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promotingalternative livelihoodfor forest conservationArannayk FoundationAnnual Report 2010

Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010 1

Promoting Alternative Livelihood for Forest ConservationArannayk FoundationAnnual Report 2010

Report WritingMohd. Abdul QuddusMohammad Shawkat HossainAbedul Haque Chowdhury

EditingMohd. Abdul QuddusFarid Uddin Ahmed

Desktop Publication (DTP)Anirudha AlamMohd. Abdul Quddus

Photo CreditArannayk FoundationCenter for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS) Department of Zoology (Wildlife Branch), Jahangirnagar UniversityHumanitarian FoundationSabalambi Unnayan Samity (SUS)Society for Health Extension and Development (SHED)TahzingdongYong Power in Social Action (YPSA)

© Arannayk Foundation

Published onJune 2011

Published byArannayk FoundationDhaka, Bangladesh

Printed byClassic InnDhaka, Bangladesh

2010 was a productive year for the Arannayk Foundation, adding six new projects to its portfolio, expanding biodiversity monitoring systems, and approving a new 5-year strategic plan defining the path of its institutional development and focus of interventions. By approving the strategic plan, the Board of Directors adopted ‘alternative livelihood development’ of the forest dependent communities as a key strategy for conserving and restoring forests and forest biodiversity. As such, almost all field-based projects included a provision for establishing a revolving fund for the community-based organizations to support alternative income generating (AIG) activities for their members. Access to revolving funds in most of the projects was linked to planting indigenous trees at own cost either in homestead or marginal

land. Almost 50% of the participants of all the community-based forest and biodiversity conservation projects of Arannayk Foundation are now engaged in various AIG activities. As a result, incomes have increased and extraction of forest resources has decreased significantly. A discussion of a few of the interesting case studies is included in Chapter-4 (Spotlight) of this report.

With six new projects launched in 2010, Arannayk Foundation’s program expanded further from 21 ongoing activities to 27. Aside from the increased scale of operation, the new projects have added exciting new dimensions to Arannayk’s reach. Three of the new projects involved direct funding of community-based organizations (Co-management Councils) engaged in participatory management and conservation of protected areas. Another project, implemented by a joint team of wildlife biologists from Jahangirnagar University and botanists from Dhaka University, is conducting biodiversity monitoring in protected forest areas of Bangladesh with the aim to establish a web-based database of flora and fauna of Bangladesh forests. Another new project is focused on communication interventions for raising mass awareness on forest and biodiversity conservation using print and electronic media with nation-wide coverage. The other new project contributes to human resource development for biodiversity conservation activities through training and study tours for project implementing staff of various local community organizations.Ongoing projects, addressing the biodiversity conservation needs of the degraded public forests, homestead forests and the climate change affected coastal areas of Bangladesh, also made important progress and achievements. The successful restoration of two critically endangered tree species of the hill forests of Bangladesh (Civit and Banshpata) by the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences of Chittagong University (IFESCU) is worth mentioning. Five projects in Chittagong Hill Tracts generated a great deal of interest and enthusiasm among the indigenous communities and local authorities in favor of conservation of the rich biodiversity assets of the region through adoption of alternative livelihood and sustainable natural resource management practices. Arannayk Foundation, its partner NGOs and the Bangladesh Government Forest Department worked together to establish collaborative management systems in five reserved forests that are expected to be converted to protected areas. This partnership is the beginning of an activity to develop a satellite image based system of monitoring forest health in project areas.

While the Foundation’s programs are progressing well and have already attained an appreciable scale, they are still dependent on a single source of income which is anticipated to be exhausted by 2017. Therefore, the Foundation’s future challenge is to secure funding from other sources to expand the successful approaches of the projects into wider areas. During 2011 and beyond, the Board will aggressively pursue opportunities to collaborate with other organizations to help conserve the tropical forests and forest biodiversity of Bangladesh.

Mid-2011 marked the end of my four-year assignment in Bangladesh. I have had a tremendously positive experience in this wonderful country and have learned so much more about development, partnership and resiliency. Bangladesh, while filled with challenges, has incredible opportunities for success. With the type of professionalism and commitment that I have witnessed first-hand in this country, I am confident that progress will continue to be made throughout this beautiful land to benefit the citizens of Bangladesh. I appreciate the capable staff and the Board members of the Arannyak Foundation for their continued dedication to conserving and preserving Bangladesh’s remaining forests and biodiversity.

Denise RollinsChair, Board of Directors

MESSAGE

During 2010, the Arannayk Foundation (AF) provided six new grants of which three for livelihood support to forest dependent groups in Lawachara, Satchari and Rema-Kalenga and one for biodiversity monitoring of six protected areas, one for capacity building of partner NGOs staff and the other for awareness raising on forest conservation through a communication organization. In addition, there were 21 ongoing projects since 2009 encompassing five co-management projects, seven community based forest conservation in Chittagong Hill Tracts and Haor areas, three projects on homestead biodiversity conservation, two on coastal biodiversity conservation, two on community based conservation of medicinal plants and two projects on restoration of critically endangered species. The details of the projects are described in chapter 3.

Some of the key lessons include a) improvement of livelihood can significantly contribute in forest conservation, b) once community members are effectively motivated to conserve forests, they take active role in forest conservation including prevention of collection of fuelwood and debris (leaves) from forest floors; c) vegetable cultivation in the homestead is one of the most effective IGA followed by small business and land leasing for agriculture; d) sustained supply of water in the streams is the main motivation for the indigenous communities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts to conserve the village common forests; and e) gravitational flow system (GFS) of water harvesting from forests provide easy access to safe water for drinking and other domestic use (including homestead agriculture) and establishment of such facility triggers active participation of the hill communities in development projects. These lessons provide important clues for selection of interventions in the ongoing and future projects of the AF.

We hope that the reader will appreciate the endeavor of the AF and join with AF in conservation of forests and biodiversity of the country.

Farid Uddin AhmedExecutive Director

FOREWORD


TABLE OF CONTENTSExecutive Summary 07

Chapter 1Introduction 09

Chapter 2Grant Making in 2010 13

Chapter 3Project Briefs 19

Chapter 4Spotlight: Alternative Livelihood Development 33

Chapter 5Challenges and Thrusts for 2011 45

Chapter 6Finance 47

Abbreviations and Acronyms 52


Arannayk Foundation (AF), also called the ‘Bangladesh Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation’, was established in July 2003 jointly by the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) and the United States Government (USG) under the provisions of the US Tropical Forest Conservation Act (TFCA) of 1998 in order to conserve rapidly disappearing forests and biodiversity of Bangladesh. The AF is registered as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. It is managed by an independent Board of Directors composed of one representative each from the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) and United States Government (USG), and five representatives from non-governmental organizations. The Arannayk Foundation started its grant making activities from 2006.

In 2010, the AF funded 27 projects, 21 continuing from previous years and 6 new. The new projects include one project on biodiversity monitoring (both flora and fauna) in six protected areas (PA), one project on communication interventions for raising mass awareness on forest and biodiversity conservation using print and electronic media, one project on human resource development for biodiversity conservation activities through training and study tour of project implementing staff of various organizations, and three alternative livelihood development grants to the Co-management Councils of three protected areas.

The pre-existing projects that continued in 2010 include (a) three homestead agroforestry biodiversity conservation projects in three different areas of Chittagong and Satkhira districts; (b) two coastal biodiversity conservation projects in the coastal areas of Khulna and Satkhira districts; (c) two community-based

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

08 08 Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010

medicinal plant conservation projects in two locations of Jessore and Rangamati districts, (d) two projects on restoration of critically endangered tree species of Bangladesh forests, (e) five projects on restoration and conservation of biodiversity in degraded reserved forests (that are aimed to be declared as protected forest areas) through collaborative management approach, (f) five projects on establishing sustainable management system in community conserved forests in Chittagong Hill Tracts, and (g) two projects on community-based conservation of swamp forests in the haor (basin) areas of northeast Bangladesh.

The implementation of the projects progressed satisfactorily with mentionable achievements towards the overall goal of the AF i.e., conservation and restoration of the dwindling biodiversity in the forests of Bangladesh. The AF has adopted ‘alternative livelihood development’ of the forest dependent poor people as the key strategy of promoting conservation of forests and forest biodiversity involving local communities. In almost all of its field-based projects, the AF included a provision of a revolving fund for the community based organizations to support alternative income generating (AIG) activities of their members. The projects also organized necessary skills development training for the project participants. In 2010, almost half of the total participants of all the community-based forest and biodiversity conservation projects of the AF adopted various AIG activities such as vegetable cultivation, rice cultivation (in leased land), small-scale businesses, poultry rearing, goat rearing, cow rearing, handicrafts making and nursery. In most cases, the AIG activities gave good results, remarkably increasing the income of the concerned project participants and reducing their dependence on extraction of forest resources. The Annual Report 2010 particularly focuses on the success of the alternative livelihood development initiatives by presenting a number of success stories.

Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 201010

The Arannayk Foundation (AF), also called Bangladesh Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation, was established in July 2003 as a not-for-profit company without shares pursuant to a ‘Debt Reduction’ and a ‘Forest Conservation’ Agreement signed between the Governments of Bangladesh and the United States as per Tropical Forest Conservation Act (1998) of USA. The main objective of the AF is to promote conservation and restoration of the natural tropical forest and forest biodiversity of Bangladesh through providing grants to appropriate organizations. A legally-established Board of Directors consisting of five representatives from Bangladesh civil society organizations and one representative each from the Government of Bangladesh and the United States oversees the operations of the Foundation.

