replicable and to be up-scaled are the key necessary
things for the country now. Climate change adaptation or even disaster risk reduction are not stand
alone issue rather, these have been integral parts of peoples lives now-a-days.
Now it is important that we promote the adaptive activities that exists in the community level,
innovate some effective adaptive measures and pilot those, reduce the disaster risk factors, promote
some preparedness measures and small scale mitigation, creating income opportunities at the
community level etc. should come together for ensuring greater and comprehensive benefit for the
vulnerable communities of Bangladesh.

3.3.2 Proposed Solution

Poor and marginalized peoples hurdle towards disasters has never been greater in Bangladesh. While
average number of people killed and affected by disaster has fallen in long run, this remains more
than 50 million people in every five years from 1986 to 2007. The economic cost associated with
disaster has been increasing with significant burden on HH and local economy. At least 8 million
houses were destroyed each year by disaster during 1970 to 2007. The disaster problem has further
been exacerbated by the impact of climate change (EU Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction in
Developing Country, by the European Commission, Thematic issues- sustainable management of
natural resources, in 2008). The scientific predication and peoples experience clearly identify that
nature and impact of disaster is changing in Bangladesh.

Development does not automatically protect poor people from the consequences of hazards.
Bangladesh has achieved stable economic growth over last few decades. Significant achievement has
also been made in human development. In disaster management, notable improvement in some critical
areas such as public health awareness, early warning, infrastructure, communication, and community
based preparedness and institutional strengthening helped minimizing disaster related death.
Bangladesh has invested 10 million taka on its own to build cyclone shelters and created storm early-
warning system. 50 million USD was allocated to agriculture and health to help climate proof some
crucial sectors. In the past two decades more research has been carried out on mitigation than on
adaptation. However, more effort is now being put into adaptation research, and this thematic issue
presents a selection of recent highlights, including making the best use of indigenous adaptation and
new technology for mitigation. In that perspective IR within its experience will address the issues
related to climate change and understand that local efforts are a must to overcome those predicted
effects of climate change. The objective of IR is to serve most the most vulnerable- the poor- to help
them mitigate and adapt to the climate change situation.

A call for climate proof

A report in the Guardian said about Bangladesh People of one of the poorest and most vulnerable
and yet resilient and innovative countries transform it from being the worlds most famously
vulnerable country being recognized as perhaps the most adaptive country .

IRB is willing to contribute to make this country as the most adaptive country starting from the
targeted areas to be promoted as model villages. Keeping previous experience of IR in mind,
although this operation will cover a much smaller geographical area and will focus more on
developing and strengthening the existing coping and preparedness capacities of the communities and
institutions as to offer sustainable solutions. IRB is confident on offering a set of activities that are
integrated and vulnerable inclusive. The activities will consider and integrate everyday community
problems and hazards including basic health care, water and sanitation, livelihood into the climate
change work. The project aims to implement activities with the collective involvement of
beneficiaries and local institutions (UDMC) in order to ensure sustainability. IRB sees within this
project the opportunity to build a sustainable climate change culture which is vulnerable inclusive
through:
Action Researches
 Rehabilitation and/or building of climate adaptive measures
Climate financing into the local development planning
Partnerships with universities providing opportunities for academician and students to
contribute to the greater project goal
Advocacy plan

The action researches are one of the main pillars of this project as the researches will lessen the
vulnerability of the beneficiaries in the targeted areas and will then allow adaptation strategy to
change conditions. Rehabilitation and/or building of climate adaptive infrastructures is the main hard
activities that IR will implemented to mitigate infrastructures and thus to reduce the loss in this area
while a disaster occur. In the meantime IR will pay a special focus to train the community on how to
maintain those infrastructures and how to increase the efficiency of the EWS in those areas.

Advocacy Plan with targeted thematic areas will be undertaken through extensive campaign. The
purpose is to raise awareness on climate change and promote evidence in the field to influence
national and global level approaches and policy frameworks. It will help other programme
departments in the organsiation to replicate and incorporate the learning into the future planning.

The project will use the Peoples Plan of Action for River Management to understand the risk requires
investment in scientific, technical, and institutional capabilities to observe, record, research, analyse,
forecast, model and map natural hazards. Technical and collaborative partnership will be built with
scientific institutions i.e. CEGIS. Other important area of the project is capacity building to strengthen
communities and Disaster Management Committees at local and national levels. This is designed to
develop and operationalize the community risk reduction planning process by way of facilitating the
undertaking of mitigation initiatives at the community level. During the early stages of the project, the
community risk reduction initiatives will be identified as a result of the CRA and planning process. A
concentrated effort for more direct programming at the community level will be linked to the formal
hazard analysis outputs of the project. Thus the project will address the HFA guidance of knowing the
risks that the communities face, and take actions based on that knowledge.

4. Stakeholder Analysis

The extremely poor in the climate change influenced and disaster prone areas bear the heaviest burden
in terms of livelihoods lost as they possess limited resources to deal with the risks they face. They will
be important target groups. Personnel of community level platforms, local government institutes
(LGIs), legally organized bodies, government agencies and civil society organizations are also
stakeholders of this project.

4.1 Primary Stakeholders:

The extremely poor in the proposed climate change influenced and disaster prone areas bear the
heaviest burden in terms of livelihoods lost as they possess limited resources to deal with the risks
they face. The Children, women & men from poor and hardcore poor families, landless, religio-ethnic
minorities, disaster victims and disabled people of these geographically isolated areas are the primary
stakeholders of the project.

The following communities will be the primary stakeholders of the action:

1. Those who are living in acutely water logged, perennial cyclone and flood zones of the
selected four areas
2. Landless households and bastis (rural based slums) with minimum assets, irregular
employment, and limited income generating activities;
 3. Deserted women, their children, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities.

Following table presents a summary digest of the key characteristics of the different groups.

Stakeholder group Critical Issues

Community people/households
marginalised and vulnerable to disaster
risks
Asset-less male & female headed
households
i.e. no homestead
sharecropper/rearer,
temporary migration seasonal and
daily,
Mainly dependent on day/wage labour
and experience acute food shortage.
Women and child headed households :
De jure and de facto without male
protection
Communities on or outside
embankment.
Adolescent girls
Elderly People and disables with no
family support
Ethnic communities and other
vulnerable groups
Chronic and persistent ill-health affecting capacity to
work
Lack of physical security/ fear of theft & robbery
Women in male HH likely to seasonally migrate but
receive lower wages than men
Women commonly report domestic violence during crisis
situations.
Depending on homestead location subject to regular
inundation and thus dependent on landowners for access
to homestead/sharecropping land.
As above and including:
Highly vulnerable to physical, sexual and verbal
harassment
Already constrained mobility further compromised due to
absence of males/adults.
No male representative means doubly excluded from
local support systems.
As above and including:
Whilst linked to government support, other service
provision often minimal.
Highly vulnerable to physical, sexual and verbal
harassment
Low social status considered burden because of dowry
obligations
Age and gender act to exclude girls from community
level decision-making processes.
excluded from most early warning and other information,
decision-making networks
extreme food insecurity
dependent on charity and/or relief
Low status work taken up only by poorest households
Heavily dependent on maintaining exploitative
patron/client relationships for access to river/khas ponds
and essential equipment.
Some time extremely abused i.e. untouchables.

The following communities will be the secondary stakeholders of the action:

Members of the Disaster Management Committees (DMCs) at ward (to be formed under this
project) union, Upazilla and District levels;
Union, Upazilla, and District level authorities, in particular the local government institutions
(LGI), female elected members for capacity development pro-poor programs;
Officials of the local public service agencies like Department of Agricultural Extension
(DAE), Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Department of Livestock Services
(DLS) and Department of Fisheries (DFE);
Network of NGOs to get technical and mobilisation support;
Individual NGOs to get technical and mobilisation support;
 Corrupt officials, Union Parishad Chairperson and members with shakiness to lose bribe and
reduce illegal income;
Local administration and Water Development Board (BWDB) to get support to implement
TRM;
BWDBs corrupt officials to improve reputation;
Paani Committees with the interest to have capacity development and establishment of rights;
Journalists for pro-poor and pro-people good stories;
Local and National Disaster Managers and policy makers: Ministry of Disaster Management
and Relief & Rehabilitation, Ministry of Food Disaster Management and DMB for policy
formulation and implementation;
Teachers, members of civil society and the people of communities in other disaster prone
areas for policy influencing through advocacy and replication.

Tertiary Stakeholder:

The potential tertiary stakeholders of the project are, Network of NGOs, small NGOs, local
administration and Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Development partners and
National politicians, government and local government bodies, concerned ministries etc. Besides,
ARCAB with its 10 international NGOs, national and global climate communities, and academicians
would be involved.

The project (detailed description of what would be in the logical framework

The Project is designed with the input of stakeholders and project participants to increase disaster
resilience through social mobilisation and empowering the poor and marginalised communities in the
South-western Bangladesh and ultimately contribute to their poverty reduction in a sustainable way.
In designing the project and then checking the logical connections between planned activities and
intended results, standard project logical framework template is used to set the logical linkage among
the goal, purpose and objectives. A project monitoring and evaluation framework elaborated with
SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Time bound) indicators has been developed.

General Description and Overview

The Super Goal of the project is to contribute in achieving the targets of the Millennium Development
Goal (MDG) of the government of Bangladesh in the face of increased natural disasters and climate
change. It will contribute to the National Plan for Disaster Management (NPDM) 2010-2015 and also
to the National Water Management Plan (NWMP).

The proposed project will contribute to reduction in poverty and inequality through building
community resilience to natural disasters which will ultimately reduce loss and increase human
productivity. This will be achieved through increased capacity of communities in the face of disaster
and community risk in the South-western region of Bangladesh. The project activities will directly
contribute in reducing the risks of hazards in the region through advocating for a sustainable solution
of the root-causes of disasters.

The project will focus on capacity building of grass root organisations of the poor, their awareness of
the vulnerabilities including potential risk and impact of natural disaster and climate change. Their
organisational capacity, networks for advocacy and local early warning system will be supported.
Community mobilisation will be undertaken for structural mitigation at community level to make the
DRR a culture. This approach is closely related to the concept and objectives of HFA which is Use
knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels.
This project was designed in consultation with the target communities, LGI and local administration
and Panni committees in the implementation districts. It is built on earlier experiences and lessons
learnt, especially the Peoples Plan of Action for River Management in South-western Region.
Besides, ARCAB and other research partners will be aligned for action research component of the
project. They will be involved in research on developing sustainable disaster risk reduction and
adaptation approaches and methodologies, scaling up and scaling out the methodologies, and
measuring CBA component using its participatory monitoring and evaluation tool.

The project will be implemented with a rights based approach of development. Poor and marginalised
peoples rights and demand for safe life and livelihoods including participation in the issues that
affect their lives i.e. river management will be focused through social mobilisation, solidarity building
and knowledge management. The project integrates crosscutting issues like gender, environment,
governance and poverty, has a multi-stakeholder focus and promotes linking and learning.

Impact (including indicators)

The project will contribute directly to the progress of the country towards all major development and
resilience framework and strategies in place at global and national level. It is very difficult to estimate
as multiple factors are in place, but specific measures will be taken in close collaboration of the
national government, mandated organisations, dedicated project teams and other relevant stakeholders
in this regard. This can be measured by the number of policy and programme related measures taken
in joint partnership with the Government of Bangladesh at national level. At local level partnerships
with the administrative functions on climate and disaster risk management will be established and
their capacity to leverage at least 10 % increase in climate adaptive financing will be ensured at the
end of the project period.

