Building Capacity & Empowering Communities in Bangladesh
Project Milestones - Year 2
The second year of the project in Bangladesh was kick-started with a strong sense of enthusiasm. Both the local communities and the staff were keen to build upon the work carried out in the first year and continue to develop and grow new sites for food and water security while strengthening communities’ resilience to climate change.
See more photos here.
‘Climate Change: How it Impacts Us All’ Seminar
In June 2014, BASD held a seminar focused on empowering communities to use their own knowledge and decision-making processes to take action on Climate Change. Forty community members and leaders therefore benefited from demonstrations of Climate Change Adaptation Techniques and information concerning government policies and initiatives to mitigate the effects.
See more photos of the seminar here.
Permaculture Approaches for Increasing Food Resilience
In September 2014, another Permaculture Design Course (PDC) was conducted for participants from the 42 communities of Southern Bangladesh. The practical nature of the course allowed them to learn skills as well as gain knowledge of permaculture techniques. By the end of the course participants were apt to apply these techniques in their food growing and fisheries projects within their own communities.
Photos of the course here.
Design for Sustainable Settlements – Training of Trainers
Pradyut Nayek, experienced permaculture practitioner and consultant on sustainable living, conducted the ToT. M. Nayek provided his audience with a whole range of approaches to food growing:
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Round Compost
- Vermi Compost
- Vermi Wash
- Fish Tonic
- Raised Bed
- Diamond Bed
- Liquid Compost
- Nursery Bed
- Pitcher Bed
- Floating Vegetable Cultivation
The course provided community-led strategies to improve the economic and social stability of the villages, while preparing for and coping with climate change.
Participants were drawn from some of the most vulnerable communities in the region and included some of the most marginalised members within the villages. Fourteen women and seven men learnt and deepened their practical and social skills and were able to practise and share learning with the wider community.
Illustrating photos of the ToT here.
Alumni Seminar and Eco-Fair
The key lessons learnt during Year 2 of the project were shared in the Alumni seminar held in January 2015.
Key 2014 outcomes included:
- Climate resilient agriculture techniques were implemented by the beneficiaries and further spread amongst members of the surrounding villages.
- Climate resilient agriculture techniques have increased the yields, generating a surplus in their food production and improving livelihoods.
- Strengthening of social cohesion amongst community members has had an indirect effect on their household incomes.
See photos here.
In conjunction with the Alumni seminar, beneficiaries organised the first eco-fair of the project in Banishanta. Beneficiaries were able to showcase and market their fruits and vegetables, handicrafts, fish and other handmade and organic produce. Local government representatives and wider community members were shown the results of the project and observed the work accomplished to tackle climate change and improve livelihoods.