The AF’s grant making operations started in November 2006. By 2009, it awarded 51 grants, of which 30 were completed by December 2009 and 21 continued in 2010. The AF-sponsored projects deal with conservation of threatened and endangered tropical forest species, protected area management, restoration of degraded forests, coastal biodiversity conservation, conservation of agroforestry species in homesteads, environmental education, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Foundation promotes alternative income generating (AIG) activities among the poor people living in the vicinity of the forests as a key strategy to restring and conserving biodiversity in the remaining forests of Bangladesh.

The program of the AF is guided by its ‘Strategic Plan’, the first edition of which was developed in 2002, when the Foundation was being planned. In 2010, the AF updated its strategic plan for the period 2010 - 2015, based on its initial experiences, in order to make it more effective in pursuing its vision and mission. The process of revising the strategic plan of the AF actually begun in 2009 through development of the first draft of the updated version of the strategic plan incorporating certain new program areas viz., swamp forests and climate change response activities. Later in the year, the USAID Bangladesh Environment Sector Assessment and Strategic Analysis Mission 2009 reviewed the ongoing activities of the AF and the draft updated strategy document. The mission assessed the latter to be consistent with the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) of Bangladesh and also responsive to climate change. The Mission emphasized on scaling up of AF’s operations and on undertaking fund raising efforts for that purpose. It also suggested some strategies towards making the AF more effective in the short-term such as increasing number of small grants on need-based projects on both technical and social aspects of biodiversity issues; providing a forum for policy dialogue, networking and knowledge sharing; and strengthening efforts to raise the profile of the Foundation through dissemination of information about it.

In January 2010, the Board of Directors of the AF reviewed the recommendations of the USAID mission and thus finalized the revised Strategic Plan (2010-2015) of the AF. The Strategic Plan provides a ‘result framework’ for planning (and evaluation) of AF’s programs and projects.


In accordance with its ‘Strategic Plan 2010 – 2015’ and the suggested strategies to make the AF more effective in the short-term, the program of the AF in 2010 was focused on addressing the following challenges:

♦ Scaling up and diversifying its program with particular emphasis on conservation of biodiversity in protected areas;♦ Strengthening technical capacities of its project implementing entities; and♦ Developing an effective fund raising strategy and undertaking various promotional measures in order to increase its fund.

With the above thrusts, the AF undertook a number of important new initiatives in 2010 in addition to continued funding, backstopping and monitoring of the ongoing projects. To promote the image of the organization more widely, as a part of its fund raising strategy, the AF decided to strengthen its public relations activities. As a part of this initiative, it adopted a new logo with a tag line ‘Arannayk Foundation: Conserving Forests for the Future’, which was selected through logo design competition.


During 2010, the Board of Directors of the AF approved six new projects. Moreover, 21 ongoing projects, initiated earlier, were also funded in 2010. Thus the AF financed a total of 27 projects in 2010. The new projects of 2010 include three grants for the improvement of livelihood of the communities in three protected forest areas, one grant for capacity building of NGOs, Forest Department and other organizations engaged in AF-sponsored forest and biodiversity conservation projects, one grant for conducting promotional activities on forest and biodiversity conservation at national level and one grant for biodiversity (flora, fauna) monitoring in six protected forest areas. One of the older projects, ‘Coastal Biodiversity Conservation through Creating AIG Facilities in Paikgacha, Khulna’ was completed in June 2010.


It may be mentioned that the AF is supporting projects in the six strategic areas defined in its strategic plan i.e. conservation of protected areas, scientific management of forests, capacity building, biodiversity conservation, research and livelihood development. Presently 30% of the projects are primarily for conservation of biodiversity (flora and fauna), 22% for conservation of protected areas, 19% for scientific management of forests, 11% for livelihood development, 11% for research and 7% for capacity building of partner organizations. The current projects are distributed to different forest types such as 57% on hill forests, 15% on homestead forests, 7% on coastal forest land, 7% on swamp forests and 7% on sal forests, while 7% of the projects (dealing with capacity building, mass communication, etc.) are of cross-cutting nature.


Arannayk Grant Disbursements 2010

Project TitleImplementing

Entity

Date of Commen-cement

Duration(Years)

Amount of grant(Million BDT)

Amount disbursed in 2010(Million BDT)

01.Pilot Level Community Based Participatory Herbal Gardens in Keshabpur, Jessore

IDO Nov 2006 8 5.00 0.26

02.Pilot Level Community Based Participatory Herbal Gardens in Rangamati

Juno Pawr Nov 2006 8 5.47 0.47

03.Re-colonization and mass propagation of Civit (Swintonia floribunda)

IFESCU Nov 2006 5 3.00 0.51

04.Re-colonization and mass propagation of Banspata (Podocarpus nerifolia)

IFESCU Nov 2006 5 3.00 0.62

05.Coastal Biodiversity Conservation through Creating Alternative Income Generation Facilities in Kaliganj, Satkhira

Uttaran Nov 2006 4 4.60 0.62

06.Coastal Biodiversity Conservation through Creating AIG Facilities in Paikgacha, Khulna

CFSD Nov 2006 3 4.06 0.23

07.Homestead Agroforestry through Improved Management Practices in Sitakunda and Mirsharai, Chittagong

Prottyashi Nov 2006 5 3.50 0.62

08.Homestead Agroforestry through Improved Management Practices in Chandanaish and Patiya Upazila of Chittagong

CODEC Nov 2006 5 3.50 0.61

09.Homestead Agroforestry through Improved Management Practices in Tala, Satkhira

Uttaran Nov 2006 5 4.10 0.63

10.Itchari Community Reserve Forest Conservation Proejct, Khagrachari

BIRAM Jun 2009 3 6.00 1.77

11.Restoration of Hilly Biodiversity through Community Based Bio-Resource Management at Dighinala, Khagrachari

Anando Jun 2009 3 5.99 1.71

12.Community-based Conservation of Forest Resources and Enhancing Rural Livelihood in Rangamati of CHT

Hill Flower Jun 2009 3 5.99 1.93

13.Community Based Forest Resource Management for Sustainable Development in Rowangchari, Banderban Hill District

Tahzingdong Jun 2009 3 5.11 1.98

14.Indigenous Community Based Sustainable Management of Chimbuk Hill Forests in Bandarban

Humanitarian Foundation

Jun 2009 3 5.71 2.16


Arannayk Grant Disbursements 2010

Project TitleImplementing

Entity

Date of Commen-cement

Duration(Years)

Amount of grant

(Million BDT)

Amount disbursed in 2010(Million BDT)

15.Swamp Forest Restoration in Haor Areas of Sunamganj District

CNRS Jun 2009 3 5.90 1.65

16.Access to Food Security and Accelerated Livelihood towards Biodiversity in Khaliajuri Upazila, Netrokona

SUS Jun 2009 3 5.98 2.28

17.Inani Protected Forest Area (PFA) Co-management – NGO component

SHED Jun 2009 3 15.95 6.14

18.Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in the Denuded Hills in Sitakunda and Mirsharai, Chittagong – NGO component

YPSA Jun 2009 3 5.61 1.35

19.Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in the Denuded Hills in Banskhali, Chittagong - NGO component

DAM Jun 2009 3 5.98 1.55

20.Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in Barind Dhamoirhat Sal Forest, Naogaon – NGO component

Padakhep Jun 2009 3 3.52 0.94

21.Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in Singra Sal Forest, Dinajpur - NGO component

RDRS Jun 2009 3 5.51 1.94

22.Biodiversity monitoring in selected protected forest areas

Jahangirnagar University

Oct 2010 1 6.00 1.93

23.Promotional and awareness raising activities of the Arannayk Foundation

BCL Oct 2010 1 6.00 0

24.Capacity building of stakeholders for improved planning and management of forest and biodiversity conservation projects

PROSHIKA Oct 2010 1 6.00 2.35

25.Livelihood support to forest user groups in co-managed protected forest areas, Lawachara

Lawachara CMC

Oct 2010 1 1.00 0

26.Livelihood support to forest user groups in co-managed protected forest areas, Rema-Kalanga

Rema-Kalenga Nishorgo Sangstha

Oct 2010 1 1.00 0

27.Livelihood support to forest user groups in co-managed protected forest areas, Satchari

Satchari Nishorgo Sangstha

Oct 2010 1 1.00 0

Total: 961.13 34.25

20

Community Based Herbal GardensWith the dual objective of conserving the biodiversity of medicinal plants in the natural and homestead forests and establishing them as a viable source of income generation for the poor people living in and around the forests, AF has been providing financial and technical support to two NGOs (IDO and Juno Pawr) in two regions of Bangladesh since late 2006.

Integrated Development Organization (IDO) has been promoting commercial cultivation as well as homestead-based conservation of medicinal plants in Keshabpur Upazila of Jessore district in the northwest region. By providing training and planting materials to the farmers, it has been promoting cultivation of selected commercially prospective medicinal plants, namely Bashok (Adhatoda vasica), Kalomegh (Andrograpis paniculata), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Shatamuli (Asparagus racemosus) and Ghritakumari (Aloe vera) in 2 villages of the Upazila namely Hasanpur and Kabilpur. Each of the 415 households of these villages has planted at least one Amloki (Umbilica officinalis), one Haritaki (Terminalia belerica) and one Bohera (T. chebula) tree and also one Arjun (Terminalia arjuna) tree and one vine Chui jhal (Piper chaba) in their homesteads. The fruits of Amloki, Horitakii and Bohera trees are collectively called ‘Tripahala’, which are widely used in herbal medicine preparations throughout the Indian sub-continent. As such these two villages are termed as ‘Triphala Villages’. It is expected that when the trees will start bearing fruits, the Tripahala Villages will produce ‘Triphala’ fruits at a scale good enough to attract traders. IDO has also established medicinal plant conservation gardens in 10 primary schools with 25 species of medicinal plants (trees and shrubs).