Impact Indicators:
Rating of overall progress against HFA, UNFCCC, MDG and other national frameworks
improved
2,016 number of people will be out of poverty and climate adaptive interventions promoted in 72
communities etc

Outcomes (including indicators): Reduce the negative impact of climate change and conflict
with sustainable improvements in disaster risk reduction, food security and resilience in
marginalised communities in six countries of extreme vulnerability

Indicators:

2,690 Targeted households have diversified livelihood options in place for ensuring food security
during normal and disaster situation (at least 3 meals a day)
Targeted communities and institutions in 80 villages of 10 unions under 04 districts have
demonstrated capacity and are equipped to effectively respond to small scale natural disasters

Outputs (including indicators)

Output 1: Improved rural livelihood strategies of the vulnerable communities through

introduction of climate adaptive livelihood measures and capacity building towards predicted
conditions of climate change

Indicators:
 2,690 households are trained and provided assets to adopt alternative climate adaptive livelihood
options
90% of targeted household's average income increased at least 30% by end of the project.
60 producer groups have established market linkages for at least 02 products from local to
regional and/or national level
Raising awareness among 975 additional households to promote replication of at least 1 climate
adaptive livelihood option (one to one approach)
Supported capacity building and establishment of 200 small enterprises

Output 2: Improved policy and institutional arrangements to plan and deliver climate resilient
development approaches at local level (Institutional strengthening)

Indicators:

10 UDMCs supported through capacity building on climate resilience interventions have RRAP
developed and incorporated into ADP
10 DMCs and 05 partners developed contingency plans in accordance with DMB guidelines and
undertaken mock drills to test plans
14 DMCs and 80 CBOs demonstrate 15 % increase in participation as active members of socially
excluded people (women, elderly, minorities, PWDs)
06 local level media and advocacy campaigns are lead by DMCs and CBOs involving civil
society, media and other stakeholders
Bank accounts established by 10 UDMCs
100 % of DMCs and CBOs are supported through capacity building on climate resilience
interventions
20 proposals (based on RRAP) submitted by UDMCs/ CBOs to CDMP for climate financing
3 DDMCs are supported to lobby and advocate for incorporation of climate change finance into
national level planning and access funds available under MDTF

Output 3: Build capacities of DMCs, community organisations and partners to effectively

respond to disasters and implement inclusive and innovative community based climate change
adaptation and mitigation

Indicators:

10 DMCs and 05 partners are trained with basic equipments and materials to respond small to
medium scale disasters
Small scale low cost adaptation demonstrative initiatives (e.g. solar and bio gas plant, link road,
climate friendly WASH etc identified through CRA process) in 25 villages
At least 07 schools are prepared to act as emergency shelters and made accessible on
demonstration basis for the participating communities particularly women, elderly, persons with
disability and children during natural disaster
Existing Multi-hazard Early Warning System piloted and operationalised in 03 Upazilas
4,800 households receive awareness on risk reduction and adaptation, develop plan and axecute at
least 03 new preparedness measures
Women and socially excluded (particularly elderly, ethnic groups and persons with disability)
from the 80 communities have increased access to existing social protection

Output 4: Enhanced sharing, learning and reflection on practical experience and good models
of climate change mitigation and adaptation for integration at local, national and global level
Indicators:
Enhanced sharing, learning and reflection on practical experience and good models of climate change
mitigation and adaptation for integration at local, national and global level
At least three policy and advocacy initiatives taken at national level by Water Committee and
Producer group identified through situation analysis (e.g. TRM, women in CCA, Islam and
Environment, water logging etc)
Targeted 6 media (electronic and print) are trained and publish report on DRR and CCA issues
03 internal lessons learning and sharing workshops arranged and learning documentation
produced for mainstreaming adaptation and mitigation measures into wider IRW programmes
At least 03 of working papers on resilience developed through academic partners are published
and disseminated at national and global level through print and electronic media
02 media workshops on climate adaptation and risk reduction arranged at national and regional
level
A section on climate adaptation and risk reduction maintained and updated in IRW-B website and
shared across IRW family on quarterly basis
Capacity building o UDMCs and Union Information Centre on HFA progress reporting tool and
contributing to the Khulna and national level workshops by sharing information on annual basis
Participation in TV talk shows and seminars, and production of news paper supplementary, reports
and posters during observation of three international and national days on disaster reduction and
environment

5. Beneficiary Analysis

Identification (including selection criteria)

The proposed project area is highly vulnerable to the climate change and disaster related risks. Due to
climate change and attacks of two consequent super cyclones and floods, the targeted areas has lost
huge bio-diversity resources. Traditional livelihood options are not able meet food security needs of
poor people. No integrated initiatives are undertaken neither by the government nor the non-
governmental organizations. As a result of these, poverty situation is decreasing and people are forced
to migrate in search of better livelihood.

The project will directly work with 16,400 households or 78,000 persons living in the most vulnerable
and disaster-prone areas of Bangladesh; however the benefits will gradually encompass a larger
portion of the total local community. These beneficiary figures are on the higher side because of the
mass awareness activities planned under information, education and communication and local disaster
management sector.

Note: The total number of direct beneficiaries reflected here are not similar to the sum of
beneficiaries under four results. We have considered the overlap factor while presenting final figures
here.

Status and Specificities of direct beneficiaries:

The project will target local communities as well as institutions as target beneficiaries. At the national
level, two Government Ministries will be targeted under the proposed intervention; namely the
Ministries of Environment and Ministry of Food and Disaster Management. Target institutions at the
local level include school, CBOs and local level governance structures such as the union Parishads,
Upazila Parishads, DMCs and SMCs.

The direct beneficiaries are those communities and institutions in geographic areas targeted due to
their extreme vulnerability to floods and/ or cyclones and other adverse impacts of climate change. In
these areas, special consideration has been given to socially excluded and marginalised community
 members who are most vulnerable to disasters. The proposed intervention has targeted women,
children, PWDs and the elderly and will ensure the inclusion of these socially excluded groups and
their mainstreaming throughout disaster planning and management.

The project recognises the importance of institutional strengthening in enabling a sustainable

resilience intervention. The project specifically targets institutions as direct beneficiaries.
Accordingly, local governance structures such as DMCs will be strengthened, along with CBOs,
schools, local government institutions (LGI) female elected members, journalists, NGO works,
teachers, members of civil society, members of local administration and local leaders. In order to
achieve disaster resilience in Bangladesh, a holistic and integrated approach is required which targets
communities and institutions as direct beneficiaries; such is the strategy of this project.

Beneficiary Selection Criteria:

Community based detection approach will be followed in selection of the beneficiary. In this approach
community people will select real beneficiaries under the facilitation of the project staff. In this
regard, the most vulnerable people in terms of poverty and disasters will be selected as the primary
stakeholders. These people will be with the central role in further planning and implementing the
project. Even through the Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) approach, they
community people will be empowered enough to monitor the progress and process of the activities.
They will take part in the evaluation process and thus contribute significantly to the proper
implementation of the project.

- Breakdown (direct / indirect, male / female / children)

Direct Indirect Direct (persons)

(persons) (persons) Male Female Children
78,800 36,445 38612 40,188 40,976

6. Implementation Methodology

It is proposed that the project draws on the learning from the success, however new programme
strategy will intensify the participation of stakeholders in the implementation of project activities and
empower communities, local government, and CBO institutions to achieve the objectives of the
project. The overall programme strategy is characterised by:

i. IRB country office will assume a facilitation role, working through field offices while building
the capacity and community and LGIs in order to sustain development implementation activities

IRB with its local offices and staffs will take the lead role in planning, overall management,
monitoring, reporting and capacity building interventions of the project, however, will ensure that
stakeholders are involved in planning and lesson learning activities at all levels. IRB brings a wealth
of experience in the management and implementation of large scale programmes in the range of
technical areas that this project includes.
IRB will also promote strategic alliances and linkages with other actors around several specific issues
and activities, including:

Coordinating with other NGOs and Networks, such as Songjog Network, CSRL to unite around
advocacy issues relating to disaster risk management in the South-western Bangladesh.
The proposed project will proactively engage with the CDMP and other national level DRR
capacity building projects i.e. NIRAPAD, Disaster Forum, ECB (Emergency Capacity Building)
Project and DIPEHO NARRI consortium to promote exchange of ideas and lessons.
 Forming a close working relationship with the CEGIS, IWM, MoF&DM, MoWRM who will
participate in national-level seminars, workshops, and advocacy activities.
Working closely with Union Parishad leaders: IRB is well placed to strengthen the UP in planning
budgeting and developing union development management, in addition to collaborating on
appropriate effective long-term development activities that impact on risk reduction in the target
area.

The various target groups will be involved in all programme activities. The activities are specifically
designed for ultimate impact in the lives of the most marginalised and vulnerable households in the
south-west Bangladesh. However, the methodology is designed to build ownership among
communities, and hence community members will be able to contribute to the evolution of project
strategies. Other key stakeholders include the emergent leaders within communities with pro-poor
agendas and the aptitude and interest to exercise leadership and coordinate economic development
activities, and local government officials. Their role in the project is as motivators, facilitators and
problem solvers and they will help coordinate and support group activities that facilitate pro-poor
development action.

ii. Empowerment and active participation of the poor, in particular women, through community
based organisations

Due to imbalances in power, the extreme poor households, and women in particular, have limited
access to information, resources and their participation in the decision making processes. Throughout
IRBs 27 years of experience in working with CBOs, it has been evident that CBOs are not only
successful managers of their risks but that they are also extremely effective in advocacy and
networking to mobilise local resources from government and NGOs, according to their rights and
locally determined development priorities. For the participants, primarily women, the experience of
developing their own successful businesses and participating in community leadership positions has
contributed significantly to their empowerment. Womens active participation in groups and CBOs
has not only empowered them socially, but also helped them to increase their political role.

iii. Developing Social and Human Capital

The project methodology involves a range of initiatives building social and human capital through
social mobilisation, where the project, while targeting the hardcore poor families, works with the
entire community and other stakeholders in building relationships of solidarity and support for
improved development outcomes. Analysis is done jointly with communities to identify the poorest
people, and to explore the dynamics of risk and hazard, food insecurity and other vulnerabilities.
Beyond social mobilisation work, individual women will also be supported with inputs and support to
improve their incomes (through training and asset transfers to support the start up of IGA and cash for
conservation opportunities) and engage in markets for long term sustainability.

iv. Focus on addressing the root causes

In order to have sustainable impact on their risk reduction and livelihood, the project activities address
the underlying causes of vulnerabilities. IRB has determined that unmet needs, lack of alternative
livelihood options, vulnerabilities, powerlessness, exclusion and denial of participation in the water &
river management are key underlying causes vulnerabilities of the target population. These causes are
exacerbated for women in the poorest families by womens low position in society driven by
masculine-oriented power structures, patriarchal socialization, and marginalisation of girls and
women. While, recurrent disasters cause frequent depletion of assets reinforce the cycle of poverty for
them and their dependents. It is therefore important that the methodology employed by programs not
only puts assets and common resources in their hands, but also nurtures the skills and capacity of the
vulnerable communities and addresses the issue by adapting to the irreversible change.

v. To recognize the potentiality of the community to address Climate Change effects

IRW acknowledge the potentiality of the community to be change agent, that is why there is a
crucial need to document their knowledge and to develop an approach that could be a replicable
model on how to address communities towards Climate Change effects. Since the emerging effect of
climate change is very slow and unforeseen, it is very important to document the actual ground level
realities. Also the effects of climate change will not be an end to itself. While having separate effects
on livelihood and environment, these two factors will affect each other is a robust way. How then the
communities would be able to face these shocking effects and to what extent the indigenous
knowledge can be replicated for intervention work is the key point of focus of IR WW.

vi. To recognize the role of women and to increase gender consideration on Climate Change
management

Women due to their social rules, discrimination and poverty will be affected possibly at higher
level by the effects of climate change The third IPCC report (2001)

IRW understands that women especially in the rural areas play a major role in natural resource
management and especially during and after a disaster. It is then important to involve women into
Climate Change management and to develop approach that includes a gender consideration. IR will in
that perspective conducts active research that will enable advocacy on different levels on women
capacity to be a change agent.

Advocacy: In order to ensure that those change agents are acknowledged, IR will mainstream Climate
Change in the local and national media.

Knowledge Transfer: Although, most of the impacts of climate change are taking place in the rural
coastal areas of Bangladesh, the root cause of such occurrence is certainly these place. Hence
significant level of knowledge transfer is need from the affected population to the causing
population. This will include sensitization among the various actors of climate change and actual
interaction among them. Since behaviour communication is a long process, proper knowledge
dissemination and sharing is a key tool addressing climate change.

