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Bangladesh
>> Regional Overview >> Bangladesh Overview ACTIVITY DATA SHEET
PROGRAM: Bangladesh
TITLE AND NUMBER: Improved Management of Open Water and Tropical Forest Resources, 388-006
STATUS: Continuing
PLANNED FY 2001 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $1,900,000 DA
PROPOSED FY 2002 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $2,000,000 DA; $500,000 ESF
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1996 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2006Summary: A lack of general environmental awareness, degradation of productive ecosystems as a result of poor resource management, along with the needs of an expanding population have placed severe stress on the natural resources of Bangladesh. In a country where fish represent 50% of all animal protein consumed, the main source of those fish, the freshwater capture fishery, is believed to have declined by 40% or more in the past two decades. Reports indicate half of all forested land has been cleared in the past 30 years. The loss of these resources is adversely affecting the nutrition of all Bangladeshis and the income and employment of 13 million or more rural poor.
The purpose of this objective is to demonstrate to the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) and communities an adaptive model for improved, participatory management of aquatic and tropical forest resources. This approach will involve all resource users and will promote interventions that help nature do its job in providing diversity and sustainable yield. Activities have been established in four areas: (1) improved floodplain resource management practices; (2) increased public awareness regarding environmental issues and approaches; (3) greater opportunity for supplemental income for those depending on open water and forest resources; and (4) improved conservation and management of tropical forest resources.
While the objective has been approved, an overall, integrated strategic framework has not yet been developed, and only one activity, "Management of Aquatic Ecosystems through Community Husbandry (MACH)" is currently being implemented. MACH is a pilot program meant to develop and demonstrate a model for improved management of open water resources to communities and government. It commenced field activities in March 1999. For FY 2000, all nine of its physical targets were met or exceeded. Fish sanctuaries were created that improved fish supply throughout the year for roughly 2,000 poor people. Income-generating activities in animal husbandry and home gardening were also promoted.
Key Results: Significant results in FY 2000 include the establishment of local government and resource management committees (RMCs) for key resources at three sites, collective identification of needed physical interventions, and the completion of the baseline survey. One hundred and five community credit groups were formed by the end of FY 2000 for the purpose of generating supplemental income. The extremely high level of community interest is reflected in the figures for participation in awareness-raising meetings.
During FY 2000 the U.S. Government and GOB negotiated and signed agreements involving debt exchange for tropical forest conservation under the Tropical Forest Conservation Act (TFCA), and work began to develop a tropical forest conservation component under this SO.
Performance and Prospects: In FY 2000, the performance of the MACH activity continued to look very encouraging. Local government representatives continued to support program activities and participate actively in the planning and ownership. Thirteen RMCs were formed, and ten others are in the final stage of formation. Over 20 local level management groups should be formed and operating by the end of FY 2001.
Watershed restoration activities on four streams in one of three project sites have begun and will continue through the life of the project. A management plan for the entire watershed will be completed in FY 2001. In addition to 20 new fish sanctuaries, physical interventions planned for 2001 include wetland sanctuaries; roadside, wetland and riparian afforestation, and re-excavation of selected canals and other floodplain areas.
Public awareness and interest continues to be very high. Since inception, the project has conducted over 123 awareness-raising meetings and rallies, attended by more than 6,100 concerned community members. MACH continues to conduct user group planning and awareness sessions for government personnel, elected local government officials, wetland owners and leaseholders, and farmers. Community members working with project field staff have identified basic environmental problems and possible solutions at all sites. The groups have already imposed a reduction of the juvenile fish catch and closed fishing seasons.
Recognizing that the reduction of fishing pressure is a critical part of sustainable management of the resource, MACH has included supplemental income-generating activities for those directly dependent on wetland products. In FY 2000, this involved the formation of 65 new community credit groups, bringing the total of such groups since activity inception to 105, and 2,019 members. A total of 338 individuals are receiving credit through these groups. Income for group members should be increased by 50% through these activities. Additionally, in cooperation with other USAID activities, demonstrations were initiated involving nearly 700 poor people in wheat farming, commercial and homestead vegetable growing, the use of granular fertilizer, cage culture, and hybrid rice growing.
Near the end of FY 2000, MACH increased its activity sites from two to three and is working to generate baseline information on biological, sociological, and environmental parameters at the new site. In 2001, MACH is concentrating on important floodplain management activities such as participatory community resource planning, sanctuary development tied to physical interventions, watershed and riverbanks restoration and protection, and policy guideline development. Arrangements are being made to utilize food-aid generated local currency to undertake an enhanced program of physical works in the form of fish sanctuaries and watershed conservation measures.
In terms of forestry, the signing of the Debt Exchange and the Tropical Forest Conservation Agreements set the stage for developing the tropical forest component of this objective. Short-term technical assistance was subsequently deployed to recommend legal, institutional, fiscal, and administrative options for implementing the agreements. A long-term, expatriate advisor has been engaged to help promote integration of the open water and forestry components of the objective.