Juno Pawr Foundation (JP) has been working in Rangamati district in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). By 2009, it established two community herbal gardens (5 ha each) in two areas of the district (Mubachari in Rangamati Sadar and Hazachara in Barkal Upazila) with about 200 species of medicinal plants of the area to serve as germplasm repository of local medicinal plants. In 2010, Juno Pawr concentrated on promoting homestead-based selected cultivation of commercially prospective species of medicinal plants among 60 households in the Hazachara village, besides assisting the communities to maintain the two community herbal gardens. To augment socio-economic condition of the project participants, Juno Pawr established a revolving fund at the group level by contributing BDT 100,000 from the project and facilitating participatory savings by the group members. Through monthly group meetings, the project staff guided the project participants to undertake alternative income generation activities (AIGA) using the revolving fund and personal resources. Out of 60 project participants, 28 (47%) undertook AIGA ventures, of whom 19 went for cultivation of turmeric and ginger and 9 for fruit gardening.

Restoration of Critically Endangered Tree Species Since 2006, AF has been funding two projects at the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Chittagong University (IFESCU) to restore and conserve two critically endangered tree species of the hill forests of Bangladesh namely Civit (Swintonia floribunda) and Banspata (Podocarpus nerifolius). The researchers at IFESCU surveyed the remaining individuals of these trees in the forests and botanic gardens of the country, established a germplasm bank of different provenences of these species at the IFESCU campus by collecting seeds and scions from the identified mother trees and developed effective sexual and vegetative

I Arannayk Foundation I Annual Report 201020


propagation techniques for them. They multiplied these trees at the IFESCU nursery and established a 3.5 acre seed orchard of Swintonia floribunda and a 1.5 acre seed orchard of Podocurpus nerifolius in the Chittagong University campus as a future source of planting materials of these species. IFESCU has also distributed 12,000 saplings of Civit and 350 saplings of Banspata to FD, different institutions and individuals, which have been planted in several places including forests and eco-parks managed by the Forest Department, germplasm centers of other Universities, tea gardens and private lands.

In 2010, IFESCU has started working on a number of other endangered native species of Bangladesh forests, namely Boilam (Anisoptera scaphula), Telsur (Hopea odorata), Gutguitta (Protium serratum), Batna (Castanopsis indica), Bandarhola (Duabanga grandiflora), Baitta garjan (Diptercarpus costatus), Sada garjan (D. alatus) and Teli garjan (D. turbinatus). The IFESCU team has collected seeds of the above species and raised seedlings for establishing plantation (as future seed source) in the IFESCU germplasm centre and experimenting on propagation techniques.

Coastal Biodiversity Conservation through Development of AIG FacilitiesTo help local communities in the salinity intrusion affected coastal areas in the south-west of Bangladesh conserve local biodiversity, Arannayk Foundation has been funding two projects since November 2006. One of the projects is located at Kaliganj Upazila of Satkhira district and is implemented by Uttaran (NGO). The other project is located at Paikgacha in Khulna district, which is implemented by a consortium of four NGOs (CFSD, BCAS, DEBTECH and Sushilan) led by CFSD.

Uttaran has been working with 40 groups, with an apex body, involving 1000 farm families, who have planted 19,000 saplings of 26 different species (fruit and timber trees) in their homesteads. The participants have also established 14 km strip plantations on canal and river banks with 3 mangrove species namely keora (90%), baen and goran. Uttaran has provided skill development training on livestock rearing, poultry rearing, vegetables cultivation in homesteads, and planting and management of trees to 420 participants and has established a revolving fund amounting to BDT 850,000 at the apex body of the groups to provide credit support to the group members for AIG activities. The loans from the revolving funds are interest-free but the borrowers are required to plant at least 5 endangered plants in their own lands per BDT 1,000 borrowed. About 400 project participants (40%) are now involved in various AIGAs, the major ones being vegetable cultivation in homesteads (121) and rice cultivation on leased lands (60). Other AIGAs include cow rearing/beef fattening (33), goat rearing (31), duck rearing (31), crab fattening (22), quail (bird) rearing (18), trading of fish fry (25), other small-scale businesses (14), Paniphal (an aquatic fruit) cultivation (11), poultry rearing (8) and nursery (5 participants).

The CFSD project (completed in March 2010) conducted intensive awareness campaign among the community members on the needs and ways to conserve local biodiversity and adopt alternative income generation activities. It organized 250 poor households into 10 groups and mentored them to undertake participatory actions towards biodiversity conservation and livelihood adaptation. The participants have planted about 6,500 saplings, mostly of fruit trees (mango, guava, sapota, kathbael, jujube, etc.) in their homesteads and about 2,500 saplings of two mangrove species, keora (Sonneratia apetala) and baen (Avicennia officinalis) on dikes of shrimp farms (in 2008). The project participants established revolving funds


at the group level through self-contributions (monthly savings) of the members to support AIGAs at group or individual level. Organizing themselves in 4 groups for a special AIG venture, 230 participants undertook crab fattening business and in 3 - 4 month’s time the groups earned BDT 10,000 - BDT 22,000 net profit. Moreover, some of the participants undertook other AIGAs such as vegetable cultivation, fresh water fish cultivation in paddy fields and cultivation of ‘Mele’ ( a kind of sedge plant that is used for mat-making).To help the community tackle crisis of drinking water in the dry season, the project established 10 rainwater harvest devices, one per group, for storing rainwater during rainy season.

Homestead Agroforestry through Improved Management PracticesSince 2006, the AF has been supporting three projects on conservation and restoration of biodiversity in homestead forests in three areas of Bangladesh which are implemented by three different NGOs: Prottyashi in Sitakund and Mirsarai Upazila of Chittagong, CODEC in Patiya and Chandanaish Upazila of Chttagong and Uttaran in Tala Upazila of Satkhira district.

Prottyashi works with 422 households, organized into 21 groups. It has planted 40,000 saplings of 25 species of trees in the homesteads of the project participants and along village roads. Through participatory savings, the groups have established revolving funds to support agro-forestry based income generating activities of the members. Prottyashi has contributed BDT 200,000 to one of the groups and BDT 75,000 to 15 other groups from the project to initiate the revolving funds. Through monthly meeting with each group, project staff provides training, advice and guidance on biodiversity conservation, agroforestry practices and other income generation activities to the project participants. About 77% (324 out of 422) of the project participants are now engaged in various income generating activities, vegetable cultivation being the most widely adopted (195 participants). The other IGAs include mat making from Pati pata (Schumannianthus dichotoma) (55), fruit gardening (33), poultry rearing (31), etc.

One of the groups (Nijtaluk Krishi O Banaon Samity), that received a grant of BDT 200,000 from the project for its revolving fund (and also raised BDT 35,700 through weekly savings of the members @ Tk. 10-20), used the revolving fund in an innovative way. The group, involving 28 participants, bought an engine operated rice threshing machine at BDT 56,000 and gave it to one of their forest dependent participants under a higher-purchase arrangement, involving benefit sharing with the group. By December 2010, the thresher operator returned BDT 25,975 to the group fund. After one season, they bought a tractor at BDT 40,000 and in just one season the group earned BDT 5,585 from the tractor. More than 150 families of the village are being benefited from the threshing machine and the tractor. Aside from these two ventures, Niztaluk Samity gave smaller loans (interest free) to its members for a variety of other AIG activities such as agriculture, pisciculture, mat making, cow rearing or beef fattening, goat rearing and poultry rearing. The Niztaluk Samity also leased in road-side marginal lands of two roads of the village from the local Union Parishad and planted that with indigenous tree species. Moreover, every household of the village planted at least 1 or 2 saplings of indigenous species in their homesteads. The people of that village are now more aware about conservation of local biodiversity than before.


CODEC is working with 300 households in 12 villages adjacent to degraded public forest lands, facilitating their technical and organizational capacity development for local biodiversity conservation and improvement of agroforestry production in the homesteads. By 2010, the project participants planted 80,000 saplings of 75 species of trees (fruit, timber) in their homesteads as well as institutional and public lands. As fuel-wood collection from the forests by the local communities is a major factor affecting natural regeneration in the forests, CODEC promotes adoption of improved cooking stoves among the project participants. It helped the groups establish their own revolving funds to provide interest free loan to their members for agroforestry development and other income generating activities by contributing BDT 212,000 to the groups as start-up fund and encouraging them to raise funds through monthly saving deposits (@ Tk. 20-30) of the group members. By 2010, about 46% members (138 out of 300) of the 12 groups were engaged in 12 different types of AIGAs, of which fish culture (31), goat rearing (30) and small business (26 participants) were the major ones.

