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The Government of Bangladesh, in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Denmark, has launched a $112 million project to strengthen climate resilience and rural livelihoods in the country’s vulnerable regions.
The six-year Climate Resilience and Livelihood Enhancement Project (CRALEP), to be implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), will cover the flood-prone Haor and drought-prone High Barind regions and is expected to benefit around 1.5 million people across 33 upazilas.
The project will address climate risks through resilient rural infrastructure, diversified livelihoods and climate information services.
In the Haor, where flash floods can destroy standing crops and isolate villages, CRALEP will improve village roads, rural markets and boat landing facilities. It will also support walkways, water and sanitation facilities, raised shelters for people and harvested crops, and nature-based measures to protect villages from erosion.
In the High Barind, the project will address drought and water scarcity that affect agriculture and rural incomes.
“The partnership between the Government of Bangladesh and IFAD is a long-standing development partnership since 1978, built on a shared commitment to reducing rural poverty, strengthening rural livelihoods and creating resilient and inclusive rural economies,” said Moslema Naznin, Wing Chief at the Economic Relations Division (ERD).
“The success of the project should therefore be measured not only by expenditure or physical outputs, but by whether communities become better connected, better protected, economically stronger and more resilient to climate shocks,” she said.
CRALEP will provide vocational and entrepreneurship training for young women and men and support employment for poor women through labour contracting societies.
The project will also introduce flash flood early warning systems in the Haor and drought forecasting in the High Barind to help communities prepare for climate risks. It will strengthen LGED’s capacity to apply climate-resilient approaches and innovations in rural development.
“We are not looking at infrastructure, agriculture, livelihoods and climate information as separate issues. They are interconnected. A resilient road improves access to markets. Better market access creates economic opportunities. Skills development increases employability. Climate information helps communities anticipate risks,” said Md Belal Hossain, Chief Engineer of LGED.
“The intervention we’re looking at is very timely, and combining climate resilience with livelihood enhancement, which is what the project is all about, is very important,” said Anders B Karlsen, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Denmark in Bangladesh.
“We hope this will reduce the negative impacts of climatic variability and increase community resilience,” he said.
The project has an estimated cost of $112 million, including $70 million in IFAD financing, about $31.75 million from the Government of Bangladesh and $10 million in grant financing from the Government of Denmark.
“Climate resilience is about whether people can continue to earn a living and reach essential services when conditions become more difficult,” said Dr Valantine Achancho, IFAD Country Director and Representative in Bangladesh.
“CRALEP invests in the connections, information and skills that rural communities need to prepare for climate shocks and sustain their livelihoods. Working with LGED, we want the lessons from this investment to strengthen how rural infrastructure is planned and built in other vulnerable areas of Bangladesh,” he said.
The project is expected to improve access to services and economic opportunities while reducing damage and disruption caused by floods and erosion. Earlier warnings of flash floods and droughts will help households take steps to protect crops and other assets.
It is also expected to create employment and enterprise opportunities for young people and poor women, helping rural families build more secure incomes and recover more quickly from climate shocks.
https://thedailyexpress.news/news/business/1f1bbc7f-4a31-6310-af9e-671d2f2d44f0