Bangladesh climate project gets 'Earth Care Award'
The Ministry of Environment and Forests has won the “Earth Care Award 2012” for pioneering Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change through Coastal Afforestation Project.
The $10 million project is being implemented by the UNDP under Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) of the Global Environment Facilities (GEF) to reduce climate vulnerability in four coastal districts -- Barguna, Bhola, Noakhali and Chittagong.
The Times of India sponsored this year's award given in the category of "Community-based Adaptation and Mitigation”, according to a GEF release.
"The project has a strong community-based adaptation component, and benefited a total of 18,269 households by involving them in afforestation, agriculture, livestock, and fishery-based livelihood adaptation," the statement said.
One of the significant adaptation response measures used in this project is development of FFF (Forest-Fish-Fruit) model that comprises short and long-term resource and income generation, as well as livelihood diversification.
Moreover, the model is being used in barren lands, located behind coastal mangrove forests. By using a combination of protective and productive vegetation, mound and ditch land structures, the FFF model has prevented land encroachment and ensured water security through rainwater harvesting in ditches.
The project offers multiple livelihood opportunities such as fish cultivation, irrigation for crops, and conversion of barren land into productive land. This model accommodates families in the community with at least $1,000 additional income a year, according to the statement.
Naoko Ishii, CEO and chairperson of the GEF, says the LDCF is implementing many on-ground projects in over 42 least developed countries to address the urgent needs of climate change adaptation.
However, in the case of Bangladesh, she said it has engaged governments and communities to realise the expected adaptation benefits from the projects financed under climate change adaptation programmes.
This award honours Bangladesh's commitment and substantiates the LDCF's decade-long efforts towards fulfilling adaptation needs, she said.
This innovative project also received “Knowledge Competition” award of the Fifth International Conference on Community Based Adaptation (CBA5) held in Dhaka last year.
Comments