Apprehension aspects
The effect of climate change is there but it is necessary for the primary stakeholders to realize this
growing notion. When lives have already been exacerbated by various natural calamities in the
proposed project areas, it might be difficult for them to separate the actual impacts of climate change.
Hence, the communities should be addressed in proper manner with the replication of indigenous
knowledge and scientific truths and develop innovative ways to cope with it.

vii. Advocacy, Coordination and Networking at local and national level

The project will promote advocacy at the national as well as local level for changes in policy
interpretation and implementation in support of currently powerless extreme poor households and
communities. IRB will promote coalition local community based organisations, civil society
organizations, NGOs, IRB led NGO Network for advocacy and campaign for coastal natural resource
conservation and national government bodies. Lessons learnt and experiences from implementation of
activities by all partner institutions, including the action research will feed into local, national and
international advocacy initiatives to inform and contribute to policy development, in particular in
areas related to the risk environment in South-western Bangladesh. Policy makers and implementers
will be major audiences of advocacy.

viii. Apply learning and innovation

A strong emphasis will be given on applying, generating, and sharing lessons learnt and experiences
from this action and also previous and current IRB projects. As the proposed program is developing a
set of innovations on CALO and disaster risk management, it would generate a number of learning
papers through the range of action research and scoping studies. The M&E system will support
learning and innovation to be captured and information generated will also be instrumental to making
decisions on the implementation strategy of the action. Close links will be made to IRBs other
livelihoods and DRR projects to share experiences and foster collaboration. Working through various
network and Forums will also be crucial for the promotion and application of lessons learnt from
other projects within and outside IRB to inform and more effectively effect change in programming
strategy.

ix. Gender Equality and Diversity:

IRB is committed to actively promote gender

equality within its programming, and has a formal
gender and diversity policy that guides both
programming and organisational practice. Women
and children are the most vulnerable in the face of
climate change and disaster events. IRB will
address their needs as a priority in line with its
policies and ethos. Equality will be promoted in the
program through staff selection and orientation to
programme staff, community groups and leaders.
CRA will ensure participation of women and other
vulnerable members of the community and action
planning will addresses risks specific to the most
vulnerable groups and undertake program through the CBOs to collectively achieve them. In Disaster
Risk Reduction (DRR) related activities, training on CALO technology and CALO implementation,
participation of women will be ensured by the project.

x. Capacity building

This is an important approach as weak technical and management capacities of UPs, CBOs, Civil
Societies and other public and private services providers is one of the reasons for the present state of
risks in the target areas. However, capacity building efforts will go beyond transmitting technical and
management capacities, and seek to induce attitudinal changes among key stakeholders to capacitate
their CBOs leadership with a collective approach.

xi. Community based approach

In implementing the project, community based participatory approach will be followed, where
community will play the key role. Specifically the project beneficiaries as the part of community will
perform the central role in entire implementation process of the project. The community action groups
will be organized and managed by community people. The community people will be provided with
back-up support by IRB project office in collaboration with community action group. The Field
Organizer recruited by the Community people from the community will facilitate and assist the
community action groups as well as the project beneficiaries to handle their activities. The community
action groups will be responsible for ensuring the participation of all segments of the community is
implementing the project through meaningful representation of the women, adolescent girls, boys and
children in the committee. Participation of local level institutions like CBO, UPs and GoB
departments, in executing the project, will also be ensured.

xii. Sustainability

The proposed project builds on ongoing risk reduction and climate adaptation programmes
implemented by Islamic Relief and implementing partner in Bangladesh. Through the experience of
these projects a high level of sustainability is envisaged as long as the overall project activities are not
overambitious or demanding. Keeping previous experience in mind, this operation will cover a much
smaller geographical area and will focus more on developing and strengthening the existing coping
and adaptation capacities of the communities and institutions. The activities will consider and
integrate everyday community problems and hazards including basic health care, and water and
sanitation into the climate adaptation work. The project aims to implement the activities with the
collective involvement of beneficiaries in order to ensure sustainability.

The project will sustain beyond the completion of its three year life time in terms of institutions,
financial and policy aspects. In terms of institutional aspect, it will be sustainable. The project has
been designed to build sustainability through process of capacity building for the grass-root level
Primary Organisations and their Apex Federations, CBOs and Paani Committees. Community people
will improve their knowledge on DRR and climate change issues and change attitude and practices
ensuring increased resilience and adaptability to disaster and climatic risks. Over the next 36 months,
the project will expand its approaches to address the rights of participation on water management,
climate change and disaster management issues, with support from CBOs, grass organisations, civil
society and media, and build greater public engagement with the service providers for a sustainable
solution risk reduction. Focusing on empower communities through an integrated approach to rights
based programming by providing community members with the capacity and knowledge they need to
ensure safety of their life and livelihood in the face of natural disasters and facilitating linkages
among donor, government and community activities to deepen impact and sustainability.

Thus the key sustainability strategies and approaches of the projects includes i) human capacity
building through training and awareness of the citizens, iii) Organisational capacity building of Paani
Committee and iii) building network and partnership. All methods and models being proposed have
been tested and found to be effective and sustainable. Uttaran has built sustainability into the project
through processes of capacity building for those who have been marginalized in the past, and those
responsible for providing services to the vulnerable, together with survival support for the individual
households who are victim of disasters and climatic risk.

Impacts on peoples awareness of CRA, CALO, Peoples Plan of Action, are likely to persist beyond
the period of support. Paani Committees and Forum will attain autonomy and self-reliance however,
they will need support and unrealistic sustainability criteria would be counter-productive; groups will
need to work hard to gain community trust, and voluntary contributions to functioning; need for
longer-term sustainability will be raised early within Paani Committees. To continue their work
beyond project period, these committees will develop partnership and networks with Songjog
Network (a network of 40 local NGOs working in the region), CEGIS, IWM, major political parties
and media working in the region.

Using the enhanced knowledge and awareness on various issues of climate change and disaster
management, community actors will be able to make sustainable all Primary Organisations and their
Apex Federations, Songjog Network, CBOs and Paani Committees. IRB will transform the project as
program and align it under its program division. A small team of skilled personnel will be formed to
look after the project activities.

Union Parishad (UP), Upazilla Parishad (UzP) and District Parishad (DP) will participate in the
project events and will positively be aware about the significance of the project on the socio-ecology
and economic life of the people. They will own the project and contribute a lot to sustainably
implementation of the project. Through implementation of this project, an equitable and mutual
understanding and sustainable relationship among stakeholders will be developed. IRB will work
closely with its local partners and networks to ensure the effective and sustainable delivery of efforts.
ARCAB will be working for long time with their innovative PM&E method, and will periodically be
measuring and monitoring the project impacts on the beneficiaries.

A detailed sustainability and exit plan will be developed in consultation with the stakeholders during
implementation of the project. IRB will design an exit strategy founded on creating confidence and
experience among group members and the community people so that the community and civil society
groups can independently plan; access relevant information; implement group initiatives; and access
entitlements from government service providers. There will be a gradual decrease in Uttaran-led
activities over time and benchmarks will be established to monitor capacity development. Plans will
focus on assuring effective handover of responsibilities while ensuring requirements for accounting
for all resources transferred during the project by IRW are satisfied.

The following are the other key areas that will be considered within implementation strategy:
The design will closely involve project beneficiaries in the risk and need prioritisation
exercises. This will ensure a sense of responsibility and ownership by the communities to sustain
the project activities.
Like other projects implemented by Islamic Relief, this operation also emphasises building the
capacity and knowledge of the communities through implementing appropriate training
programmes followed by mock/ simulation exercise wherever necessary to test and improve the
transfer of knowledge. To further achieve long term impact, there is also a need to focus on the
effective transfer and retention of disaster reduction knowledge. Effective post activity and follow
up will be planned through regular meetings and refresher trainings to maintain the level of
awareness messages disseminated to the general beneficiary population.
All the initiatives introduced under the project will build on existing coping mechanism to make
them affordable and appropriate to the local context. This project will be implemented as a pilot
initiatives and cost effectiveness is the key to ensure the replication of the activities. This
operation also aims to minimise the dependency culture and unrealistic expectation levels through
an effective mobilization model. This model will ensure that communities works as a group and
utilise their skills for the intended objective and at the same time consider implemented activity as
basis (pilot) from which they can come up with local solutions and mechanism to replicate the
activities. One of the suggestions from the community groups has already been included in the
design of the project and members will meet on monthly basis to ensure savings at household and
community level.
Islamic Relief has also identified the need to develop a comprehensive strategy on how social
structures at community level will be organized and mobilized beyond the project period.
Our focus on people-oriented preparedness needs a defined and clear strategy on consolidation
and phase out. This should progress towards organization of self-governing groups enabling them
to initiate and control DRR/DP efforts on household and communal level, as opposed to mere
participation in an initiative designed by outsiders.
There is also a need to develop a coordination mechanism to avoid duplication or waste of
efforts. For the purpose, we will closely work with other partners in Bangladesh to develop a
strategy and action plan considering the longer term impact.
Islamic Relief will continue to work with Disaster Management Committees established as a
part of local governance structure under Standing Orders on Disasters (SOD). Islamic Relief has
already considered the sustainability and linkage of the local level disaster management
committees under the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme implemented by UNDP
under the Disaster Management Bureau:
o Climate risk assessment and Risk reduction action Plan (RRAP) will be developed
following guidelines of CDMP and will be formally shared with them. As a result,
identified activities which are not covered under this proposal or other operations of the
stakeholders at local will be supported by the regular programme of CDMP.
o CDMP has expertise and devised guidelines on Climate Risk Assessment, Disaster
Management and Early Warning System which will be used under the project
 o The CPP has already produced excellent results on the establishment of early warning
systems (EWS) in the coastal areas. All the available information will be incorporated in
the project and will provide a basis all the related stakeholders to establish an effective
early warning and dissemination system in proposed areas specifically in Koyra.
The project will work towards the enforcement of the government regulations at local level
according to the national level policy in disaster management. All of the disaster preparedness and
risk reduction efforts under the Climate Change Fund (CCF) will be shared with all potential local
and national level stakeholders. This will ensure collaborative and coordinated efforts are planned
with other partners and have an impact on the wide section of the stakeholders. This will also
contribute towards the standardization of the risk reduction measures committed by the GoB
under HFA 2005-2015 by mainstreaming disaster preparedness into policies, planning and
programmes in various humanitarian and development sectors.

xiii. Continuum Strategy

Islamic Relief recognizes the need to integrate climate adaptation into its other ongoing projects/
programmes so that the impact of the climate induced risks is reduced and has less effect on
livelihoods. Integration and mainstreaming is recognised as one of the strategic objectives of Islamic
Reliefs International and Country level strategy papers. Islamic Relief Bangladesh will continue to
strive for collaboration with other partners to ensure that disaster risk reduction is a local and national
priority and that successful pilot initiatives carried out under Climate Change Fund (CCF) are
included into long term planning and other programmes.

The project activities would like to establish an effective community mobilization which would
provide a base to mainstream climate adaptation efforts with other important sectors and phases of
humanitarian and development programmes. The important part will be sharing a vision around the
issues faced by the community to ensure their ownership and work in collaboration. The project
design in particular capacity building and awareness raising activities will strive towards linking and
mainstreaming these measures by selecting various themes on water and sanitation, education and
health etc.

Islamic Relief will work in close coordination with the local structures such as Union Disaster
Management Committees to further strengthen and integrate them into emergency and developmental
programmes. Replication and cost effectiveness will be specifically addressed in the design of the
structural activities in order to promote feasible management beyond the project period and
acceptance and ownership among the local population. The transfer of disaster preparedness and
climate adaptation related knowledge and skills into the community will be integrated into all
emergency and developmental programmes. Specific capacity building measures and initial support
will go to the DMC structures across all levels, in order to ensure the institutional arrangements for
climate adaptation to remain active beyond the project period. Measures like opening bank account
and facilitating the process to raise funds for the UDMCs through local government annual
development plan, CDMP and Bangladesh Climate Resilience Funds would ensure their continuation
of services beyond the project driven interventions.

Structural as well as non-structural adaptation activities in this project will strengthen peoples
capacities to reduce their vulnerabilities of living in an unsafe location. The proposed activities will
ensure that the communities are organized in various community groups, and in case of any disaster,
where assistance is needed it will be received in a timely manner, and of better quality and in
accordance to their needs. In this way, the cost of assistance will be lower for these organized
communities.

Development of effective linkages will be addressed as a key strategic area to sustain the project
initiatives beyond the project period. Islamic Relief will ensure that the project activities are
undertaken in accordance with effective coordination with the local actors of development so as to
link the project with ongoing development in the area. For this purpose, formal partnerships will be
established with union and ward level disaster management committees which form an integral part of
the Bangladeshs disaster management structure recognised under Standing Order for Disasters
(SoDs).

The project will ensure that all other community volunteer groups established under the project will
be effectively linked and work together on regular basis. The project will also develop linkages of
these groups with different department of the Government of Bangladesh (Civil service providers like
fire brigade etc, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and other private institutions).
Partnership with ARCAB and other research institutes would diversify and add quality to the project
component.

Lessons learned from the project especially on cyclone and flood preparedness and mitigation will be
documented and mainstreamed into organizational and community level practices within other
existing projects of Islamic Relief.

These steps to ensure the handing over to the communities are inherent to the approach of IR.

The involvement of communities and local institution and media will increase the existing sense of
responsibility of the civil society and will increase their capacity to be change agents into this climate
change endeavour.

xiv. Mainstreaming or Replication/Multiplier Effects of the Project

It has been described earlier that a lot of outputs /results will be produced through implementation of
the project. As the project will be implemented within 10 unions of 04 Upazilas in Bangladesh, it will
be necessary to replicate the knowledge, experiences, learning and other outputs to other parts of the
country having similar disheartening situation. Through this replication process, the outputs of the
projects will be disseminated to the beneficiaries of other part of the country. As a result, the whole
climate vulnerable and disaster prone areas of the country will have the scope to have increased
access to climate change friendly alternative livelihood development and DRR services. As ultimate
result, the contribution of the project will be increased to overall socio-economic development of the
country.
As IRB is a capable nongovernmental organization and members of different regional and national
networks to handle such activities in all over the country, after the completion of the project period it
will take an effective measure to replicate the outcomes of the project. The specific action will taken
to replicate the outcomes include continuation of advocacy, campaign and monitoring process in the
existing project area, promoting the approach to the new area through directly by IRB or by other
NGOs, organizing replication workshops, experience sharing meeting with different levels of
stakeholders, organizing consultation meeting with the relevant government officials.

