Strengthening Livelihood Security of Climate Change Vulnerable People.
The negative impacts of climate change make Bangladesh one of the most vulnerable countries in the world. Increased frequency of floods, droughts, tidal surge and cyclones caused extensive economic damage and impacted livelihoods of the poor and marginal population who have been living in the fragile coastal areas of Bangladesh. Extreme weather events, monsoon variability and Sea Level Rise (SLR) induced salinity have forced to change the traditional cropping patterns of agriculture that occurs serious impact on livelihood and food security of marginalized population. The situation forced the climate induced migration. Considering this situation LEDARS is implementing “Strengthening Livelihood Security of Climate Change Vulnerable People” with the support of ‘Bread for the World’, Germany.
Goal: Contribute to the establishment of rights of the climate victim peoples.
Overall Objective: To improve the resilient livelihood of the targeted beneficiaries in the project area.
Major intervention:
* Increase resilience of agricultural through climate change adaptation.
* Reduce the water related disease among the women of the working area.
* Increase capacity of community people and civil society actors to influence the policy makers to act in inaction to the coastal crisis.
The major activities of the project are:
Formation of People Organization and capacity development:
Climate change is very scientific and needs very organized and long-term initiatives to build capacity of the community people to adapt with Climate Change. To initiate a life changing program, LEDARS is mobilizing community people and has formed 91 people organizations. LEDARS also provides training to sustain the organization.
Promoting resilient agriculture: LEDARS is promoting adaptive and ecological agriculture in the coastal area to foster the community resilience to combat climate change. LEDARS is developing and strengthening people’s organization, building community awareness, providing stress tolerant variety of rice and vegetable seeds, and better water management support for agriculture. We are also incorporating the indigenous and scientific knowledge and ensuring optimum usages of available resources for promoting resilient agriculture.
Support for Income Generating Activities: LEDARS is trying to increase income of most vulnerable 270 women and men including tiger victims’ widows by provide training on alternative income generating activities, provide seen money to women beneficiaries. LEDARS also providing assistance to women beneficiaries to establish small business, small-scale aquaculture, small cottage, etc.
Promoting health and resilience WASH: Support for Drinking water and health care
LEDARS supports beneficiaries to have safe drinking water by excavating ponds and install 12 new PSFs, activating 12 inactive PSFs, installed 5,250 bio-sand filters, 10 Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR), 2 Reverse Osmosis Technology and distribute 185 rainwaters among beneficiaries. Our initiatives created access to at least 15,881 families for supply of safe drinking water. LEDARS is also providing health care support to 5000 vulnerable families including our beneficiaries.
Strengthen Local Government: LEDARS has taken initiatives to involve local government on climate change issue by strengthening their capacity of Local Adaption Plan Activity (LAPA).
Campaign for Social and Climate Justice:
People of southwestern coast suffers due to diverse climatic problems being the least responsible for climate change. The global leaders are not much careful about the rights and sufferings of the coastal people. People are suffering and migrating from the coast for safe life as there is no action. In these circumstances, LEDARS has been initiating climate justice campaign from grassroots to national level. We are drawing attention to the global leaders to be responsive to Bangladesh. Besides, we are demanding government initiative through depicting the ground reality and mobilizing the local administration and legislator to mitigate this vulnerability.
Knowledge Management for Climate Resilient.
To foster climate adaptation, resilience, and mitigation through enabling research in the coastal area and increasing youth leadership, LEDARS established a Knowledge Management Center (KMC) with laboratory, research facility, library, physical and digital bookshelf, reading center, conference space and dormitory. The university students, faculty members and local youths can afford the facilities and conduct research on locally important climate issues. Besides, the KMC has launched short and long-term course on climate change for the youths, development practitioner and other interested people.
Activities’ Photos
