CLIMATE SMART VILLAGES

The Haor and Char regions of northern Bangladesh are two of the most fragile ecosystems in Bangladesh, suffering regularly from flood, drought and other consequences of climate change. As an implementing partner of Welthungerhilfe’s “Promoting Climate Smart Villages for Improved Food and Nutrition Security” project, FIVDB supports 10,000 families in 50 villages to reduce hunger and increase climate resilience. The project specifically focuses on poor and extreme poor families, with a particular emphasis on women and children, who bear the largest burdens associated with climate change.

In each project village, FIVDB established self-help groups and Farmer Field Schools for climate-smart education. FIVDB delivered hands-on training on climate-resilient agriculture techniques such as floating gardens, mixed cropping, sack gardening and vermin composting. The program also provided education and services related to financial management, leadership skills and primary health care to empower communities towards healthy and economically sustainable practices. After three years, food insufficiency and child malnutrition significantly decreased as a result of prevention of crop failure in the climate-smart villages.