People of Chittagong Hill Tracts in terms of geophysical conditions, racial, social, and cultural traits are different from other parts of the country. Overall temperatures have increased in the CHT over the last 15 years. Since 1976 Jum cultivation has been stopped because of pulpwood plantation and reserved forests. So restrictions on jum cultivation and displacement from the reserved forest, new concepts of ownership of forest land have very much disturbed their traditional lifestyle, weakened their economy, and have made their lives uncertain. Indigenous women are the first victim, immense need to mitigate & adapt strategies. The 2001 census and economic statistics indicate that income per capita of CHT is the lowest of Bangladesh, 40% lower than the national average. Almost 130,000 people in CHT suffered from severe food shortages due to rat flood in 2008 (UNICEF). The landslides in June 2017 and 2018 made the region vulnerable due to human-induced and natural stresses. The AKS has already had vast experience and knowledge on conducting awareness on climate change issues, working with Village Community Forest dependant, livelihood trainings, women’s rights issues including their health to address the issues in this project in line with GOB and TI and local Govt. institutions.
Goal:
To build greater community resilience to threats and crises and natural disasters in climatic and environmentally vulnerable in Bandarban Sadar Upazila, Bandarban.
Project Beneficiaries:
The Mro and Tripura community will be in prime consideration to work with as they are the most vulnerable indigenous groups. Very little NGOs worked in this area, there is a scarcity of safe drinking water, poor sanitary system and malnutrition prevalent, low literacy rate, and most of them dependent on Jhum/agriculture.
Objectives:
Objective: 1. To promote Indigenous context-specific, eco-system friendly, and climate-adaptive sustainable agricultural practices for vulnerable communities of 06 groups and increase income by the end of the project.
Objective: 2. Members of the community groups in order to maintain safe water supply, environmental sanitation and encourage behavioral change in hygiene practice.
Objective: 3.To enhances networks in-between relevant stakeholders and communities through strengthening mechanisms for their responsiveness towards climate-vulnerable communities on disaster risk reduction.
Activities AND Outputs:
Indigenous Seed preservation Activities:
Group Formation: AKS will focus HKI on formed IGA group and introduce indigenous seed preservation and promotion among the working area.
Provide Training in line with line department on:
Sustainable Indigenous seed production (native seed production and preservation) involving 120 beneficiaries (6 groups) and
Distribution of summer and winter vegetable and Indigenous seed packages (quality seed for vegetable and jum rice) for 120 beneficiary households
WatSan and hygiene Activities:
Form Village Water user Committees were formed with the participation of the villagers to lead the targeted community in the implementation of WatSan and hygiene program.
Mass awareness & social mobilization: Awareness raising events like courtyard sessions with female groups, community meetings with male groups,
Conduct awareness sessions through Local community allies and religious leaders.
Awareness session primary school student at Tongkapati Government primary school.
Meeting with Union water and sanitation committee.
Conduct training to water user committee members on WatSan and hygiene program.
Conduct training to water user committee members safely and preserve raining water.
Disaster Risk Reduction Awareness campaign Activities:
On Disaster Risk Reduction including emergency response and tree plantation in line with Disaster Management Committees involving Traditional Leaders, NGOs at Union level.
