Restoration of coastal vegetation in Hnila Union of Teknaf Peninsula

Objectives

Objective 1: Homestead bio-resources improvement

Objective 2: Reduce fuel wood for cooking

Objective 3: Manage project functioning well

Background

Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable due to adverse effect of climate change. Coastal areas are seriously affected due to low-laying settings and deprived socio-economic conditions. Due to sea level rise, many spots of proposed project area, 2 No. Hnila Union, Teknaf Upazila, Cox’s Bazar are facing numerous threats, i.e., erosion, saline water logging, flooding, damage of embankments, etc. Moreover, this area is a cyclone prone area. Here, Myanmar refugees, popularly known as Rohinga, smuggling of arms and drugs, using sea routes for illegal migration and human trafficking are overburden issues along with other economic and social problems. The mangroves forest of the project area faces multiple threats like over extraction of mangrove forest, grazing, illegal felling, lack of awareness etc. To mitigate these multifarious challenges, this project will intend to implement mangroves plantation with direct and indirect involvement of community people and other actors and stakeholders. Community resilience through bio-resource improvement was the goal of the project. 

Target beneficiaries

Coomunity mebers of Hnila Union of Teknaf Peninsula

Outputs

• In first phase, CODEC installed targeted 150 Improved Cooking Stoves (ICSs) among the beneficiaries with the assistance of Bondhu Foundation, ICS installation agency. Out of 150 ICS, we provided 15 at Rakhaine Para/Chowdhury Para, 70 at Jela Para and 65 at Nadmura Para.
• In first phase, CODEC distributed total 9,532 indigenous saplings among the beneficiaries
• CODEC has made a fence to protect the institutional plantation of Nheela High School, Nheela, Teknaf. 
• On April 27, 2017, CODEC arranged a training on “Bamboo Production Through Branch Cutting Techniques and Bamboo Clamp Management Training” for selected 25 beneficiaries with kind support for bamboo production and bamboo processing. 
• In second phase, CODEC distributed 1,050 indigenous saplings among 350 students, teachers and staffs of Nilla Girls’ High School, Nheela, Teknaf, every one received 3 saplings as Amroplai Kalom, Malta Kolam and Narikal / Coconut (Sri Lankan Tall); 2,400 indigenous saplings among 800 students, teachers, members if School Managing Committee and staffs of Hnila Shah Majidia Islamia Alim Madrasha, Nheela, Teknaf, every one received  same 3 saplings; and 708 indigenous saplings among 236 students and teachers of Hnila Burmis Government Primary School, Nheela, Teknaf, every one received same 3 saplings. CODEC also completed an institutional plantation at school yard of Nilla Girls’ High School, Nheela, Teknaf, by 310 indigenous saplings of 3 same saplings
• In second phase, CODEC installed three signboards at three different spots as Rakhaine Para / Chowdhury Para Rastar Mata, Jela Para Raster Mata and Nilla Girls’ High School, Nheela, Teknaf. The first two are containing mangroves protection related messages and rest one is about institutional plantation related.
• On 26th of July 2017, there was a sapling distribution program at Hnila Girls’ High School, Hnila Shah Majidia Islamia Alim Madrasha and Hnila Barmis Government Primary School, Hnila,Teknaf by IUCN Projec
• In second phase, CODEC installed targeted 100 nos. Improved Cooking Stoves (ICSs) among the beneficiaries as 15 at Rakhaine Para / Chowdhury Para, 27 at Jela Para and 58 at Nadmura Para. Before, installation of the ICS CODEC arranged a big community awareness meeting by the assistances of Jalalabad Foundation, ICS installation agency. 

Accomplishments and challenges

Accomplishments: 

Beneficiaries have received total 14,000 indigenous saplings, which support to improve bio resources of the area and finally reduce impact of climate change. Beneficiaries also gotten support to install 250 ICSs which also supported to improve bio resources of the area by less consuming fuel wood for cooking, women’s health will be improve by using these ICSs, which are more environment friendly than traditional cooking stoves. Moreover, before beginning of the project area, only 3% households used ICS but end of the project 66% households are using ICS.

For bamboo production and bamboo clamp management in the area the project conducted a training on “Bamboo Production through Branch Cutting Techniques and Bamboo Clamp Management Training” by 25 bamboo related beneficiaries. The beneficiaries already received 400 bamboo saplings every beneficiary received 16 bamboo saplings including 4 “Baizza(s)”, 10 “Ora(s)” and 2 “Budhum(s)”}, 25 ‘Chikacher’, 25 ‘Korat’ and 25 ‘Rat’ as kind support.

After completing the mentioned project supports in the area, CODEC conducted an impact assessment survey among the project’s 162 beneficiaries through random sampling. The survey techniques were guided by IUCN and CODEC management.     

Challenges: 

Salinity inclusion in the local area may a great problem to survival of the provided 14,000 different indigenous saplings as well as 400 different bamboo saplings. Day by day, local people converted their lands for salt cultivation instead of crop or paddy cultivation. This area is a cyclone prone area. Recently, June 2017, a cyclone, named, MORA heated the area with devastating impacts wary in various forms. So, the project’s intervention have hampered. Just one year ago, a cyclone, named, ROANO also heated the same devastating effects. 

Contributions to cross-cutting themes

• Climate change impacts: Beneficiaries have gotten total 14,000 indigenous saplings of different tree species and 400 bamboo saplings, which support to improve bio resources of the area and finally reduce impact of climate change. Beneficiaries also gotten support 250 ICSs which also supported to improve bio resources of the area by less consuming fuel wood for cooking. 
  
  
• Gender equality: The project installed 250 ICSs in the households of the beneficiaries. Combine effects of this initiative, women’s health will be improve by using these ICSs, which are more environment friendly than traditional cooking stoves. Women are providing more time than earlier in their families for the betterment, especially health caring and take care of child and other necessary. 

Lessons Learned

There are three major lessons learned by the intervention of the project activities in the three communities (Rakhaine Para/Chowdhury Para under 7 No. Ward; Jela Para under 5 No. Ward; and Nadmura Para under 7 No. Ward) of Hnilia Union, an adjacent area of the Naf River are as follows:

Saline tolerant species should distribute / introduce in this area, otherwise the plantation or agriculture will not successful.

1. ICS using is mandatory activates which is a very useful activity to assist the conservation of mangroves in such an area.
2. Without coastal vegetation / mangroves plantation the embankment will not sustain and as well as soil erosion will not controlled in such an area.