7. Detailed description of activities and implementation strategies per outcome

7.1 Improved rural livelihood strategies of the vulnerable communities through introduction of
climate adaptive livelihood measures and capacity building towards predicted conditions of climate
change

7.1.1 Adaptive livelihood analysis and planning at community level and household level

Due to the change in climatic pattern and increase of salinity, the livelihood patterns of the proposed
project area have already been changed and people have very limited scope of their livelihood
security. The project will facilitate to find out the livelihood options those are being practiced by
community for adapting to the negative effects of salinity. Using PRA tools (FGD, livelihood
mapping, seasonal crop calendar, resource mapping etc.) existing practices of livelihood and potential
adaptable livelihood options will be identified. In the planning, they will identify the source of
technical resources and their ways assessing technical support. Livelihood analysis will be conducted
in 99 wards in the four project areas. The outcome of these analytical sessions will be development of
a livelihood plan with the purpose to spread adaptive livelihood techniques at wider scale. These
livelihood action plans will be displayed at the community level.

7.1.2 Promote CALO-Climate Adaptive Livelihood Options

Most vulnerable families will be targeted to receive climate adaptive livelihood technologies and
initial support. The proposed options and number of targeted households tentatively specified through
initial field assessment and survey can be further revised after the livelihood analysis is completed.
Following is the primary plan for the support areas:

7.1.3 Value chain analysis and market promotion

In the process of value chain analysis, focus group discussion will be conducted at community level to
identify 2-3 most promising sub-sectors. Considering initial field assessment, it is assumed that crab
cultivation/fattening and mat production have the best potential in the proposed areas. In the sub-
sector analysis, the project will arrange consultation with primary producers, retailers, service
providers, mid level buyers, big buyers, exporters etc. This analysis will give scope of work and value
addition for particular production where small scale producers will be benefited. Based on the
findings of value chain analysis, the project will facilitate stimulation of the market actors of selected
sub-sectors through consultation and interaction meeting. The process will reduce layer of supply
chain and add value to the price for the producers. The analysis will also focus to assess the
environmental impact of all the identified options.

7.1.4 Formation and strengthening producer group

After selection and value chain analysis of sub-sectors, producer groups will be formed with 20-25
producers in each. One or more group (s) will be formed in each village. Tentatively 40 producer
groups will be formed across the project areas. The producer groups will function under an umbrella
of CBO. There will be an executive committee (consisting of the chairman, secretary, and treasurer) in
each producer group which will lead the functional activities of the group. Project staff will provide
facilitation support to conduct monthly meetings of these groups. Each group will develop their plan
of actions to improve quality of the production and value addition. Project will be providing technical
assistance and linkage building support continuously. 440 producer group leaders will be provided
training on group management, market promotion for organization and functioning of their production
intervention smoothly. Besides, 44 producer group leaders will take part in exposure visit to generate
practical knowledge and enhance linkage with market actors and service providers.

7.1.5 Saline tolerant crop and vegetable cultivation

In the target areas, saline intrusion into the agricultural land and homesteads has compelled small
holder farmers to cease their agricultural activities. Most of the existing crop varieties are not being
able to adapt to this change in the geo-physical conditions. The proposed project will assist the
vulnerable households through promotion and provision of saline tolerant seed varieties for
crop/vegetable diversification, promote climate adaptive agriculture technology and crop variety.
Deviant Farmers will be identified and supported so that others can learn and replicate good
practices. 600 smallholder farmers will be provided with agricultural input support (seed, inputs,
materials, techniques) for promotion of saline tolerant crop and vegetable cultivation. The same
number of farmers will be provided with skill training on crop and vegetable cultivation techniques.
External facilitators and expert farmers from the same community will demonstrate practical training
sessions.

7.1.6 Saline tolerant tree plantation (fruits and wood)

It has been observed that unused and underutilised land exists in the homesteads and their
surroundings. These unused lands will be used for plantation of saline tolerant varieties for
augmenting present income of the farmers and will also help in improving environments, for example,
large quantities of CFC gases coming out will be absorbed and oxygen will be released in the
atmosphere by the proposed plantation.

Besides, large quantities of fruits and bio fuel will be used by the poverty stricken families to a large
extent. The saplings will be planted in special pits, full of organic fertilizers and less saline contents.
A total of 600 households will get sapling, plantation, and materials support. The project will provide
skill training for same number of participants on plantation and management techniques of fruit and
timber tree.

Within few years, benefits can be attained from fruit trees that will contribute as additional household
income. Also, quick growing timber trees will be valuable asset within 3-5 years period. Also
substantial ownership and rural employment would be created during the process of plantation work.

7.1.7 Reed and mat production

Traditionally, the people living surrounding Sundarbans are producing different cottage products
using the resources extracting from Sundarbans. Reed and mat production is currently emerging. They
are doing it as their supplementary income generation activity. Women are directly engaged in
production of mat. Although, there is huge market demand of mat but they are not able to increase
their volume of production due to capital deficit. Also, quality of their production is very traditional in
design and no additional items are being produced. The project will provide capital support for reed
plant (raw material of mat production) cultivation and mat production. A total of 100 households will
get this support including 10 days long skill training for quality improvement/value addition and
market linkage development.

7.1.8 Fish cultivation

The South-western part of Bangladesh is a place of hundreds natural depression. Generally it was
habitat of many indigenous fresh water fishes. Previously community at large especially the fisher
folk and poor people were maintaining at least fifty per cent of their livelihood through fishing. But,
in the recent years, these oxbow lakes do not have enough fishes because of over harvesting and use
of pesticide. Because of poor drainage system, many oxbow lakes are now under water and more than
six to seven months there is no opportunity for cultivation. In the dry season, the community people
often go for dewatering the lakes for maximizing the catch, totally ignoring the aftermath of this type
of unwise over exploitation. In this way the conservation of the brood of different species is violated,
therefore many of the species are already on the verge of extinction from the wetlands.

The project proposes to restore indigenous fishes to mitigate the income loss during water logging
period and meet the protein requirements of the hardcore poor. In the proposed areas, there are beels
(Oxbow lakes), where project will be providing brood fish stocking support. This activity will help to
develop alternative livelihoods for the hardcore poor flood affected families. The project will stock
indigenous varieties of broods in oxbow lakes. The project will make agreement with the Union
Disaster Management Committees (UDMC) to select and maintain the oxbow lakes where the project
will provide brood fish stocking support. A total of 400 households will get capital support for fish
cultivation including 3 days long skill training on fish cultivation.

7.1.9 Crab cultivation and fattening:

In the selected parts of proposed project area, majority of lands is being occupied for shrimp
cultivation. Due to use of saline water in shrimp field, there is no scope of cultivating paddy in
surrounding land. Recently, few households in particular areas have started crab cultivation for small
scale commercial use. The crab fattening is highly profitable and very much feasible for surrounding
shrimp cultivation areas. Also, the market is very smooth and linked with international market. The
project will support 100 selected households (with ponds) for crab cultivation. Capital support
including materials will be provided to them. In addition, 3 days long technical training will be
arranged for the selected household members.

7.1.10 Productive asset transfer:

The most vulnerable households in the proposed area have very limited sources of income
generating activities. Majority of them are dependent on day labouring which is only possible for 4-6
months round the year. They also do not have access to land or special skills set for alternative
income generation. It might be possible to supplement in their income by rearing livestock and
introduction of small scale business support. During field assessment, it has been observed that
sheep, duck, poultry etc. are potential and adaptable livestock in proposed areas. Also, small
business like grocery shop, supply chain in fish/shrimp, processing and manufacturing family goods
are also promising in some context. Particularly, tailoring can be a potential income generating
source for women to meet the local needs. The project will provide productive asset transfer support
for most vulnerable households. Beside, skill transfer opportunities will be provided adjusted
according to the business support and/or assets introduced to the households.

7.1.11 Piloting innovative adaptable options

The project proposes to introduce some of the innovative, low cost and adaptable livelihood
opportunities which might not be fully tested in the proposed region. All these interventions will be
identified in the livelihood analysis phase, where agricultural extension department, research institutes
and other expert sources will be involved in the process. Once successfully piloted, the project will
make sure the findings of the interventions are shared at wider scale for replication and scaling out at
a larger scale in the area. The project will pilot innovative livelihood options with 300-350 households
supplemented by technical, training and regular follow-up.

7.2 Implementation Strategies & Activities under Result #2

Improved policy and institutional arrangements to plan and deliver climate resilient development
approaches at local level (Institutional strengthening)

7.2.1 Review and Revitalization of Disaster Management Committees (DMCs) at local level
(18 committees)

To understand the existing status of the Disaster Management Committees (DMCs) at union, upazila
and district levels, a comprehensive review will be carried out. This review will create opportunities
to understand whether the DMCs are properly formed and functioning as per SoD. All 10 UP, 4 UzP
and 4 districts level DMCs will be revitalized and reviewed through consultation process to ensure
institutionalization of Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) issues in the local community. Through this
review process needs for strengthening those committees will be identified. The UDMCs will be the
coordinating bodies at the unions to create and maintain the liaison between the Upazila level relevant
stakeholders, PO/CBOs and the targeted communities. The UDMCs will be reformed in coordination
with the local govt. authority to ensure it consists of the relevant and active members to serve the
purpose.

7.2.2 Formation & Support PO CBOs

The project will strengthen communities through organising and supporting Community-Based
Organizations (CBOs). At the inception phase, the Primary Organisations (PO) will be formed with
key community people at the village level. Consisting of 20-25 community members, the POs will
directly work for and with the target community. On average, in each village there will be 1 POs
formed, while the number of POs might change based on the size of the village. The main
responsibility of the CBOs will be to represent the issues from the village level at the Union level and
maintain regular coordination with the UDMC. CBOs will comprise selected vulnerable poor people
belonging to diverse community of landless, outcaste, untouchables and religio-ethnic minorities.
Each CBO will have 25 members and will be managed by their respective 5 member executive
committee. The CBO building process will conform to IRBs gender policy. The CBOs will be
assisted to establish linkage with local administration, concerned government agencies, other NGOs
and other civil society groups. CBOs will be a medium to implement other project activities in the
communities and also undertake social mobilisation and advocacy.

7.2.3 Carrying Out Training Need Assessment (TNA) Survey

To properly identify and to assess the training needs, both primary and secondary level data will be
required and collected through training needs assessment. The objectives of the training need
assessment survey are to identify knowledge gaps of the project beneficiaries on different socio-
economic issues and operation of livelihood options, find out the strategy to minimize the gaps and
contents for development of training kits. The training needs assessment will be conducted by using
some specific methodologies by involving the project beneficiaries as the potential respondents of
Training Needs Assessment. The major respondents will be marginalized people/households as the
TNA will include women & men from poor and hardcore poor families, landless, religio-ethnic
minorities, people with disability and disaster victims. Other NGO officials, government officials and
representatives of local government institutions will also be respondents of the TNA.

The important methodologies/tools that will be followed are literature review for collecting secondary
data, rapid rural appraisal (RRA)/focus group discussion (FGD) for collecting primary data from the
beneficiaries and other most potential respondents, case study/analysis on the vulnerable beneficiaries,
in-depth interview, key informant interview and validation workshop. Each of the events will have
specific sample size. The study will be conducted covering 20% of the selected wards of 11 unions.
During the initial period of the project, this survey will be conducted. Besides this, the livelihood and
socio-economic related literature will be reviewed collecting from different local level NGOs.

The filled out questionnaires and checklists will be considered as the source of raw data, and for
effective and accurate analysis and for quality output generation. The following activities will be done
on the data collected:

Filing filled out questionnaires/checklists by putting serial ID numbers by type of tools.

Editing & checklist of data both quantitative and qualitative and update complete sets of tools
for analysis.

The collected primary data will be analyzed using SPSS program. The analyzed data will assist to
make a list of real needs of training, their needs and available finding and recommendations. Firstly
draft study report will be prepared. Then a consultation on draft report with the relevant authority of
Islamic Relief will be conducted. Based on the explored information from the consultation, the report
will be finalized and submitted to IR authority.

7.2.4 Conduct inclusive CRA and assessment of coping strategies (10 Unions)

Inclusive Community Risk Assessment (CRA) will be one of the most important initial steps towards
promoting resilient communities. Comprehensive process of Community Risk Assessment (CRA) will
be conducted with all the targeted unions to analyze the climatic shocks, trends, risks, resources,
capacities and existing practices in the local community. Based on the analysis, entirely conducted
through a participatory approach from the community, a coping strategy will be developed which the
community will adopt through practice for future adaptation measures. In all the 10 unions,
Community Risk Assessment (CRA) will be undertaken with the participation of community and
local level stakeholders.

IRW and its partners will work with the local DMCs and CBOs to enhance their skills on risk
assessment so that they can lead and facilitate the entire process of CRA in the targeted areas.
Selected team members from the partners, UDMCS and CBOs will be trained as master trainer on
CRA through ToTs who will then transfer the skills among local DMCs and CBOs members. ToT
module developed by CDMP and their prescribed facilitators will be utilized for conducting these
TOTs. The process will cover fundamental component of raising awareness as they participate in the
process they discuss their situation, realise their capacities and coping strategies, understand the risks
and hazards they face and identify activities that they can do to strengthen their levels of
preparedness. By using participatory methods to map the hazards and risks, awareness of hazards will
be raised and will form the basis for community based disaster preparedness plan. The project will
also use the process to enable PO/CBO and Paani Committee to explore existing and indigenous
coping strategies that those vulnerable to disasters have used, to be able to draw on good practices,
indigenous knowledge, and strengthen preparedness efforts.