Uttaran is working with 1000 households in 40 groups. To raise peoples’ awareness and interest in biodiversity conservation and tree planting Uttaran undertook various programs every year, which include community meetings and observance of significant days such as International Biodiversity Day and World Environment Day with rally, discussion session, various competitive learning events for school students such as essay writing, debate, species identification and art competitions. The project has provided skill development training on various agroforestry based income generating activities (livestock rearing, poultry rearing, homestead-based vegetable cultivation, planting and management of trees, etc.) to 350 participants. To support agroforestry based AIG activities of the project participants, Uttaran has established a revolving loan fund at the apex body of the participant groups with BDT 800,000 contributed from the project and additional funds raised by the groups through collection of weekly savings deposits (@ Tk. 10-20) from the members. Based on this facility, by 2010, 417 participants (42%) undertook various AIG activities (15 types), of which vegetable cultivation (140) was the most common. The other AIGAs include rice cultivation (67), goat rearing (46) and fish culture (35 participants). The loans from the revolving fund were interest free, but borrowers were required to plant 5 saplings of endangered species in their own or community lands per BDT 1000 of the loan. The project participants have planted 26,500 saplings of about 40 different tree species, with particular emphasis on endangered local species, in their homesteads and public places, including establishment of a 3 km strip plantation along roadside.

Community-based Conservation of Forest Resources and Enhancing Rural Livelihood in Rangamati of CHTThis is a 3-year project located in Wagga Union of Kaptai Upazila of Rangamati district. It is implemented by a Rangamati-based local NGO, Hill Flower, since June 2009. The project targets to conserve the existing forests, watershed and biodiversity of five villages of Wagga Union including the surrounding landscape. It works directly with 105 forest dependent households of those five villages, helping them (through technical and financial support) to undertake participatory programs on conservation of forests, watershed and biodiversity of the area and for their alternative livelihood development. Using this project area as a demonstration site, Hill Flower promotes environmental awareness among community leaders, local authorities and general mass of Rangamati district as a whole. For this purpose, Hill Flower organized a number of awareness raising meetings with different segments of the society including community leaders (twice), monks (thrice) and students (once) from different areas of the district and observed the World Environment Day 2010 with rally and discussion meeting involving community leaders, students, teachers and general mass of the project area.

For alternative livelihood development of the 105 households of the project area, the project has undertaken various steps, organizing them into four groups. It has provided each group (association) with a revolving fund of BDT 200,000. The project also provided training on financial management to the responsible persons of the groups (3 per group) and technical training on mushroom cultivation and bee keeping to 100 participants, training on cultivation and post harvest management of turmeric and ginger to 70 participants and training on nursery management and grafting techniques to 4 participants. Out of the 105 households, 83 (79%) are now involved in AIG activities: 54 in turmeric, ginger and aroid cultivation and 25 in small-scale businesses. Two participants have established two nurseries.

Hill Flower distributed about 11,000 saplings of fruit trees, timber trees and medicinal plants among the project participants for planting in their homesteads and other lands. The people of the project area are now well motivated to conserve the natural resources of the project area and have already stopped removing stones from the hill slopes and creeks. They have done enrichment planting (with local endangered tree species) in about 80 hectares of degraded forests.


Indigenous Community Based Sustainable Management of Chimbuk Hill Forests in BandarbanThis project, implemented by the Humanitarian Foundation, includes two villages in the Chimbuk Range of Banderban district, namely Korangpara and Kaprupara which are in close proximity to each other although they fall under two different Upazila – Ruma and Lama, respectively. At each village, there is a Village Common Forest (VCF) and the main occupation of the community members is shifting cultivation, which is done in the lands surrounding the VCFs. Due to continuous expansion of shifting cultivation in the area, the VCFs were under increasing threat of further degradation and extinction of species. In this context, Humanitarian Foundation undertook this project to conserve the two VCFs through awareness and capacity building of the concerned communities. It organized a number of meetings with the communities of the project area, including local authorities, village heads (Karbari) and religious leaders to raise their awareness on the importance of conserving the VCFs for their watershed and biodiversity functions.

For alternative livelihood development of the 58 households of the two villages, Humanitarian foundation established a revolving fund at each VCF group by contributing BDT 467,000 (total) from the project and initiating a participatory saving program (BDT 20/month) involving the group members. It provided leadership and management training to 24 members of the two VCF management committees and skills training on poultry and livestock rearing to 40 participants, training on weaving to 20 participants and training on grafting techniques to 6 participants.

In 2010, all of the 58 households in two villages cultivated turmeric and ginger using the credit facility of the revolving fund (@ BDT 3,000 – BDT 5,000 per participant). Some of them also cultivated cucumber and other vegetables. Moreover, 23 participants cultivated vegetables and 23 participants started small businesses such as trading of locally produced banana and retail business of other commodities. One farmer in each village has also established one nursery. In fortnightly meetings, which are held regularly, the project staff of the Humanitarian Foundation discusses technical (biodiversity conservation, IGA) and institutional issues with the members of the VCF communities. The project participants have established 4 hectares of agroforestry plantations with 10,400 saplings of mango, orange and some local tree species planted in pineapple fields as a demonstration of better alternative to monoculture of pineapple or shifting cultivation.

Community Based conservation of Village Common Forests in Rowangchari, Bandarban Hill districtThis project, implemented by Tahzingdong, includes three VCFs in Rowangchari Upazila of Bandarban district namely Rowangchari Para VCF (100 ha), Tulachari Para VCF (14 ha) and Ronin Para VCF (120 ha). There are 384 household in these three VCFs. The baseline survey conducted in 2009 revealed that 19 species of native trees have been lost from the VCFs. To raise awareness of the VCF communities and general mass of the project area about the importance of conserving the VCFs, Tahzingdong conducted


intensive awareness campaign by disseminating messages through posters, leaflets and billboards and by organizing rally, discussion meeting and seedling distribution program on the World Environment Day (5 June). Through monthly meetings, the project staff of Tahzingdong provides guidance and assistance to the VCF committees about their institutional and development issues.

To support alternative livelihood opportunity development, Tahzingdong has established a revolving fund at each VCF group by contributing BDT 550,000 (total) from the project and initiating a participatory saving program (BDT 10/month) involving the group members. It provided skill development training on agroforestry to 25 participants and that on nursery establishment and management to 13 participants. In 2010, 16 participants undertook AIG activities: 12 cultivation of turmeric, ginger and aroids; 3 small-scale businesses and 1 nursery.

Tahzingdong established a gravitional flow system (GFS) of water supply to the households of the Tulachari community from a water catchment point of their VCF.

Itchari Community Reserve Forest Conservation Project, KhagrachariThis project, implemented by BIRAM, is located in Panchari Union of Khagrachari Sadar Upazila of Khagrachari district. The Itchari Community Reserve Forest (CRF) has an area of 67 ha and belongs to a community of 165 households in two villages, Itchari Vitor Para and Itchari Madhya Para. The baseline survey of the CRF revealed that there are 37 species of trees in the CRF while 10 indigenous species of the forest have been lost. Although there was a management committee for the CRF since decades, it was not so active and encroachment and illicit felling of trees were taking place in the CRF. After BIRAM raised awareness of the community members through a number of discussion meetings, the community established a new management committee for the CRF. Through technical assistance and input support from the project, the project participants have developed a management plan for the CRF and have planted about 4,675 saplings of indigenous species in the gaps of the CRF and other places of the villages. To support alternative livelihood development, BIRAM has established a revolving fund at the CRF organization by contributing BDT 500,000 from the project and initiating a participatory savings program (BDT 5/month) involving the group members. It provided skill development training on fish farming, mushroom cultivation and grafting techniques to 20, 28 and 19 participants, respectively. Using the revolving fund and other technical assistance of the project, 64 out of 165, participants (39%) have adopted various AIG activities such as fish culture (18 participants), mushroom cultivation (18), pig rearing (12) and goat rearing (9 participants).

BIRAM shared the experience of the project with all relevant stakeholders at the Upazila level including government officials, community leaders and civil society organizations by organizing an experience sharing meeting.


Restoration of Hilly Biodiversity through Community Based Bio-Resource Management at Dighinala, KhagrachariThis project, implemented by Anando, includes two villages, Ghona Para and Bhoirofa Bridge Para, under the Boro Merung Mouza of Dighinala Upazila of Khagrachari district, which is a resettlement area where the hills and forests are highly degraded due to shifting cultivation. The baseline survey of the project site revealed that there are 45 species of tress in the homesteads and fallow or jhum cultivated hills while 16 native tree species have been lost.

There are 31 households in the two villages (14 in Ghona Para, 17 in Bhoirofa Bridge Para) and they own a total of 41 ha of cultivable hilly land. Each family also has a homestead of 0.1 ha. Anando has organized the households of the two villages into two groups and initiated various participatory activities towards restoration and conservation of biodiversity alternative livelihood development. In 2010, Anando included 22 new participants from adjacent villages in the project.

To develop institutional and technical capacities of the project participants, Anando organized two training courses on organizational development and management (ODM) processes and 11 courses on technical skill development. Thirty-two participants participated in the ODM courses and the same number in a course on multi-tier orchard and 30 in a course on boundary line utilization. Twenty-five participants got training on poultry rearing, 18 on cow rearing, 20 on beef fattening, 16 on vermi-compost preparation, 20 on bee keeping, 11 on nursery establishment, 20 on vegetative propagation techniques, 30 on biodiversity conservation and 31 on preparation of improved cooking stoves. The project established a revolving fund at the apex body of the community groups with BDT 260,000 contributed from the project and participatory savings by the participants at the rate of BDT 40 – BDT 100 per month.

Based on the above support of the project, every household has established a multi-tier-orchard, a proven boundary-line model of agroforestry along homestead boundary and papya plants on house cliffs of respective homesteads. Besides that, many of them have adopted other AIGAs such as cultivation of turmeric, ginger and aroids (28), poultry rearing (24), goat rearing (18), cow rearing/beef fattening (17) and vegetable cultivation (12 participants). The project participants have enriched 39.3 hectares of degraded forests (hills) with various native species by planting 32,000 saplings, 93% of which are surviving.