Possible Adjustments to Plans: USAID plans to negotiate and sign a strategic objective agreement with the GOB for this objective in FY 2001. For this purpose, a strategy paper is being developed and the strategic framework revised. This process will result in the integration of the tropical forestry component of the activity and will spell out objectives, implementation modalities and linkages. This will undoubtedly necessitate some change in the indicators and future reporting under this activity.
Other Donor Programs: MACH and its partner organizations are founding members and active participants in the National Wetlands Network, which also includes GOB representatives, NGOs, and other wetlands related projects. This network meets regularly, and has proved a useful forum for sharing problems and solutions and undertaking integrated policy initiatives.
The World Bank and GOB have signed an $88 million agreement to support fish production, conservation and improved management on a countrywide basis. United Kingdom, Ford Foundation, United Nations Development Program, International Food and Agricultural Development and other donors have also been providing support for various aspects of improved open water fisheries. Canada is supporting a water management project that is utilizing many of the MACH approaches to community resource management. There are a number of complementarities between these activities and USAID-supported activities in the fisheries and watershed areas.
In forestry, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has recently signed a biodiversity project. Additionally, the World Bank-supported Forest Resources Master Plan and the ADB-supported Forestry Sector Project both support tropical forestry conservation efforts in the country. USAID will maintain close coordination with the donor community in designing the tropical forest component of the activity.
Principal Contractors, Grantees, or Agencies: Winrock International, local non-governmental organizations and the Bangladesh Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation.
FY 2002 Performance Table
Bangladesh: 388-006
Performance Measures:
Indicator FY97 (Actual) FY98 (Actual) FY99 (Actual) FY00 (Actual) FY00 (Plan) FY01 (Plan) FY02 (Plan) Indicator 1: Community awareness of the need for renewable resource management NA NA 4900 1800 900 1800 3000 Indicator 2: Community groups involved in alternative income generating activities NA NA 44 105 100 100 100 Indicator 3: Management groups established NA NA 1 13 13 20 30 Indicator 4: Improved floodplain resource management established NA NA 1 16 20 30 40 Indicator Information:
Indicator Level (S) or (IR) Unit of Measure Source Indicator Description Indicator 1: IR Number of participants in meetings Contractors and recipients reports Awareness among the community and other stakeholder groups regarding the complexity of the floodplain ecosystem is insufficient. Therefore, participation of people in the awareness raising meetings is important. This indicator will track the number of participants from all the stakeholder groups in raising meetings, seminars and workshops emphasizing awareness-building activities at the local and national levels to stimulate policy reform, advocacy towards community based management of floodplain resourecs. Indicator 2: IR Number of groups Grantee and recipients reports With the growth in population and fishing pressure on floodplain resources grows increasingly more intense. Without the provision of an supplemental alternative income generating activity within the floodplain, it will be difficult to sustain regulated fishing and to reduce the intense pressure on floodplain resources. This indicator quantifies the number of groups that are offering alternate income generating activities to their members. Examples of floodplain relevant income generating activities are: duckery, sustainable harvest of wetland reeds, cultivation of fish in underutilized waterbodies and rice fields, and cage and pen culture. Indicator 3: IR Number of management groups Grantee and Recipients Reports Community resource management is based on the formation of representative community mangment committees. The key to the success of this program is the formation of active wetland resource mangment committees. The groups will be made up of representatives from all resource users and will include fishers and women. This indicator will quantify the numbers of management groups formed who will be instrumental in (1) maintenance and recovery of the floodplain fisheries, (2) ensuring equitable access of rural people to the natural resources, (3) co-management of the floodplain resources by communities and local governments, and (d) increasing awareness of the potential of natural floodplain processes to secure food and income. Indicator 4: IR Number of sanctuaries established Contractor and Recipients Reports Establishment of sanctuaries for conservation of fish and other aquatic habitat is critical for the success of this pilot program. Community management groups will be responsible for the management of the sanctuaries. It is planned to establish sanctuaries from FY2000. This indicator will quantify the numbers of sanctuaries established. U.S. Financing
(In thousands of dollars)
Obligations Expenditures Unliquidated Through September 30, 1999 * 1,000 DA 0 DA 1,000 DA 2,066 CSD 0 CSD 2,066 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Fiscal Year 2000 0 DA 421 DA 0 CSD 329 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA Through September 30, 2000 1,000 DA 421 DA 579 DA 2,066 CSD 329 CSD 1,737 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Prior Year Unobligated Funds 0 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Planned Fiscal Year 2001 NOA 1,900 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Total Planned Fiscal Year 2001 1,900 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Future Obligations Est. Total Cost Proposed Fiscal Year 2002 NOA 2,000 DA 10,400 DA 15,300 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 2,066 CSD 500 ESF 0 ESF 500 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA *9/30/99 unliquidated obligation comes from continuing activities folded under this new SO from a completed SO 388-002 and should not be treated as part of this SO's est. total cost.
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