7.2.5 Prepare Risk Reduction Action Plan at Union level (10 Plans)

As a result of CRA, Risk Reduction Action Plans (RRAP) will be developed for each targeted union
based on the findings and needs from the CRA. The small scale mitigation and the capacity building
of the community people will be planned appropriately for each target village based on this RRAP.
Apart from the activities and the locations/groups for interventions, the responsible authority, time-
frame and the support stakeholders will be pointed out through the process.
A community based monitoring system to track vulnerability and coping strategies will be put in place
and results will be periodically shared with relevant authorities. Towards the end of the process the
community will be able to prepare their own mitigation and preparedness action plan. Through this
process, local government and communities will increase their awareness, report on CRA findings,
and identify disaster risk management (DRM) plans and activities. Special emphasis will be given on
implementing those plans developed through the CRA process. Focused emphasis will be given in
community based DRR activities through mobilizing PO/CBOs to self-establish village reconstruction
and maintenance groups to adopt appropriate protection and extension measures following the CRA
report. Alongside, Paani Committees, PO/CBOs will also persuade the CRA report findings to be
included in the UDMC, UzDMC, Bangladesh Water Development Board and other Upazila and
district level development plan i.e. implementing mitigation activities with resources from Test Relief
(TR), KABIKHA (Food for Work). The facilitation role, as opposed to implementation role, is an
essential key to the process, to promote community empowerment and sustainability, to enable
communities to permanently protect their villages and homesteads from erosion.

7.2.6 Validation of Union level action plans at Upazila and District level (4 Meetings)

The Risk Reduction Action Plans (RRAPs) finalized at the union level will be validated both at
Upazila and District level for finalization and sharing of ownership at the upper stakeholder level. 08
validation workshops will be arranged at Upazila and District level (2 each).

7.2.7 Contingency Planning for 10 UDMCs

As per SOD, laid by Government of Bangladesh (GOB), all the unions and Upazilas in Bangladesh
are supposed to develop their respective emergency contingency planning in prescribed formats.
However, based on previous experiences, either it is not developed at all or developed with poor
quality, thus unusable. The project will encourage and support DMCs at union and Upazila level to
develop and revise it on regular interval as per SOD. IRB will organize the workshops with expected
participants from DMCs. Following capacity building workshops, hand holding technical support will
be provided to DMCs for developing / revising contingency plans. This process will also help us to
promote participation of trained CBOs representatives in various local level committees which are
formed as part of contingency plans.

7.2.8 Display of Risk and Resource Plan and Maps at Village, Union and Upazila Level

The Risk and Resource Maps and Plans developed through the CRA process will be displayed at
common community places for visibility, transparency and awareness of the mass community people
regarding the current risks, available resources and the planning for them and their roles within the
plan.

7.2.9 Preparation of risk reduction plans at CBO/ PO level in view of phase out strategy

Based on the union level RRAP, the CBOs will develop their individual RRAPs especially focusing
on their own village to separate their needs and accordingly set their priorities. These village level
RRAPs will be prepared as part of the phase out strategy of the project so that individual CBOs can
continue the process of adaptation and practice at the household and community level.

7.2.10 Capacity building training for UDMCs, community members & PO/CBOs

In line with the guidance provided in HFA and Standing order for disaster management (SoD), the
project aims to build up capacity of the LGIs officials and committee members so that they can
mainstream DRR and CCA to the regular development initiatives as well as respond quickly during
disaster in a collective way. The project will closely work with the UPs in strengthening the existing
Disaster Management Committee (UDMC) of 10 Union Parishads, 84 CBOs, 4 Upazillas and 4
districts through training and orientation/consultation sessions. UDMCs will be linked with the
Upazila Based Disaster Management Committee (UzDMC). IRB will activate/re-activate the UDMCs
ensuring participation of CBO members from the most vulnerable communities, especially women.
The project will provide capacity-building support to the UP Disaster Management Committees
(UDMC) in project areas, to strengthen their technical and management capacities to undertake the
roles and responsibilities stipulated in the SoD.

A total of 2,800 persons (of which at least 60% are female) from targeted most vulnerable households
from the project areas will be provided with various knowledge through different awareness based
training events. Trainings are primarily meant developing the human faculty and the qualities of
program participants. This involves raising the level of conceptual understanding and awareness of
key socio-economic issues of their common concern, as well as their organizing and leadership skills.
Relevant training module and material will be developed through a participatory process of training
need assessment as mentioned earlier. Following table illustrates the initial plan for the trainings,
however, the project proposes a flexible approach for realign as the need emerge in course of training
need assessment survey to be conducted as well as project implementations.

Name of the Training Duration & Type

Organize workshop for Ward
level DMC leaders and Union
authorities on NDMP and DMB
SOD (10 Sessions)
Organize workshop on new
NDMP and current SOD at
Upazila level
Orientation on DRR & Climate
Adaptation for UDMCs
ToT on DRR and CCA for
selected community leaders/
activists
Training of women leaders on
DRR/ CCA (5 trainings)
Community Management Skills
Training (13 trainings)
Community mobilization and
leadership training (10 trainings) at the union level in each of the 10 target unions with potential key
Note: Some potential persons will have the opportunity to participate in one or more trainings.
10 union level workshops will be arranged on NDMP and SOD for
the ward level DMC leaders to ensure they have the knowledge of the
legal frameworks and govt. policies while working at the local level
on the DRR/CCA issues.
04 workshops on new NDMP and existing SOD will be arranged at
the upazila level for the key govt. stakeholders to ensure their
awareness of existing govt. policies and their roles & responsibilities
under the legal frameworks.
10 two-day Orientation Workshop will arranged for the UDMC
members on issues related to DRR and CCA issues to ensure their
knowledge and intellectual awareness of the issues to work on.
10 Training of Trainers will be arranged for selected community
leaders/activists on DRR/CCA issues who will take the lead and
transfer the knowledge across the community as master trainers.
05 Female community members who are potential activists will be
selected for training on DRR/CCA issues for ensuring practice of the
measures at the household and community level both individually and
collectively.
Training on Community management skills will be arranged for
potential community activists selected from POs/CBOs from 10
clusters combining the target villages. Objective of the training will
be to increase the management skills and capacity of these potential
community members so that they can take the lead in community
based CCA practices at the end of the project phase.
Training on community mobilization and leadership will be organized
community members as participants who will be focal points and lead
the mobilization process in future.
7.2.11Development of Training Manual and Materials

To successfully conduct training and training of trainers, a total of 7 training manual & materials will
be developed on different alternative climate friendly livelihood technologies as mentioned in the
above table in the light of the findings from training needs assessment.

7.2.12 Supporting self initiatives of PO/CBOs at the immersion stage of the project

Innovative and self-led initiatives from the PO/CBOs (one in each of the target villages) will be
supported at the immersion/consolidation phase of the project so that the PO/CBOs are empowered
and set replicable examples for community level practice.

7.2.13 Coordination Meeting of DMCs at Upazila and Union Level

Regular monthly meetings of DMCs at Upazila and Union level will be facilitated as a vehicle for
UDMC engagement to assess, plan, estimate, and implement disaster preparedness and flood risk
reduction activities. UP members will assist in community mobilization for community based disaster
planning and management of various risk reduction schemes. By the end of the project, the UDMCs
will have clear links to community disaster preparedness and risk management plans and will have the
capacity to facilitate the creation of community-based project implementation schemes in villages.
Lobbying activities will be organised with 04 UzP and 04 District DMCs and district administration
officials. Special attention will be given to ensure complementarities of the activity with CDMP
initiatives in the project areas. Tools, methods and materials will be also adapted from CDMP. Bi-
monthly meetings will be also facilitated for effective coordination amongst all stakeholders.

On monthly basis, a total of 48 Upazila level DMC coordination meetings will be arranged in 04
Upazilas annually, half (12) of which will be supported by the project and the rest will be arranged
through UzDMC. Simultaneously, a total of 396 meetings will be annually arranged for the target
UDMCs, only 30 of which will be financed by the project and the remaining meetings will be
arranged by the UDMC authority. The project will also promote having separate action plan with
resource mobilisation and opening of bank account for UDMC as a measure to keep the UDMC active
beyond the project period. All the principles of IRW community mobilisation strategy including skills
development and linkages building will be incorporated into the implementation design with UDMC.

7.2.14 Coordination meeting cum Awareness Session of POs

Once the POs are formed, they will arrange monthly awareness sessions on regular basis. These
meetings will serve as coordination meeting between the selected community members. In these
coordination meetings, the community members will discuss their learning and best practices and
other issues for coordination including livelihood and capacity building. Similarly, the CBOs will also
assemble on monthly basis for Awareness Session cum Coordination Meeting.

7.2.15 Engaging Civil Society in Water Management Issues

Active engagement of the civil society, LGIs, CBOs and NGOs in the proposed project areas will
carry forward collective efforts and stronger mass based for popular advocacy and campaign for
sustainable disaster management. IRB will form a functional committees namely Paani Committee
(Water-rights Committee) in project Upazilas and Central CSO/Paani Committee, each committee will
be comprised of selected members and representatives from the civil society, LGIs, organized CBOs
and NGOs who are working in the area. CSO/Paani Committees at both level will meet regularly on a
quarterly basis to discuss the multifaceted vulnerability issues related to water-shed management,
disaster issues and concerns encountered by the community and develop a collective community-
based disaster management and adaptation strategy, which will serve as a peoples agenda for
advocacy/campaign and persuasion works in the region as supported by a comprehensive situation
reports that will be presented in the workshops on an annual basis. Through these organized
committees, the project will also facilitate community disaster management planning of UDMCs,
thus, the organization will extend necessary support on the implementation of the plans as needed.

IRB will ensure that specific demands to the government and calls to the people will realize through
massive dissemination and public education on the disaster issue with the aid of posters and folk
songs activities all throughout the proposed project areas and districts. To ensure that the advocacy
agenda is carried out and elevated to proper authorities and mobilize policy makers, the CBDRM in
South-west Bangladesh project will facilitate (keeping CSO/Paani Committees at the lead) public
demonstration and memorandum submission to emphasize the urgency of the issue to solve and
demand attention of the public especially the policy makers and Members of the Parliament (MPs) to
take up the mentioned peoples agenda. The progress of this collective works will be discussed and
shared in the press conferences which will be attended by selected media practitioners, LGIs, civil
society members, policy makers or MPs, NGOs and leaders from the CBOs.

Total
Activities Description
Yr. 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 3 Unit
Quarterly Meeting
of local CSO/Paani Facilitate regular quarterly meeting 3 6 2 9
Committee
Support CSO/Paani Support public rally, and memorandum
Committees' citizen submission at UzP and district level,
3 3 1 7
mobilization press conference and seminars (UzP,
activities regional and national level)
Consultation and workshop to develop
Policy Brief &
policy brief and advocacy agenda on
Advocacy Agenda 1 1 2
water management, DRR and CCA in
Setting
the region

7.2.16 Social Mobilization, Promotion of DRR and Climate Adaptation

There are many vulnerability factors embedded because of the total communities knowledge, attitude
and practices. Appropriate method of social communication through BCC and IEC materials will be
developed and used to promote knowledge and awareness on DRR and CCA. CBO members and
volunteers will be at the driving force for this activity. The process will begin with a formative
research in each of the targeted communities, to appreciate and understand where these communities
are in terms of knowledge and practice related to DRR and CCA issues, and what barriers they are up
against restricting them to adopt appropriate attitude and practices.

Unit # Total
Activities Description
Yr. 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 3 Unit #
IEC/BCC material Process of IEC/BCC material development
15 15
development through a participation of relevant expert
Production & Poster, flipchart, visual documentary, bill
dissemination of IEC/ boards, public gathering, courtyard 1 2 0 3
BCC materials meeting etc.
Awareness Campaign Organising awareness/campaign events i.e. 4 8 2 14
for Sundarban and mass gathering, cultural shows, rallies,
Wetland Conservation human chain etc. at UP and UzP level

7.2.17 Updating Community Risk Reduction Plans across all levels - Phase out (10 Unions)

As part of phase out strategy plan, all the RRAPs developed under the project at union level will be
revised and updated through a participatory process involving key community stakeholders.

7.2.18 Phase out workshops at Union, Upazila and District Level (18 Meetings)

The phase out strategy will be developed to ensure the sustainability of the project as well as the
processes. All the relevant key stakeholders will be involved in a one day workshop. Regular follow
up processes will also be carried during the project cycle to work out the modalities for handover of
the project.

Project Completion Celebration in coordination with local government officials, community, CBO
workers, schools and local leaders: This activity will be carried out during the closing phase of the
project to share with key functionaries on the achievements during the project period. Contributions of
various key stakeholders will also be acknowledged during this one day consultation meeting.