Swamp Forest Restoration in Haor Areas of Sunamganj DistrictThis is a 3-year project, implemented by CNRS since June 2009. The project is working on restoration of two highly degraded swamp forests: Rahimapur Bagh (43 ha) in Jamalganj Upazila and Gobindapur Bagh (22 ha) in Sunamganj Sadar Upazila of Sunamganj district, which are public (khas) lands under the disposal of the district administration. CNRS organized a number of community


meetings to raise peoples’ awareness about the need for restoring and conserving the swamp forests and organized 38 poor people of Rahimapur and 32 poor people of Gobinapur to undertaking a participatory program on restoration of the swamp forests. By motivating, the authorities (Deputy Commissioner, Sunamganj), CNRS arranged a 10-year lease of the targeted lands in favor of the two community-based organizations (CBO) formed by CNRS. The local communities developed a sustainable management plan for each forest. To develop institutional and technical capacities of the project participants, CNRS provided training on organizational and leadership development to 50 CBO members in 2 batches and training on swamp forest management to 116 participants in 4 batches. To promote alternative income generating activities, CNRS also provided training on vegetable gardening to 150 participants in 7 batches. In two years, the project participants planted 17,000 Hijal (Barringtonia acutangula) and Koroch (Ponogamia pinnata) trees at Rahimapur Bagh and 15,000 of these trees in Gobindapur Bagh. To extend environmental awareness among more people, especially for conservation of the swamp forests of Sunamganj, CNRS organized various events such as rally, group discussions and essay competition among school students (with prize giving ceremony) and seedling distribution on relevant occasions such as World Wetland Day, International Forest Day, World Environment Day and Biodiversity Day.

Access to Food Security and Accelerated Livelihood towards Biodiversity Conservation (AFAL) in Khaliajuri, NetrokonaThis is a 3-year project located in Khaliajuri upazila of Netrokona district and implemented by a local NGO, Sabalamby Unnayan Samity (SUS), since June 2009. The project site includes four villages: Lakshmiur, Rasulpur, Kristapur and Ichapur and it targets to restore stands of Hijal and Koroch trees around the villages to protect the homesteads from erosion by wave action and provide breeding ground for fishes and shelter for birds. Through motivation, SUS has organized 318 poor households from the four villages to undertake participatory measures towards restoration of the Hijal and Koroch stands around their villages and provides continuous backstopping to them through monthly meetings.

To create access of the poor community members to funds (interest free loan) for undertaking income generating activities, SUS has established a revolving fund at each village by contributing BDT 600,000 (total) from the project and initiating a participatory saving program (BDT 10-50/month) involving the group members. Out of the 318 participants, 133 (42%) have already adopted various AIG activities such as small scale business (43), weaving of fishing nets (15), vegetable cultivation (13), cow rearing (13) and fishing (12 participants). The project participants have also established 4.5 km strip plantations along the boundary of the homesteads and 1.5 ha in blocks (open haor areas) with 24,300 Koroch and Hijal saplings.

Inani Protected Forest Area (PFA) Co-management Project This is a 4-year project located in Ukhia Upazila of Cox’s Bazar District. It is implemented by a local NGO - Society for Health Extension & Development (SHED) since June 2009. The project area covers part of Inani and Ukhia ranges including 7,000 ha natural tropical forests planned to be declared as PFA plus 3,000 ha of surrounding Reserved Forests. The area is a part of a natural habitat of Asian elephants adjoining the Teknaf Game Reserve. It still contains some old growth forests but its greater part is highly degraded due to illicit felling of trees by the poor people living in and around the forest.

SHED has organized people of 15 villages around the Inani PFA for participatory conservation of the forest. At each village, it has organized the most vulnerable forest dependent people (50 – 70) into a group called Village Forest Dependent Group (VFDG) to provide technical and financial support for alternative livelihood development and a Village Forest Conservation Forum (VFCF) involving the village leaders (including religious leaders) as well as representatives of the VFDG. In collaboration with Forest Department, SHED has established a 65-member Co-management Council for the Inani PFA in June 2010 involving all representatives of stakeholder groups. The Co-management Council members promptly formed a 29-member executive committee – the Co-management Committee (CMC). The VFCFs of the 15 villages have formed an apex body, Peoples Forum, to collaborate with the CMC in the management of the Inani PFA. SHED provided leadership development training to 123 leaders of VFDGs and VFCFs. SHED organizes monthly meeting of VFDGs and quarterly meeting of VFCFs for planning and review of participatory activities.

SHED undertook various awareness raising activities including celebration of the International Biodiversity Day and the World Environment Day through rallies, discussion sessions and essay, drawing, slogan-writing and debate competitions among school students.


For alternative livelihood development of the forest dependent people, SHED established a revolving fund at each of the 15 VFDGs by contributing BDT 1,970,000 (total) from the project and initiating a participatory saving program involving the group members. SHED also provided skills development training on planting and management of bamboo, fruit trees and timber trees to all the 990 VFDG members, training on homestead vegetable cultivation to 150 participants and training on nursery management and vegetative propagation techniques to 33 participants.

Out of 990 VFDG members, 334 (34%) have adopted various AIG activities of which rice cultivation in leased land (98 participants) is the most widely adopted one followed by small-scale businesses (87 participants) including grocery shop and selling of betel leaf, banana, vegetables, fish fry, dried fish, green coconut, etc. The other IGAs include vegetable cultivation (35), goat rearing (31), fish culture (23) and beef fattening (19 participants).

The project participants have established plantation in 40 ha of deforested area with 26,340 saplings, 65% of which are surviving.

Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in the Denuded Hills in Sitakunda and Mirsarai, ChittagongThis is a 3-year project located partly in Sitakunda and partly in Mirsarai Upzaila of Chittagong District, implemented by a local NGO, Young Power in Social Action (YPSA), since June 2009. The project targets to restore and conserve forest and biodiversity in the denuded hills of Baraiyadhala (Sitakunda) and Mirsarai Ranges.

YPSA is working with 496 poor forest dependent families in 15 villages surrounding the targeted forests, organizing them into 20 forest depertment groups (FDG). In each village it has also estublished a village forest conservation forum (VFCF) to work as an advisory body for the FDG. It provided leadership development training to 20 VFCF members and 20 FDG members. For alternative livelihood development, It has provided skill development training on vegetable cultivation to 75 participants (FDG member), training on fruit tree planting and management to 75 participants, training on poultry and cattle rearing to 25 participants, training on handicrafts (bamboo and cane products) making to 64 participants, and training on improved cooking stove making to 20 participants. Each FDG has established a revolving fund based on participatory savings of its members at the rate of BDT 20 per week to support AIG activities of its members.


With training and supply of quality seeds mobilized by YPSA from the reputed seed company, Lal Teer Seeds Ltd., the project participants have started cultivating various vegetables in their homesteads. The project participants established 10 ha plantation with about 12,000 saplings, of which 65% were surviving at the end of the year 2010.

To raise peoples’ awareness about the importance of restoration and conservation of forest and biodiversity in the denuded hills, YPSA conducted various awareness raising activities such as community meetings, display of slogans on billboards and observance of the significant days (World Water Day on 22 March, International Day of Biodiversity on 22 May and World Environment Day on 5 June) with rallies, discussion sessions and seedling distribution.

Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in the Denuded Hills in Banskhali, ChittagongThis is a 3-year project located in Banskhali Upazila of Chittagong district and implemented by Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) since June 2009. The project targets to restore forest cover and biodiversity in the denuded hills of Sadahanpur Forest Beat of Banshkhali and surrounding villages.

DAM has been working with 750 poor forest dependent households from three villages (Boilgaon, Banigram, Sadhanpur) around Sadhanpur Beat, organizing them into 26 groups under three village-level federations. To support alternative livelihood development of the project participants, DAM established a revolving fund at the apex body of the community groups with BDT 150,000 contributed from the project and participatory savings by the participants at the rate of BDT 10-20 per month. It also provided skill development training on nursery to 11 participants and that on sewing to 16 participants.

In 2010, 37 (5%) participants adopted different AIG activities such as bamboo handicrafts making (22), vegetable cultivation (11), small-scale businesses (3) and poultry rearing (2 participants). To raise peoples’ awareness on forest and biodiversity conservation, DAM organized monthly group meeting and observed the International Biodiversity Day and the World Environment Day through rallies, discussion sessions and essay writing competition among students with prize giving ceremony.

Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in Barind Dhamoirhat Sal Forest, NaogaonThis is a 3-year project located in Dhamoirhat Upazila in Naogaon district, implemented by Padakhep Manobik Unnayan Kendra (an NGO) since June 2009. The project targets to restore and conserve biodiversity of the degrading Sal (Shorea robusta) forests of Dhamoirhat Beat of Paikbanda Forest Range.

Padakhep has been working with 420 participants in 12 groups. It organized awareness raising meetings with different stakeholders to promote participatory conservation of the Dhamoirhat Sal forest and organized observance of World Environment Day (5 June) through rally, discussion session and seedlings distribution.


To support AIG activities of its members, each group has established a revolving through monthly savings of its members at the rate of BDT 20-50. Padakhep provided training on homestead-based vegetable cultivation to 150 participants. Out of the 420 project participants, 175 (42%) have adopted AIG activities – mostly vegetable cultivation (156) and a few goat rearing (17) and poultry rearing (2 participants).

Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in Singra Sal Forest, DinajpurThis is a 3-year project located in Birganj Upazila of Dinajpur district, implemented by RDRS since June 2009. The project targets to restore and conserve biodiversity of 170 hectares of Sal forest in Singra Forest Beat, which is under process of being declared as a National Park but currently undergoing degradation due to overexploitation of fuelwood and leaf-litters, grazing, illicit felling and encroachment.

RDRS has been working with 202 forest dependent households in six villages surrounding the targeted forest and has organized them into eight groups. To raise awareness on forest and biodiversity conservation among local communities and other stakeholders, RDRS undertook various steps such as organizing stakeholders meeting; observing the World Forestry Day and the World Environment Day with rally, discussion session and seedling distribution; and erecting billboards with motivating slogans.To support alternative livelihood development of the poor project participants, RDRS has established a revolving fund at each group by contributing BDT 600,000 (total) from the project and initiating a participatory savings program (@ BDT 20-50/month) involving the group members. RDRS staffs provide continuous technical support to the groups through monthly meetings. To develop financial management capacity of the groups, RDRS provided basic accounting training to the Treasurer of each group.

By 2010, almost all participants (200 out of 202) adopted various AIG activities, of which vegetable cultivation (87), small scale business (31) and goat rearing (27 participants) are the major ones.

The community groups are now very active in protecting the forest from illicit felling, encroachment and collection of leaf-litters from the forest floor in collaboration with the local staff of the Forest Department.


Biodiversity monitoring in selected protected forest areas In October 2010, the AF awarded a one-year project to the Zoology Department (Wildlife Branch) of Jahangirnagar University (JU) that aims to identify and document the floral and faunal biodiversity of six protected forest areas and to establish a web-based national database on biodiversity starting with the information generated through this survey. The project will also assess the habitat quality of those forests for the main wildlife species of the respective forests and suggest management strategies to improve the habitat quality. The selected forests are: Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary and Inani National Park in Cox’s Bazar district, Fashiakhali Wildlife Sanctuary, Dudhpukuria-Dhopachai Wildlife Sanctuary and Baraiyadhala National Park in Chittagong district and Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sancturay in Habiganj district. The implementing entity initiated the survey work in November 2010 engaging a joint team of wildlife biologists from Jahangirnagar University and botanists from Dhaka University. The survey will

continue for a year at each site. In three protected areas covered by December 2010 (Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary, Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, Fasiakhali Wildlife Sanctuary), the researchers found some critically endangered species of wildlife such as Hog Badger (Arctonyx collaris), Flying squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger) and over 200 species of birds. In floristic biodiversity survey, they recorded more than 150 species of trees and shrubs.

Livelihood support to forest user groups in co-managed protected forest areasIn October 2010, the AF initiated a collaborative program with the USAID funded Integrated Protected Area Co-Management (IPAC) Project to support alternative livelihood development of the forest dependent people in the protected forest areas. AF provided small grants amounting to BDT 1.0 million each to the Co-management Council of three PFAs namely Lawachara National Park, Satchari National Park, and Rema-Kelenga Wildlife Sanctuary. The major part of the AF grants (90%) would be given to the forest dependent groups to use as a ‘revolving fund’ to provide short-term loans to the group members for implementing AIG activities. By December 2010, the CMCs of the three PFAs selected the forest user groups and AIG activities to distribute the grants.

Capacity building of stakeholders for improved planning and management of forest and biodiversity conservation projectsIn October 2010, AF awarded a project to Proshika to design and implement a number of training activities and a study tour to Nepal for the staff of different NGOs and the Forest Department associated with the implementation of Arannayk Foundation supported projects. The planned training courses include: (a) Facilitation techniques, (b) Organizational development and management of community-based organizations, (c) Participatory Rapid Appraisal, (d) Biodiversity survey, and (e) Value chain analysis and rural enterprise promotion. The implementation of the training courses, however, begun in January 2010.


Promotional and awareness raising activities of the Arannayk FoundationTo disseminate information and knowledge generated by it, Arannayk Foundation produced two video documentaries with the help of two professional communication firms. One of the documentation produced by Hott Media Ltd. was on the vision, mission and programs of Arannayk Foundation. The other documentary produced by Infotainment Ltd. was on the success story of successfully restoring two critically endangered tree species by IFESCU.

In October 2010, AF awarded a grant to a private communication firm named Bangla Communications Ltd. to plan and implement communication activities to create mass awareness on forest and biodiversity conservation and to share the vision, mission, activities and experiences of the Arannayk Foundation with environmentally concerned civil society organizations, donor agencies, national policy makers and key persons of relevant Government agencies. The contract was signed in November 2010, following which Bangla Communications Ltd. detailed out a work plan in consultation with the AF Secretariat. The planned activities include organizing an ‘Arannayk Foundation Day’ and a comprehensive package of awareness campaign on forest and biodiversity conservation through print and electronic media. The awareness campaign will include airing of public service announcements (PSA) on forest and biodiversity conservation issues and TV spots on Arannayk Foundation activities and success stories in television channels, and publication of features and reports on environmental issues and success stories in newspapers.


ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOOD DEVELOPMENTForest dependent livelihood of the poor people living in and around forests is a major cause of deforestation and forest degradation. For their livelihood, such people generally rely on collection of fuel wood, bamboo and other minor forest products from the forest. But due to increasing scarcity of such natural resources (resulting from overexploitation and unsustainable management), people often destroy planted and naturally regenerated saplings of trees for fuelwood and clear out forests for cultivation of sun grass and other farming activities. On the other hand, due to increasing demands of timber and fuelwood (especially for brick kilns) in the market, some people also engage in illicit felling of trees. Therefore, promotion of alternative income generation activities (AIGA) among the forest dependent people has been a major strategy of Arannayk Foundation supported projects on forest and biodiversity conservation. Generally about one-fourth of the total budget of a project is given the community-based organizations (CBO), or groups, formed by the project participants as a grant to use a revolving fund to support AIGAs of their members. The groups also generate such funds through participatory savings (monthly, fortnightly or weekly) of their members. The groups operate the revolving fund based on agreed upon guidelines developed in a participatory manner. Loan from the revolving fund is given to the group members based on the prospect of the AIGAs proposed by the applicants. In most groups, this loan is interest free but the borrowers need to plant 2-5 saplings of endangered native trees in their own lands (homestead) in own cost. Some groups, however, charge a nominal interest (2-5%) on the money lend from the revolving fund. The field staff of the project implementing NGOs provides necessary training, market information and linkage building support to the AIGA participants.

In 2010, out of 6,973 project participants in 17 projects, 3,183 participants (46%) were involved in various AIGAs. The relative number of project participants engaged in AIGAs varied significantly among the projects, ranging from 4% to 100%, depending on the amount of the revolving fund and some other factors such as facilitation skills of project staff, dynamism of the groups and availability of funds (credit) from other sources.


Forty-three different AIGAs were found to be practiced by the participants of different projects. The choice of AIGAs might be influenced by various factors such as agro-ecological characteristics of the respective area, marketing opportunities, input availability and access to extension services. In respect of distribution across the projects (or locations), small business and vegetable cultivation have been the most widely adopted AIGAs, each of which is practiced in 12 out of 17 (70%) projects, followed by, poultry rearing (60%), nursery (60%), goat rearing (53%), cow rearing or beef fattening (53%), fish cultivation (53%) and fruit gardening (47%). Small-scale business includes retail selling (door-to-door or in local market) of vegetables, banana, dry fish, betel leaf, goat, fish fry, green coconut and other commodities; grocery or stationery shops and trading of wood. With regard to total number of adopters (irrespective of location), however, vegetable cultivation (mostly in homesteads) is the most widely adopted AIG activity, which has been adopted by 19% of all the AIGA adopting project participants, and it is closely followed by fruit gardening (17%). Small-scale business has been adopted by 7% and rice cultivation (generally on leased land) by 6% of all the AIGA adopting participants in 17 projects.

The investments made by the project participants in the AIGAs generally ranged from BDT 4,000 to BDT, 10,000, although a few entrepreneurs invested significantly higher amount (mainly for buying engine-driven agricultural machineries to operate on rental basis). On the other hand, some of the participants invested only BDT 1,000 – BDT 3,000 for small-scale business involving buying and selling commodities on a daily basis or for buying seeds for vegetable cultivation. According to crude estimates made by project staff, the gross returns of the AIGAs ranges from 1.2 to 3.1 times of investments, small-scale businesses being most profitable for the short (almost daily) cycles of buying and selling. The AIGAs have started to improve socio-economic conditions of the concerned project participants and to reduce their dependence on forests (extraction of fuelwood, bamboo or timber) as their mainstay of livelihood. This development is illustrated by a series of case studies presented in the foregoing sections.


