Comprehensive Communal Climate Change Adaptation practice - A PPPP Approach

Community Risk Assessment - A study on local vulnerability analysis

Local Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plan has been developed based on CRA output. Re-excavation of a dead canal located in Amorbunia of Nishanbaria union was proposed by the UP member, consequently UDMC and BDPC jointly started ground work to raise the required fund. The necessitation was justified through frequent field visit and open group discussion with inhabitants of surrounding area. Amorbunia’s canal faced sediment build up from last two decades, consequently there was no water flowing through it which not only reduced fish production but also hampered the canal ecosystem.

Meeting with local people

A number of group meeting took place in advance of excavation work to build consensus among all partners. After reaching a memorandum, the re-excavation work start on 21 March 2012 where Additional Secretary of Government of Bangladesh inaugurate the programme in presence of hundreds of local community people. 

To accomplish East Amorbunia Canal Re-Excavation Program in Nishanbaria Union of MorrelganjUpazila, five parties collaborated directly:

1.  MorrelganjUpazila Disaster Management Committee (UzDMC)
2.  Nishanbaria Union Disaster Management Committee (UDMC)
3. Comprehensive Disaster Management Program  (CDMP)
4.  Bangladesh Disaster Preparedness Centre and (BDPC)
5. Local Canal Re-excavation Facilitation Committee  

Community representative along with guests inaugurated the re-excavation programme

Roughly 2000 families including land owners, day labors and local crop dealers directly getting benefit directly from this canal. Plus, thousands of farm animals will have a fresh water source during dry season (surrounding communities face severe fresh water scarcity during winter season). Local dwellers currently harvest one crop per annum, only the ‘Aman’ season and rest of the period entire field remains unproductive because of water shortage. Nearby water bodies are unusable because of salinity. Therefore, this confined water reservoir can ensure irrigation during dry season. Local residents took the initiative to extract groundwater for irrigation purposes in the past but failed. Concern exists within some locals who consider the water to be contaminated and unusable. The more financially fortunate of the area have failed to utilize the opportunity to build deep tube-wells that would have benefited all residents.

Under the Christian Aid UK funded project, BDPC re-excavated a total of 840 feet out of 3000 feet in the year 2012. The rest of the part were excavated by Union Parishod (lowest administrative unit) in collaboration with CDMP-2, funded by UNDP. Key tangible advantages for community from this endeavor include:

• Irrigation during dry season
• Increased crop production 
• Fish cultivation in canal water
• Earthen road through canal bank
• Reduced crop transportation cost 
• Fresh drinkable water for livestock
• Tree plantation on both sides of the canal

During Excavation

 Key intangible improvements include:

• Canal ecosystem restoration
• Improved water quality
• Reduced seasonal unemployment
• Increased scope for employment
• Improved aesthetic value
• Scope for ecotourism

Later, after re-excavation, some interested government departments offered their services for the betterment of local community. Some examples of which include:

• Forest Department has planted more than 8000 seedlings on the canal banks.
• Department of Fisheries released 450 kilograms of fish fry.
• Department of Agriculture Extension has disbursed seeds among 40 poor farmers (05-10 kg per family). 

After Excavation

During the dry season of 2013, farmers numbering in the hundreds have cultivated crops on their fields. According to locals, the number of farmers tripled from last year. The canal has provided these farmers with a source of easy and reliable irrigation and they are expecting that during the peak of the dry season there would be around 3-5 feet of saline free water available in their canal.

The local community has established a multipurpose cooperation society, “East Amorbunia Multipurpose Cooperation Society” to preserve the canal not only for themselves but also for the next generation. Currently, there are 87 members involved in this newly established institution and more are expected to join within a short time. They have been planning to invest in this canal to ensure its multipurpose use.