7.3 Implementation Strategies & Activities under Result #3

Build capacities of DMCs, community organisations and partners to effectively respond to disasters
and implement socially inclusive and innovative community based climate change adaptation and
mitigation

7.3.1 Enhancing Early Warning System

This project activity will help to enhance and institutionalize the existing countrys early warning
capacity and will ensure last mile connectivity which in case of cyclones is a matter of life and
death. At the village level, early warning volunteers will be identified and equipped to maintain high
level of efficiency in case of any emergency. A total of 500 volunteers will be developed and
capacitated through training to promote early warning message at their own villages maintaining
linkage with UDMC. Their training will not only include early warning system for cyclone, but it will
also include tsunami, flood and drought. Trigger Indicators (TIs) will be identified involving the
community people and mechanism of monitoring and reporting of TIs will be developed to link
themed with the EW. DMCs and other groups i.e. PO, CBOs & Paani Committee will be assisted to
develop monitoring and reporting plans related to TIs.

To strengthen the warning system at the union level, 50 sets of early warning equipments including
megaphone, hand siren and radio will be provided to all UDMCs. These will be stockpiled at the UP
office under the management of UP. The volunteers will use these warning equipments during the
period of an upcoming disaster.

Once the national level early warning is received through the radio, these volunteers will spread out
the early warning information in the villages and disseminate cyclone warning signals at door to door
level using megaphones, hand sirens and public address system. Public awareness during normal
situation will be integral part of this component of the project. Close coordination will be maintained
with all the mandated organisations and programmes in the country, and all the volunteers will be
registered in the national database of the cyclone preparedness programme (CPP). Partner will
monitor whether actual systems are being utilized and reports generated by them. Simulation exercise
and mock drills will be conducted to test the effectiveness and operation of the EW system.

7.3.2 Training on First Aid and Search and Rescue

Under Standing Order on Disaster Management, local level disaster management committees are
recognised as one of the key component to disaster management. Local level governance structures in
the form of disaster management committees, community based organisations and community
volunteers groups are established with the pre-defined roles and responsibilities in the emergency
response. At the moment, these members are not capacitated enough to take responsibility and play
their roles and responsibilities effectively and this activity aims to identify and select potential
activists and volunteers during the meetings and strengthen the response capacities of the local
governance structures by imparting separate trainings on first aid, search and rescue, and fire safety in
partnership with the Fire Service and Civil Defense Department of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Red
Crescent Society (BDRCS). A total of 20 trainings would be conducted and will directly involve and
benefit 600 persons. The details are:

Training Quantity Number Technical Participants

of days partner
First Aid 10 03 BDRCS 300
Search, rescue and fire 10 03 BDRCS and 300
safety Fire service

These trainings would focus on transferring advanced knowledge and skills to community volunteers
by which they can take essential measures to better respond to any disaster situation. They would be
able to take better control and manage the incidence of any damage in cyclone and floods. These
activists will then form different task forces with identified roles and responsibilities and would be
operational during emergency situation. This training would also provide an opportunity to register
and recognize these activists as community level responders with the service providers and mandated
organisations like Fire Service and Civil Defense, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and Cyclone
Preparedness Programme. These trainings would be complemented by the provision of equipments
(lifebuoy and life jacket) needed for the participants under their local risk reduction plans.

7.3.3 Household Adaptation Plans and Self initiatives

Community awareness sessions will be arranged with weekly meetings of the Primary Organisations
in order to develop knowledge and understanding on climate change adaptation. A total of 5,375
family adaptation plans and self initiatives will be demonstrated in the project duration. Field
organizers and trained community volunteer group members will take lead role in carrying out these
sessions. The basic module and methodology alongside the work plan to conduct these sessions will
be developed and finalized during the project orientation training.

Islamic Relief has already developed training aid in the form of flips cards etc and those will be
reprinted and provided to the trainers. The community people will be motivated to undertake their
own initiatives identified on the family level adaptation plans. It will also be the responsibility of the
community volunteers to demonstrate and link pilot initiatives carried out under the project and
ensure the relevant activities to their local context are replicated.

7.3.4 Carbon Storage and Carbon Emission Reduction Activities

Though the project has been designed to build the adaptation capacity, yet to enhance household
income, this project has planned to replace kerosene lantern by distribution of solar powered lantern
and conduct homestead plantation. The poor rural people have to depend on the kerosene lantern as
the lighting source, which is very costly. Replacing the kerosene lantern, solar powered lantern/lamp
will make access of the rural people to very low cost power for lighting which will reduce their cost
for lighting and reduce household level non-food expenditure. Kerosene lantern users will no longer
need to buy kerosene and and/or candles for lighting, which will save a large amount of income on the
long run. It has been explored from a study that on an average a rural household needs 4 liters of
kerosene in a month for lighting. At the rate of Tk. 65/liter, total expenditure for 4 liters of kerosene is
Tk. 260 and expenditure for one year is Tk. 3,120. So, expenditure for kerosene for 10 years will be
Tk. 31,200. On the other hand, cost for purchasing one lantern is only Tk. 1500 which will be
operational for 10 years. During this 10 year period, the HH will need to purchase two batteries
spending Tk. 600.00. So the total cost for 10 years for one lantern will be Tk. 2100. One lantern will
also reduce 0.07 ton CO2 emission. Savings expected for one HH using solar lantern are:
In next 10 years will be BDT 29,100 approximately
Annual savings will be BDT 2,910 approximately

Homestead plantation will be done combining fruits and timber trees. Fruit trees will ensure HH food
security and additional income for the people. It will be alternative income source for them as there is
market for both fruit and timber at the local level. Additionally, plants of one acre will reduce 3 tons
of carbon per year. Details are shown in the following table:

Options Total
Homestead Plantation 800
Distribution of Solar Powered Lantern 800
Total HH 1600

7.3.5 Small scale adaptation measures based on the risk reduction plans

Community risk assessment process mandated by the GoB will help identify and implement high
priority (according to local community) and low cost and innovative small scale adaptation measures
which might include installation of water treatment plant, biogas plant, climate resilient sanitation and
drinking water options, homestead raising with shelter repair, construction and/or repair of link road,
school ground raising, and repairing culverts and embankments etc. Detailed cost estimates will be
prepared by engineers, once the risk reduction action plans are prepared by the communities.

Active participation of local DMCs, CBOs and concerned line departments will be ensured during
planning and implementation to ensure the ownership and transparency of interventions. Contribution
in kind from the local community and local government bodies will be promoted while
implementation of all small scale adaptation measures to ensure their ownership. Before commencing
these interventions, consultation and arrangements will be finalized with local DMCs and CBOs for
the future operation and maintenance of the same and accordingly all the structures will be handed
over to them.

7.3.6 School Safety Plans

School safety activities aim to inspire students, teachers and SMCs to promote a culture of safety at
schools as well as increase the resilience of schools to climate shocks. These activities also aim to
motivate local authorities to integrate school safety into their School Improvement Programs (SIP) as
well as develop their capacity to support school in disaster preparedness and response. The project
will adopt three fold strategy including strengthening the capacity of concerned institutions,
mobilizing students and teachers as change agents and advocacy towards disaster reduction and
climate adaptation. A total of 30 schools will be targeted under the project, and each school will be
required to develop a school safety plan.

The plan is intended to help create and maintain a safe environment conducive to learning for students
and staffs including three primary areas, which are, school profiling, crisis preparedness, and
emergency action plans. For conducting school safety plans for every school, the template will be
provided and participatory sessions will be considered ensuring participation from students, teachers,
SMC and parents. These plans will also identify the need to organize school tasks forces on safe
school leadership, first aid responders, search & rescue, shelter management and education in
emergencies etc. A concrete risk reduction action plans will be developed under this action plan. The
school safety plan will be reviewed and updated annually.

7.3.7 Formation of SDMCs and Student Council 15

In every targeted school under the project, School Disaster Management Committees (SDMCs) will
be formed comprising of 21 to 25 members. School teachers, students, parents and SMC members
will be active members of this committee. Besides, student clubs, task forces and councils will be
formed as sub-groups and will comprise of mainly school students coming together under the
leadership of SDMC. Students are powerful change agents of the community which is why the project
is underpinned by the idea that students, through organized councils and clubs, will be able to lead the
campaign of safety and resilience. Secondary schools and their adolescent populations will be
targeted. This age group not only corresponds to young and dynamic individuals but also to a key
period where values, ideals and personalities are being shaped. Innovation, creation, curiosity, and
challenge are in the nature of adolescents who are looking for active participation and a role to play in
positive social change.

7.3.8 Capacity building of 15 SDMCs

The inputs of the project with regards to SDMC will mainly focus on capacity-building through a
comprehensive training package on safety and resilience related school issues but also through
ensuring the active and meaningful participation of these members in all decision-making processes
under School Management Committees. Interactive awareness creation plans (part of school safety
plans) will be developed and implemented at each school and the wider community. Both students and
teachers will have specific awareness creation activities they will carry out with their peers to raise
awareness on the impact of disasters on education and the potential risk reduction options. Awareness
levels of students and teachers will be assessed at the start and end of the project to demonstrate the
effectiveness of this activity.

7.3.9 Facilitate School Contingency Plans

School management committee members as well as students will be facilitated to develop school
contingency plans based on their risk assessment findings. Contingency Plans will indentify
preparedness and response measures to be taken by schools in pre, during and post disaster phases.
Task forces will be formed for specific preparedness and response tasks such as First Aid, Search &
Rescue, Shelter Management and Early Warning.

7.3.10 Student Led Micro Project for Safer Schools

Based on school risk assessment findings, student clubs will be facilitated to develop and implement
micro projects that address the identified disaster risks. Students are excellent risk communicators and
they will be encouraged, through their micro projects, to create awareness on disaster and their risks,
school contingency plans and mock drills, as well as other innovative ways which develop a culture of
safety at schools.

7.3.11 Community based emergency food and/or seed bank for food security during
emergencies

Due to lack of welfare economic systems, thousands of people go hungry for sickness, jobless,
addiction and violence in emergencies. Due to lack of food security opportunities, the community
people suffer from food crisis and it tends to migration. This project will open an opportunity of
community based solutions for ensuring available food supplies in emergencies. The stock options
will be created in the union level under the guidance of UDMCs.
Benefit: Normally, farmers sell their harvest in the market at cheap price and buy rice when their food
stock is depleted at relatively higher price. The CBEFB is the most feasible strategy to access food
grains at fair price. Once they sell extra harvest to the CBEFB, they can access grains at a reasonable
price from the CBEFB when they need desperately. Therefore, the marginal profit will cover running
and administrative costs. The farmers will get opportunity to borrow food from the CBEFB if they are
unable to buy food due to lack of money in crisis period. The borrowers will return the food when
they will harvest their crops.

Supply of food and seeds in disaster quickly: The UDMCs will supply the food grains and seeds of
homestead gardening to the victims on emergency if the people face crisis. The victims will return the
borrowed grain/ seed later when they will grow crops in their fields. The hardcore poor people who
will be unable to return, communities will identify mechanism to purchase same quantity of food
grain supplied to this hardcore poor group from the relief funds, donations or fund raising.

Operational Modality: The project will bear administrative and operating costs of the bank for three
years only. After the period, the UDMC will take over the responsibility to run the CBEFB.

7.3.12 Improve disaster early warning knowledge, attitude & practices of communities

This group of activities is to facilitate UDMCs and CBOs activate around improving KAP
(knowledge, Attitude and Practices) of their constituencies. The UDMCs with support from PO/CBOs
and Paani Committee will serve as the focal point in the community for this activity. Investment will
be made to i) develop and disseminate mass awareness IEC/BCC materials, ii) display CRA map, iii)
awareness activities i.e. observing National Disaster Preparedness Day, public gathering, cultural
activities iv) supporting UDMC for warning dissemination and v) simulation/mock drill.

7.3.13 Observing International and National Days on Disasters, Environment and WASH

These days will be celebrated at the field level with active participation of the community as well as
local institutions. Some of the days that have been identified are International Day for Disaster
Reduction, National Disaster Management Day, Environment and WASH day. The project will
continue to upscale its efforts towards working with communities and institutions to enhance their
knowledge and social capital through arranging DRR exhibitions, mock drills and other interactive
activities on these days. Communities and institution will get their opportunity to demonstrate their
understanding on CCA and DRR through innovative measures.

7.3.14 Strengthening the local response capacities

Islamic Relief Worldwide has been working on every major disaster in Bangladesh since its very
beginning of work in 1991. We command a rather good position in the field of disaster responses in
Bangladesh. However it is important that in the changing global scenario and also the rising standards
in the field of disaster response and long-term post-disaster rehabilitation, we are always prepared.
For smooth implementation of our disaster management operations in the country we have segregated
Bangladesh into five Emergency Response Zones (ERZs). Nature of hazards (disaster hotspots),
geographical positioning of IRW and partners, and communications network are important
determining factors in the process of this decision-making.

This very activity focus is to build capacity of the organization, partner agencies, CBOs and
volunteers for emergency preparedness and response, reach to community in high-risk disaster areas,
enabling to act as a locus for disaster risk reduction, institutionalizing implementation of the various
disaster management frameworks within organizational systems. The Programme will work in five
response zones of the country linking all the disaster prone districts. At present IR-Bangladesh has its
direct presence through field offices which are located in disaster prone areas. Over the years of our
presence, we have established many, so far, non-formal yet strategic partners and volunteer
organisation in different disaster prone locations. In the present strategy phase (2011-2015) we at
IRW-Bangladesh are also looking forward to working through reputed national partner NGOs,
Community Based Organizations and trained volunteers when responding to disasters.