List of Alternative Income Generation Activities (AIGA)

Name of IGA

Culti

vatio

n of

rice

Culti

vatio

n of

veg

etab

les

Goat

rear

ing

Bete

l nut

cul

tivat

ion

and

proc

essi

ng

Fish

cul

ture

Trad

ing

of b

anan

a

Mob

ile v

endo

r of d

ried

fish

Mob

ile v

endo

r of b

etel

leaf

Groc

ery

shop

Mob

ile v

endo

r of v

eget

able

s

Frui

t gar

deni

ng

Tailo

ring

Cow

rear

ing/

beef

fate

nnin

g

Rick

shaw

/Ric

ksha

w v

an

Buyin

g an

d se

lling

of g

oat

Mob

ile v

endo

r fis

h fry

Culti

vatio

n of

pot

ato

Poul

try re

arin

g

Pick

le p

roce

ssin

g

Mob

ile v

endo

r of g

reen

coc

onut

Lim

e pr

oces

sing

Inani PFA Co-management Project, Cox’s Bazar

98 35 31 16 23 4 2 34 41 3 3 1 19 9 1 1 2 4 1 1 1

Biodiversity restoration in denuded hills of Banshkhali

11

Biodiversity restoration in denuded hills, Sitakund-Mirsarai

300 20 496 18

Conservation of Dhamoirhat Sal forest

156 17 2

Conservation of Singra Sal forest

87 27 1 11 17 10 1

Community conserved forest in Chimbuk Range, Banderban

23 1 13 4 2 2

Community conserved forest in Rowangchari, Banderban

Community based mgt. of forests resources in Rangamati

Communty based management of Itchari CRF, Khagrachari

5 9 18

Community based bio-resource management in Dighinala

12 18 2 12 17 3 24

Communty based herbal gardens in Rangamati

9

Restoration of swamp forest in Khaliajuri, Netrokona (AFAL)

13 4 12 1 13 9

Homestead agroforestry, Patiya-Chandanaish, Chittagong

10 30 2 31 7 6 9 5 6

Homestead agroforestry, Sitakunda-Mirsarai

195 5 33 1 31

Homestead agroforestry, Tala, Satkhira

67 140 46 35 5 10 24 2 17

Coastal biodiversity conservation, Paikgacha, Khulna

40 20

Coastal biodiversity conservation, Kaliganj, Satkhira

60 121 31 14 5 33 25 8

TOTAL 342 1053 216 18 156 17 2 39 48 15 561 19 135 33 1 28 5 113 1 1 1


with Number of Participants in Different ProjectsPl

ant n

urse

ry

Shop

of t

radi

tiona

l sna

ck fo

ods

Mus

hroo

m c

ultiv

atio

n

Pig

rear

ing

Smal

l sca

le b

usin

ess

(uns

peci

fied)

Culti

vatio

n of

turm

eric

, gin

ger &

taro

Barb

er s

hop

Hand

icra

fts p

rodu

ctio

n

Wat

er p

ump

(irrig

atio

n se

rvic

e)

Rick

shaw

mak

er

Mob

ile ri

ce m

ill on

boa

t

Trad

ing

of w

ood

Stat

iona

ry s

hop

Duck

rear

ing

Mob

ile v

endo

r (un

spec

ified

)

Shal

low

mac

hine

rent

al s

ervic

e

Boat

mak

ing

Mak

ing

of fi

shin

g ne

ts

Koea

l (bi

rd) r

earin

g

Crab

fatte

ning

Mel

e’ (m

at m

akin

g pl

ant)

culti

vatio

n

Pann

ipha

l (aq

uatic

frui

t) cu

ltiva

tion

Mul

ti tie

r orc

hard

TOTA

L PR

OJEC

T PA

RTIC

IPAN

TS

3 1 334

1 3 22 37

5 15 496

175

1 12 31 2 200

2 2 10 58 58

3 12 15

2 2 25 54 83

18 12 2 64

8 3 28 52 53

19 28

4 22 3 2 1 3 8 6 7 3 4 3 15 133

26 3 3 138

2 57 324

8 6 22 27 7 1 417

230 20 230

5 14 31 18 22 11 398

39 1 22 26 145 171 6 99 2 1 3 8 6 60 3 4 3 15 45 259 20 12 52 3183


Some Success Stories

Case 1. Forest dependent Kashem now relies on vegetable cultivation in leased landMr. Abul Kashem is a 42 years’ old landless poor man, living in Village Kamaldaha under Wahedpur Union of Miresharai Upazila in Chittagong district. To feed his four-member family, he used to collect bamboo and young trees from the forests of Wahedpur Beat and sell those in the nearby market. He lived a miserable life since he had no other sources of income.

Kashem became a member of the forest and biodiversity conservation project of YPSA two years back. He received training on vegetable cultivation from the project and leased a 44 decimal (0.18 ha) land with BDT 4,000 for one year. He cultivated the leased land with bitter gourd, bottle gourd and papaya using seeds of the Lal Teer Seeds Ltd. When he encountered some insect infestation in his vegetable field and shared the problem with YPSA staff, the latter introduced him with Mr. Rabindra Barua, an Agriculture Officer of Sitakunda Upazila Agriculture Office, who taught him biological pest control methods to control that insect pest. This worked well. Mr. Kashem sold BDT 20,000 worth of vegetables in 3 months’ time while his total investment was BDT 14,000. Thus he earned a profit BDT 6,000 in 3 months. Seeing the economic benefits earned by Kashem from vegetable cultivation and the effectiveness of the biological pest control system, the other members of the community became inspired to cultivate vegetables in their own lands. Senior officers of the Upazila Agriculture Office visited their area and organized a field exhibition. The land owner has extended the lease to Kashem for 8 months more. Kashem is expecting to earn more profit in the next cropping season.

With the help of YPSA staff, Kashem has been included as a participant in a social forestry project of the Forest Department. The 10-member social forestry group that Kashem belongs to manages one-hectare area of a social forestry plantation from which Kashem gets some interim income by selling the stems and branches extracted out through thinning and pruning operations. The group will also receive 50 percent share of the final harvest of the trees.

Kashem says, “Vegetable gardening has enhanced my income and improved my livelihood. Now I don’t need to go to the forest as frequently as I used to go earlier. I go to the forests only occasionally for collecting some bamboos to fence my vegetable garden. Being engaged with this project, now I realize the importance of forest and biodiversity conservation for our own benefit.


My experience has encouraged others to join the YPSA project and participate in the protection of the forest. Now I like planting trees. A few days back, I have planted two Ficus trees near my house as these trees provide food and shelter to birds and other animals. These trees also give us shade. In absence of mine, people of my area will remember me as they will get benefit from these trees”.

Case 2. Najuma Khatun’s family is no more dependent on the forest for livelihood Najuma Khatun, a housewife, lives in an occupied Protected Forest (PF) land of Patuartek village in Jalia Palong union of Ukhiya upazilla. She was only 15 when her poor parents forced her to marry Monir Ahmed. They live in a small homestead of 10 decimal land but, like their other neighbors, they also own about an acre of occupied PF land. The 38 years’ old Najuma’s only dream is to have a self sufficient family that will not be blamed as “Muraylla”. Muraylla is a local term having several meanings such as forest people, forest dweller and illicit feller, and used to mean lower class people.

It was really hard for Najuma’s husband to bear expenses of food and clothing of the 6-member family. Three of their children go to school and one is reading in a nearby Madrasha (religious institution). Meeting the minimal educational expenses of the children is a big burden to her husband. Both Najuma and her husband are illiterate. Since they got married, her husband used to go to the forest to cut trees (mostly fuel wood) and sell them in the market to buy rice, vegetables and, occasionally, fish or meat (not of good quality). This was the livelihood pattern of her family. By the time their family become bigger, trees in the local forest decreased drastically and it become hard for her husband to meet the needs of the family.

Despite that, ambitious Najuma used to dream for a better life for her children. The situation worsened when her husband started to work as an irregular daily laborer. He sometimes forced their kids to go to the forest to collect fuel wood. To fulfill the needs of the family, Najuma started going to the forest to collect fuel wood for the family, but also sometimes selling the surplus in the local market.

In November 2009, the Inani Protected Forest Area Co-management (PFACM) project team of SHED selected her as a member of Patuartek Village Forest Dependant Group (VFDG) through a village level stakeholders’ workshop involving local UP member, Beat Officer, local elites and some other forest dependant people of the village. She got a day-long training on vegetables cultivation


along with 10 gm pumpkin, 5 gm bitter gourd, 50 gm lady’s finger, 1 gm cucumber, 100 gm red amaranth, 10 gm stem amaranth and 50 gm kidney bean seeds, 4 papaya seedlings and 1 kg each of Urea, TSP and MP fertilizers, free of cost, from the project in March, 2010. She planted these seeds and seedlings and took care of the plants according to her training. She invested around BDT 1200 for fencing and other needs of her vegetables garden. From April to June 15, 2010, she didn’t buy any vegetables from the market. Moreover, she earned BDT 4,680 by selling some of her vegetables, mostly lady’s finger. She gave most of her income to her husband for buying rice and fish for the family and clothes and educational materials for their children. She kept some money for further investment in income generating activities. On June 15, 2010, a heavy rainfall washed away all her planted vegetables except the lady’s finger plants that gave another good crop. The handsome income she earned from her vegetable garden made her confident that she could contribute significantly to her family from such activities.

Thus the little support of the project helped Najuma Khatun to discover her hidden strength. She continued to grow vegetables in her homestead as well as in her occupied land. Following winter, she grew cucumber, pumpkin, kidney bean, lady’s finger and Indian spinach, investing around BDT 2000 that she saved from the income of the earlier season. Project staff helped her to find out good quality seeds. Within two months, she earned around BDT 6000 in cash after consuming enough vegetables in the family. She got the realization that her homestead could be a significant source of income. In June 2010, she planted 10 seeds of ‘Muli’ bamboo, 11 grafted fruit saplings (BAU kul, Apple kul, Amrapali mango, Ranguai mango, Guava) and 5 rain tree seedlings (for fuel wood) in her homestead.