The proposed year-long intervention would go a long way in supporting us to establish a well trained
staff, cadre of volunteers strategically placed all across Bangladesh and establishment of strategic
formal partnerships with reputed NGOs and CBOs in the country. We also look forward to a better
prepared team capable of handling all major aspects and thematic areas of disaster response viz.
preparing urgent proposals, leadership and emergency management, handling the media, networking
with other stakeholders be it INGOs, NGOs and the Government shelter managements, WASH,
children in emergencies, women, people with disabilities, setting up makeshift and/or transit camps,
aspects and need of psychosocial counseling in major disasters, etc. We also do look forward to
working closely with other alliances, forums and/or technical stakeholders during this year for a better
coordinated capacity building work at IRW Bangladesh. Working thus would also help us in raising
our brand presence and visibility at National and international levels.

Through standardizing the organizational policy and consolidating the process, the organization would
be able to immediately respond to natural disasters in the immediate aftermath in any areas of the
country. IRW also has to address the issues of internal capacities which need to be updated to prepare
the organisation for any small and medium scale emergency situation in the country. This will be done
by harnessing and building the capacities of the staff members currently working with the
organisation and its partners. All these team members will form a part of a highly specialised unit with
desired equipments to undertake emergency response within 24 hours.

7.4 Implementation Strategies & Activities under Result #4

Enhanced sharing, learning and reflection on practical experience and good models of climate
change mitigation and adaptation for integration at local, national and international level

7.4.1 Involvement of Research Institutes and Universities

To identify new and climate friendly livelihoods, adaptation, mitigation and drinking water and
sanitation options for the project area, relevant researchers will be engaged. Bangladesh University of
Engineering and Technology (BUET), Agriculture Research Institute, Khulna University, Patuakhali
Science and Technology University and other relevant research partners will be engaged for this
purpose.

7.4.2 Action Research and Documentation

The project will follow an action research strategy, with the purpose to learn, reflect and plan
effectively for climate change interventions in Bangladesh. This experience will be accumulated as a
source of written evidence for learning and reflection at local, national and international level. The
communities in the coastal region have already been used to the living conditions and innovated quite
a few number of adaptation strategies. The project will build and expand on any such identified
practice for wider replication, and will also document the learning and usefulness of the project
interventions proposed to increase the resilience of the communities. The field level findings have
suggested the following steps in this regard:
Review of available literature
Formulation of action research strategy for climate adaptation
Collaborate with and beyond existing climate change adaptation networks and professional
NGOs
Collecting field level evidence for existing and newly promoted adaptation strategies
Data analysis, field testing and dissemination at national and international scale
Identify opportunities for the communities to act on immediate problems of climate change
adaptation
 Editing and writing for international journals, policy briefs and working papers

7.4.3 Situation analysis report

A situation analysis report will be prepared to review the state of the water logging situation in
historical perspectives and to insights to undertake activities of the project.

7.4.4 Policy brief and advocacy agenda setting

It is recognized that the pursuit for effective, sustainable and long-term disaster management in the
South-western region will be realized through advocacy/campaign and intensive persuasion works.
Research initiatives will be undertaken to identify policy and advocacy issues and agenda.

Activities Description Total Unit

Support issue based research and Situation study and analysis, good practices,
study on Water mgt., DRR and thematic studies and model development studies 2
Climate Adaptation on the regional context.
Video documentation of good practices models
Audio-visual documentation 2
and situations etc.
Acquisition of documents and literatures on water mgt. DRR & CCA 2

7.4.5 Campaign and Media mobilization

The project will facilitate the tactical battle (of the most marginalised and vulnerable communities) by
engaging key stakeholders such as the Member of Parliament (MPs) and policy makers, aid agencies
and international financial institutions (IFIs) to address and solve the root-causes of the vulnerabilities
such as waster-shed management in the region and ensure sustainable DRR and CCA. Addressing
regional level is one of the void areas that development initiatives do not always focus on. Knowledge
generated from local level by implementing a project or programme is shared mainly at national level.
Some of the cases, knowledge are shared at upazila level; however, gap always stays during sharing at
district level. Sensitizing district level remains unaddressed thus advocacy events are not canalized
bottom up. Under the activity, project will share project findings, knowledge and process, with district
offices and will create link between district, upazila and union parishad to incorporate climate change
issue to the annual plans and budget.

Islamic Relief through this project intend to contribute in increasing the knowledge base on Islamic
perspective of development, sharing lessons and knowledge at local, regional, national and global
level. These platforms will provide us the opportunity to share and document lessons and at the same
time new knowledge generated at global level will reach to the government officials and will pave the
way for mentionable progress in that respect. The key activities for advocacy will be-
Campaign at community level
Campaign and advocacy at local, regional and national level
National level campaign, sharing, facilitating scopes and spaces e.g. networking, national and
international level platforms to demand and ensure effective adaptation financing through
promoting incorporated of CRA into local development planning and raising community
voice

IRB will supplement its activity through continuous publicity and media mileage, intensive
persuasion work or lobbying for pushing the adoption of peoples alternative option for sustainable
disaster management and adaptation strategy, and mobilization to project grassroots agenda and
ensure media coverage. The project will also support demonstration and memorandum submission by
affected communities. The following other thematic areas will also be covered under this activity:
Islam and Environment
 Women issues in climate adaptation
Tidal river management
Market linkages for improved income
Livelihood situation in the Haor areas

7.4.6 Persuasion with the Key Actors for Effective and Long-term Disaster Mitigation and
Management

The project will support Paani Committee, CBO/CSOs and NGO Networks to lobby with key actors
for effective and long-term disaster mitigation and management for the South-western region.
Through representation and dialogue with parliament members and concerned government officials,
conduct seminar on disaster management with national level actors and will submit memos and
representation to Upazila and district level actors, MPs. National level roundtable will be organized
with publication of special supplement in national newspaper.

The project will also facilitate these enabling activities to ensure endorsement and commitment of the
MPs and policy makers on the issue, particularly on the peoples agenda in pursuit of the adoption of
peoples alternative option for sustainable disaster management and adaptation strategy in the South-
western region. IRB will conduct regular follow up communications, in this way, MPs and policy
makers will be made aware that their actions on the issues are being closely watched and provide IRB
with updates of their actions initiated in the policy chamber. This will ensure that the issue is taken as
priority agenda for legislation and subsequently for policy action.

7.4.7 Awareness Campaign for Wetland Conservation

The project will organize massive campaign in the wetland areas involving the local people,
CSO/Paani Committee, opinion leaders, professional groups and government livestock and fisheries
officials. The campaign will focus on wetland conservation and using them wisely to maintain their
environment conducive to reproduction of the aquatic species. IRB through this campaign will try to
develop a vigilant group to monitor the growth and maintenance of the wetland environment.
Involving the community, local government bodies and Upazila fishery officer, massive awareness
campaign will be organized to motivate the local inhabitants on the wetland conservation and saving
the indigenous fish species from extinction.

7.4.8 Media Mobilisation

Media plays effective role in rallying support behind an issue and disseminate widely for opinion
building and policy decision. IRB has been partially successful on its own to mobilize the print media
in the region by highlighting the issue of Water-logging, cyclone, flood and other disaster issues. With
the support of the project, IRB wants to develop a massive media campaign. Along with public
relation and facilitating regional, national and international media visit to the vulnerable areas, the
project will also publish poster, leaflets, billboard, newsletter and video documentary.

Units # Total
Activities Description
Yr. 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 3 Unit #
Media Facilitate and support media visit
1 2 2 5
Mobilization and broadcast activities
News Letter Publication and printing 2 4 4 10
Publish leaflets Publication and printing 10000 10,000
Publish Posters Publication and printing 10000 10000 20,000
Billboards Develop & setup 4 8 4 16
Publish booklets Publication and printing 3000 3,000

8. Project Management
 Through mobilizing committed and experienced social mobilisation and management staff, a need
based management and implementation structure for the project have been developed. Organization's
core financial management and monitoring section will be engaged in overall financial management
and quality management of the project. The project partner will strongly follow the compliance
issues, technical guidance and advices from specific Islamic Reliefs requirements.

IRB's project coordination and management system includes standard procedures for quality control
for all its projects/programmes. One key aspect of this procedure is the establishment of a project
management committee (PCM) consisting of members from the project and senior management
personnel from IRB. The committee meets regularly to oversee the performance of the project. To
avoid duplication of efforts, the project management also maintains regular coordination with IRB's
other ongoing projects, as well as other NGOs. In addition, IRB attend regular coordination and
sharing meetings with Upazila and district administration to exchange knowledge and experiences.

For this project a Project Management Committee (PMC) will be formed having representatives from
CBOs, member of UDMC and Paani Committee, and IRB staff. The PMC will be in charge of
planning, coordinating and implementing the project components. PMC will take conscious effort to
ensure equal participation of male and female staff in decision-making process of the project. The
PMC will be responsible to the Director of IRB through the Program Manager.

8.1 Management Structure for the Proposed Project

8.1.1 Overall Responsibilities

Head of Climate Change and Disaster Resilience programme in Bangladesh will provide strategic
leadership and guidance in implementing the project. He will be responsible for oversees overall
planning, development, implementation and review of the project; lead liaison, communication,
advocacy and lobbying at strategic and policy level. And will also lead media, communications and
visibility related to the project implementation.

The Country Director will be also responsible for ensuring the compliance issues, technical
guidance and advices from ISLAMIC RELIEF.

- Project Organogram

- Human Resources Plan

A team of regular staff led by the Project Manager (PM) (PM will be the Task Manager of the
proposed project) will implement the project at the field level. The PM in close collaboration will
responsible for overall implementation of project activities, including:
i) Oversees project activities and ensures project achieves its targets in a timely manner in
accordance with the compliance issues, technical guidance and advices from ISLAMIC
RELIEF.
ii) Provide guidance to project staff in social mobilisation, technical issues and capital/assets
transfer.
iii) Ensures compliance with standards, rules and regulations,
iv) Coordination and linkages with key stakeholders
v) Undertakes coordination and advocacy work at national level and
vi) Execution and management of contracts, including reporting.

PM will be assisted by a group of skilled personnel who will lead project implementation in gour
Upazilas. Within the first two-months of the project start, recruitment of staff will be completed. Job
 Description for each position will be developed prior to the recruitment process. Every effort would
be made to ensure a gender-sensitive and balanced team. Due to the very specific nature of the
project, the project staff will be recruited locally.

- Media and Communication Plan (Please see Annex No XXX)

- Project Implementation Plan (Please see Annex No XX)

9. Monitoring and Evaluation

The M&E systems will be designed to provide not only information for reporting purposes, but also
information for decision-making. Over the life of the project, some critical decisions need to be made
toward continuing the project activities that are effective, and modifying or discontinuing those that
are not. The system will be thus an essential tool to track program beneficiaries and progress at all
levels, as well as an integral management tool. It will be evidence based, participatory and software
automated, with learning and quality assurance at the centre. A database will be set up in customised
software to pull out whatever information is necessary to populate the Indicator, over and above the
information collected in the random household surveys. This system will be then augmented by
various MS-Excel or MS-Word based systems used by Managers to track the projects progress. A
sub-set of indicators will be identified to provide information in assessing progress in outcomes.
These indicators will be used at different level of management strata to identify implementation gaps
impacting program outcomes.

Strength of the M&E system lies in its ability to contribute to the learning of program beneficiaries.
Data collected and information generated will be shared with beneficiaries regularly, especially
various community group and committees. A 'prompting' approach will be used, where summary
information at the lowest tier will be taken by IRB staff to communities. The information will be
shared in the community meetings, prompting debate and discussions which will help community
members understand what is "working well" and "not working well" for others, and why, and also to
identify individual and collective issues which need to be addressed. Accordingly, resources will be
adjusted to different needs ensuring optimum efficiency.

A Senior Manager will be designated for overall responsibility of M&E system to be responsible for
overall data quality assessment (DQA) such as data collection, timeliness, data processing,
interpretation and reporting. IRBs M&E Unit will supplement the project M&E manager, providing
strategic guidance and support for reflective and efficient M&E systems. The project will
continuously document lessons learned on different critical issues, including intended and unintended
impact on program beneficiaries, which will be shared with other stakeholders.

9.1 Multistage Monitoring Strategies

The following multistage monitoring strategies will be followed to monitor the project:
Community based monitoring and evaluation by the community people with the facilitation of
Field Organizer;
Monitoring community level activities by the Monitoring Officer and Supervisor as wells Field
Organizer of the project;
Central monitoring by the Project Manager;
Monitoring the project activities as a whole by the central monitoring unit of IRB;
Monitoring the project performance by IR Bangladesh and Regional Offices and
IR may engage its local partners in this process.

9.2 Frequency /Time-frame of Monitoring

The time-frame or the frequencies of monitoring to be followed are mentioned below:

 Daily monitoring and supervision conducted by the community people with the facilitation of
Community Organizer;
Weekly monitoring and supervision of the community level activities of the project by the
Community Organizers and Monitoring Officer and Supervisor;
Monthly monitoring of the activities of Community Organizers by the Monitoring Officer and
Supervisor;
Monthly monitoring of the activities of Community Organizers and Training Officer by the
Project Manager;
Monthly monitoring by the central monitoring unit of IRB;
Quarterly monitoring by IR Bangladesh Office;
Half yearly monitoring by IR Regional Offices as well as by local partners and
Emergency monitoring by any levels.

9.3 Monitoring Method and Approach

9.3.1 Preparation of Monitoring Plan

Based on the monitoring objective(s) and indicators, a monitoring plan will be prepared to undertake
the monitoring tasks in a participatory manner. A Monitoring Plan would contain following
information:
Identifying monitoring objectives
Key fields of monitoring (based on program/action components)
Indicators setting (clustered according to the fields of monitoring)
Techniques/Methods of Data Collection
Monitoring tools development
Monitoring sites selection (Geographical locations)
Fixing up frequency of data collection (when data will be collected) Responsibility
specification
Data analysis and report preparation
Report dissemination and feedback process.
Cost of monitoring

9.3.2 Tools and Approaches

A key feature of the Participatory M&E systems to be used effectively for decision-making, decision-
makers need to have the information on hand when decisions need to be made. The major tools and
approaches planned for monitoring and evaluation include:

Logical framework
This will show the overall and specific objective, the results, major activities and inputs with
associated indicators at each level. This will be used as a management tool to monitor the progress of
the action.

Baseline and End line Study

In the first quarter of the first year of the project, baseline information on impact indicators associated
with the overall and specific objective and results will be compiled into a baseline report. Both
qualitative and quantitative information will be obtained as part of the baseline exercise. The targets
of different indicators and activities proposed initially will be reviewed and revised based on this
baseline information. End line will be planned in the last quarter of the project implementation

PM&E
A participatory CBA evaluation tools will be applied to empower the community to measure the
effectiveness the of CBA interventions. This will allow community to monitor and evaluate the CBA
interventions and reporting.
Project monitoring system
A project monitoring system will be developed involving all the partners to regularly monitor the
progress made against the indicators identified. This monitoring system will show the type of data
needed for each indicator, the methodology and frequency of data collection, and how the data will be
analyzed and reported.

Annual project review meetings

These will be held at the beginning of each operational year. One of the keys to effective monitoring
is the development of operational plans and periodic review of the plans using information from the
monitoring system to make adjustments as required.

Quarterly reports
These will be prepared using the information obtained from the monitoring system and activity
reports from partners for dissemination to the stakeholders of the action. The reports will include the
achievements over the reporting period, cumulative progress against planned results, the observed
impact relative to overall and specific objectives, major positive and negative issues affecting
implementation, major lessons learned, and the activities planned for the next period.

Joint field visits

Such visits are instrumental for monitoring the quality of the project actions with technical partners
with staff with different technical backgrounds. Having different perspectives on the team will
facilitate a more complete analysis and understanding and avoid that cross-cutting themes, i.e.,
equality, gender HIV/AIDS and environment are not overlooked. The joint field visits will be
scheduled quarterly for the first year of the project and semi-annually thereafter.

9.3.3 Monitoring Instruments

A variety of monitoring tools will be used for the purpose of monitoring. Care would be taken to make
the monitoring tools user-friendly, improvement-oriented, simple (language), self-instructional,
comprehensive, independent of bias, co and easy to analyze. Generally, following tools are used:
Report card,
Questionnaire
Checklist
Observation schedules
Interview guide

9.3.4 Reporting and Feedback Process

Finally report will be prepared and shared at various levels.

9.4 Mid-Term Review

A midterm review will be conducted by an external organisation after the 18 months of

implementation of the project action, to assess the progress, effects and impact of program activities,
to identify lessons learned, and to formulate recommendations for changes to the implementation
strategy for the remaining action duration. The baseline information gathering exercise conducted at
the beginning of the project will be replicated to identify changes on the performance indicators that
have occurred since the project began. Information from this exercise will be made available to an
independent evaluation team that will be responsible for assessing the program. The Terms of
Reference for the MTR will be developed by IRB in consultation with all project stakeholders.

9.5 Final evaluation

Near the end of the project action, a final evaluation will be conducted by an external organisation to
assess the impact of the project and to generate lessons learned. The baseline information gathering
exercise will be replicated again as part of the end line survey to identify changes on the performance
indicators that have occurred during the action. This information will be made available to an
independent evaluation team that will be conducting the final evaluation. These Terms of Reference
will also be developed by IRB in consultation with all project stakeholders.

9.6 How Learning will be incorporated into the project

IRB will ensure internalisation of the learning from the project into the organisational systems and
structure to ensure replication and up-scaling. The learnings and findings from the project will play
significant role in feeding into the decision making and accountability process. Methods and tools to
ensure regular exchange of information, reporting, knowledge products, and information from
monitoring and evaluation will be in place to ensure project results are innovative, effective and
accountable in that respect. The project working very closely with national and local level authorities
will ensure the lessons and evaluation findings contribute to development and implementation of
effective policy and planning frameworks in the field of disaster and climate management. Following
are some of the proposed pathways incorporated into the project design:
Global, regional and local researchers and academia will be invited to participate in the
process. This will include ways such as holding discussion on the data collected or to discuss
the methodology and tools selected in the process.
Good practices, lessons learnt, policy initiatives, research findings and other knowledge
products will be made available on major websites and networks at global and national level.
This information will be made available in both Bangla and English language for the wider
audience to access it.
Publish all research reports and article on important online websites and journal.
Finding sharing and feedback meetings will be arranged with interested stakeholders
including forums with media for wider dissemination.
The good practices, lessons learnt and other findings will be incorporated into the government
policies, programme and planning at appropriate stages. IRB will also ensure learning from
the project are included into the international organisational systems and processes

10. Risk Analysis (including mitigation methods)

Activity Risk and probability Mitigation Measure

Social Cannot form PO or Village selection process will be designed to screen out
mobilisation, CBOs groups because communities where these characteristics are present at
formation of of influence from extreme levels. Community mobilisation will begin in
community power elites, strong communities where there are not very powerful elites or
groups (PO, traditional views on very large land holdings.
VO/CBO womens roles and In selected villages, IRB will explain clearly to all
groups) rights. community members, including elites and community
leaders, what the objective of the project is to minimize
(medium probability) perceived threats to these groups posed by the project
activities. As food security is an issue of wide IRB in the
region, this is likely to create support.
Community members Initial facilitation will emphasize the benefits of
in some communities membership in these groups, and allow groups to manage
not interested to themselves in a way least disruptive to members.
participate in PO,
CBOs groups because Note: IRB experience indicates no problem in forming
perceived benefits of these groups in this region.
group participation less
than cost of time spent
working in the groups.
(low probability)
Activity Risk and probability Mitigation Measure
Conflict among IRB will receive training in conflict-resolution techniques
members within the to defuse these types of problems as part of their initial
groups or between orientation. The facilitation process during formation of
group and others in groups is structured in a way to minimize these potential
community disrupts conflicts. IRB longstanding relationships in these regions
activities of the PO and will be helpful in mitigating conflict.
CBOs.
(medium probability)
Disaster Risk Severe cyclone, tidal The project will facilitate processes of early warning and
surge may damage special evacuation for those households who have high
small investments i.e. risk investments.
death of livestock
provided as assets
transfer
(medium to high
probability)
Supporting Natural disasters may Disaster preparedness will be mainstreamed through all
Employment disrupt project- activities in this project. Hence all business development
and Income supported IGAs by plans will need to include disaster preparedness and
Opportunities destroying productive mitigation planning. This will also influence the
assets. selection of IGAs and value chains that will be promoted.

(high probability)
Promoting People do not adopt Social Animators and peer group members will promote
KAP recommended adoption of practices through ongoing follow-up visits,
messages practices. identifying barriers and helping them to access
community and UP resources and facilities. Reflection
(medium probability) sessions with others in the community with IRB staff will
provide the opportunity to discuss barriers and constraints
and devise solutions.
General Local IRB have strong working relationship with local
Program govt./administration administration structures, and will organise workshops
Implementatio not supportive of and other contacts with key UP, Upazila, members to
n project approach fully explain pro-poor and pro-women approach of risk
reduction, and benefits of the approach.
(low probability)
IRB will not be able to This is a problem that all organisations working in
hire and retain female Bangladesh face, particularly for projects in remote
field staff locations. However, this is changing over time, and IRB
and its partners will work together to design appropriate
(high probability) incentives to attract and retain good women staff and
keep them motivated. A strong gender equity initiative
will run through the program working with men and
women staff of IRB.

12. Value for Money how will the project achieve it

IRB has a draft definition of value for money that looks at the concept across multiple areas from
needs assessment to implementation to M&E; this is awaiting approval by the Board of Directors.
Currently IRs value for money strategy revolves around;
1. Procurement efficiency. It has been calculated the procurement department at the international
office has saved IR over 500,000 in the last two years through improved tendering and
scrutiny.
 2. Programmes are developed based on the detailed need prioritisation at the design stage and
the same is monitored and are also being looked at in real time evaluations to ensure the
effectiveness.
3. Audit framework. IR has its own internal audit department within the evaluation and audit
department which audits all programmes according to a strict framework and reports to an
audit committee made up of trustees, an external voluntary expert in accounting and the CEO.
4. Impact measurement framework. In 2012, IR developed an impact measurement framework
to aggregate its global impact against the strategic plan which sets out the priorities of the
organisation.
5. IR has recently been awarded DfID RRF status; which has also helped in refining and
mainstreaming the value for money concept across all phases of IR programming.
Value for money can also be demonstrated through DfID funding to IRs LWHT project in
Pakistan. An evaluation was conducted and analysis was drawn against DfIDs Three Es
Framework reeffectiveness of the money spent on development projects. The project fulfilled
all the demands which were levied on all activities through the above Three Es Principle. The
project achieved its targets by more than 100% with the same amount of money. The
procurement procedures were followed strictly to achieve the low costs but better quality
goods and communities were involved in the selection of beneficiaries. The process of
distribution of inputs was transparent

13. Cross-cutting themes

IRB believes in inclusion in its interventions and it promotes the most vulnerable in a society in terms
of their social, economic and political condition.

Empowerment of the most vulnerable:

The proposed project recognises the need to address the rights of women, children, disabled and other
excluded groups in disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction activities. Following the approach
of community mobilization and involvement of communities in decision making will ensure ease of
implementation and give the sense of ownership to the communities that will ensure long term
sustainability. During the awareness raising campaign and community training, efforts will be made to
ensure that these families also benefit from the operation and can participate fully. The needs of the
people with special needs will also be considered during the design and review of the risk reduction
actions plans. The project will also facilitate the process of linkages development and will involve
local institutions in the process.

Mainstreaming Disabilities:
The proposed project will establish partnership with relevant national organizations to mainstream
disability issues into this program. This partnership will provide technical assistance, and will build
the capacity of the project staff and community trainers/ activists to identify disaster related issues of
disabled people alongside their capacities that can be included in disaster risk reduction initiatives.

Gender Justice:
IRB will work in partnership with other DRR stakeholders to ensure women not only participate but
also have decision making role in the implementation of the disaster risk reduction interventions. The
project team will be comprised of the women staff members to ensure the knowledge and experience
of women is included at all stages of the program cycle .i.e. from participatory risk assessment to the
evaluation stage.

Protecting the Environment:

The project recognises the importance of utilising and protecting natural resources to minimise the
negative impact on natural disasters and vice versa. The community activists will aim to improve
environmental management practices in order to reduce the risk of climate induced hazards through
measures such as reforestation of mangroves and construction of retaining walls etc, while adaptation
 and mitigation programs will provide technical skills to support this. All environments related issues
will be incorporated into our training programmes at community level.

Economic impact:
The direct economic impact of the program will be small and mainly indirect, as the project focuses
on low cost disaster reduction initiatives. Improved resilience of the communities will help
communities avoid the negative impact on socio-economic conditions in terms of human lives,
property, livelihoods, and material resources caused by natural disasters. Also, the community
structures organized on disaster risk management will promote bridging the social and economic
capital, thus leading to an improved quality of life. Social and economic capital refer to the bondage
among the community members on the basis of trust, social norms, and network within and beyond
the society which mould the social and economic activities. Islamic Relief mobilization strategy for
disaster risk reduction programme provides a draft global framework through which the expected
goals are strived.

Standards in Emergencies:
The project will also advocate for the fulfilment of basic rights and minimum standards for disaster-
affected populations. Thus, awareness-raising and capacity building initiatives on the adherence to
basic rights and standards will enable service providers to maintain the dignity of disaster-affected
populations.

It is anticipated that the community members will be able to acquire significant knowledge on raising
public awareness and providing training to other community members. The program will be further
sustained by replicating these activities in other program areas of IRB and its partners.

14. Budget

Please See Annex No XXX