As a reward of her hard work, she further got (based on the recommendation of the Patuartek VFDG) 2 goats, 1 cock, 4 hen, 4 kg Kakrol (Teasle gourd) rhizomes, 5 kg Tarmarid, 10 Red Lady papaya seedlings, 4 China-3 litchi grafts, 2 Jambura seedlings, 3 Amra saplings and 2 Amrapali mango grafts from the project along with training on preparation of organic fertilizer for establishing a “Productive Homestead ” demonstration. In addition to BDT 10,000 worth of project support, she also invested BDT 4000 from her own to enrich her homestead garden. Now she is growing vegetables in her garden in a much larger scale and her husband is helping her in selling the vegetables. The success of Najuma khatun is frequently discussed in the monthly meetings of the VFDG and Village level Forest Conservation Forum (VFCF) as an example to motivate other forest dependant people to adopt alternative livelihood practices instead of destroying the forest.

When asked about her self-evaluation of achivements and future plans, Najuma said, “I am very happy. A part of my dreams has been fulfilled. I have freed up my family from the curse of being called “Muraylla”. None of my family members goes to forest except for collection of fuel wood only 2 -3 times a month when my homestead doesn’t produce enough fuel wood. We now rely mostly on vegetables cultivation and selling of eggs of my hens. Within 2 to 3 years, we will also earn cash from other sources like selling of mango and other fruits, cattle, etc. I shall try to collect and rear one cow and some more goats and hens from the savings of my income”. She further added, “I am grateful to SHED and Arannayk Foundation for helping me to find out a way towards fulfilling my dream. I have learnt a lot from the project staff and VFCF meetings about the importance of forest and biodiversity conservation and now I feel emotional attraction to forest and wildlife. SHED has created this emotion in my heart”.

Monir Ahmed becomes emotional when he is asked to express his feeling about Najuma’s success. “Now I am a 52 years’ old weak man. I failed to bear expenses of my family but my wife is helping us to live a decent life. It is a really a great surprise for me. My soul will rest in peace after my death because I know Najuma is strong enough to take care of my kids in my absence”.

Case 3. Hafi zur’s family became well-off by rearing Quail (Coturnix ypsilophora)Hafizur Rahman (22) is a college student. He lives in Bairhat village in Tala upazilla of Satkhira. His father Asgor Ali is a marginal farmer. As the family was not financially well-off, Hafizur was planning to do something to improve the economic condition of his family. With this aim, in October 2008, he became a member of the Shuvro Group of the Homestead Agroforesty Improvement project of Uttaran. Within a couple of months, he received two 3-day training courses on livestock rearing from the project.

The trainings made him interested in livestock rearing and he decided to start with Quail and goats. He received an interest free loan of BDT 5,000 from the HAIMP project in November 2008 and started rearing Quail with 200 baby Quails, which he bought for BDT 2,000. For feeding the birds, he had to spend BDT 3000 per month. After 1 to 1.5 months, almost one third of the Quails started laying eggs. Within next 15-20 days, about 90% of the birds started laying eggs. It took 2.5 months to get the complete production. In the local market, he sold the eggs for BDT 1.5 per piece. Thus, Hafizur starred earning BDT


225 – BDT 270 per day after 2 – 2.5 months by selling 160 – 180 eggs from his 200 Quails. In every month he earned BDT 7,500 – 8,000. He had to spend BDT 3,000 – 3, 500 per month for feeds for the birds and maintenance of the cage. Thus he earned a net profit of BDT 4,500 – 5,000 per month. Now he helps his father in various household works. Hafizur duly repaid the loan taken from the project and saved some money as well. He has planned to start goat rearing soon. Now his family is becoming solvent and running quite smoothly.

Hafizur says, “If any one starts rearing Quail in his own house with determination, he/she can earn good amount of money without investing much capital and can maintain his/her family from it easily. This business does not require much hard work and there is not much risk either”.

Case 4. AIGA Helps Kaingprey Mro step out from shifting cultivation Mr. Kaingprey Mro (38) is an inhabitant of Village Korang Para in Gallenga Mouza of Gallenga Union under Ruma Upazila of Banderban Hill Distrct. His family, consisting of his wife, three sons, one daughter and himself, was totally dependent on shifting cultivation. He lived a miserable life as he had no other source of income. On the other hand, the area of shifting cultivation has been reducing day by day.

Kaingprey became a member of the Korang Para Village Common Forest (VCF) Conservation Committee under the Arannayk Foundation supported project of Humanitarian Foundation (HF) in 2009. He received a loan of BDT 3,000 from the revolving fund of Korang Para VCF Conservation Committee in March 2010. He also got entrepreneurship training from the HF. He used this money to cultivate cucumber (hybrid variety) in 0.25 acre of his own land. He invested BDT 8,000 in this venture. HF arranged the availability of fertilizer to him by establishing a direct trading arrangement with a fertilizer dealer of Korang Para. For this reason he did not need to take loan to purchase fertilizer from the businessman as ‘Dadon’ that would eventually cost higher than dealer price. HF project staffs, informed him time to time about the market price of the cucumber. Kaingprey sold BDT 13,500 worth of cucumber after 3 months. Thus he earned a profit of BDT 5,500 in 3 months. Kaingprey repaid the loan to the community fund. Thereafter he took a second time loan amounting to BDT 15,000 from the same source to start a


small business. He purchased dry fish and clothes from Chittagong City and sold those in the local market of Korang Para. At present his daily income is BDT 300 – 400 whereas it was less than BDT 100 before joining the project. Seeing the economic benefits earned by Kaingprey from cucumber cultivation and small business, other group members have become inspired to undertake similar income generating ventures. On the other hand, Kaingprey is expecting to earn more profits in the next cropping season.

Kaingprey says, “Cucumber cultivation and small business have enhanced my income and has improved my livelihood. This year I have reduced the area for Jhum cultivation. I have planned to plant 500 seedlings of ‘Rangui Amm’ (a local variety of mango) as perennial crop in my present jhum field next year. For my success I am grateful to Humanitarian Foundation.”

Case 5. Puthwe Aung Marma now earns his living from nursery and gardeningPuthwe Aung Marma (29) is a poor young man, living in Rowangchari Sadar Para village of Rowangchari Sadar Union under Rowangchari Upazila of Banderban district, who could not continue schooling after class VIII due to poverty. Now he has a family of three members including him. By primary occupation, he is a day laborer. To fulfill the basic needs of his family, Puthwe used to collect bamboo and firewood from nearby forests and sell those in the local market on a daily basis. He had no other means to earn a living. Overall, he had a miserable life, living hands to mouth.

In 2009, Tahzingdong included Puthwe as a member of Nursery Group (3 group members) in its Arannayk Foundation funded VCF conservation project. He obtained basic training on agriculture, grafting and seed preservation techniques from this project. With these trainings and continuous accompaniment support of the staff of Tahzingdong, he established a nursery in March 2010. He spent BDT 35,000 to establish this nursery in 8 decimal (0.08 acre) land. He raised about 6,000 seedlings of 14 types of fruit, timber and non-timber trees in his nursery, the major species being Rangui and Amropali varieties of mango, litchi, mahogani, lotkon, chalta and chapalish. Now his average net income from the nursery is BDT 4,000 per month. He also planted 240 banana plants in an acre of land. At present, he spent most of his time for nursery and gardening although he still works as a wage-laborer occasionally. Puthwe hopes, he will earn more money from the nursery in the next year.


About his success, Puthwe said, “I am happier than ever before. I could never think of such a development in my life before getting training on nursery. I have not gone to the forest for cutting bamboo in last six months”.

Case 6. Smriti Ranai has a regular income now Smriti Rani, a 25 years’ old a housewife, lives in Echapur village of Mendipur Union under Khaliajuri Upazila of Netrakona district. She has two children: a boy and a girl. Her husband, Ranju Sharker, has only a small homestead (1.5 decimal) but no cultivable land. He cultivates some leased land from which he gets only four months food for the family in a year. Rest of the year, they need to purchase food from the market. For which, her husband works as a day laborer. During rainy season, when there is very little demand for laborers, most of the days they had to keep fasting. This was how the life of Smiriti Rani and her family going on.

In 2009, when SUS launched the AFAL project in the area, Smriti Rani eagerly joined the project as a member of a group. She regularly participated in the group and community meetings, from which she became aware of alternative income generation opportunities and also about the need for planting and conserving hijal and koroch trees and other development issues. She had knowledge and skills in making handicrafts from bamboo and cane that she learnt from her father. But she never thought of utilizing that skill for an income generation purpose. She did not have any cash capital either. After joining the group and being inspired by the AFAL project staffs, she took a loan of BDT 5,000 from the revolving fund of the project and she started making various products from bamboo and cane. such as Chai (fish trap), Chukra (fish container), Kacha (container for storing grass and other things) and Dari (drying equipment). She sold some of the products at home while others were sold in the nearby market by her husband. She earned BDT 50 – BDT 70 per day on an average from this venture. She sold BDT 12,000 worth of those products in 4 months while her investment was BDT 5,000. Thus her profit was BDT 7,000 in 4 months. She duly repaid the loan to the revolving fund of the project in monthly installments. After repaying the first loan in full, she has taken a second loan amounting to BDT 10,000 for the same business and to start a beef fattening venture. Seeing the economic benefits of bamboo and cane works, other community members having the same traditional skills became inspired to engage in this business.

Now Smriti Rani is more confident about her capabilities and she dreams of a much better future for her family. She says, “As my income has increased, I can contribute more to my family. Now our children go to school and we can buy necessary dresses for


them. I want to continue my children’s education. I have bought a fishing net for my husband, so that he does not work as a day laborer. Now I want to scale up my business of producing various bamboo and cane products”.

Aside from the increased family income, active participation in various activities the AFAL project has increased Smriti Rani’s awareness and commitment towards environmental and social development of her community. For this, she is respected by the other members of her community. She says, “I am very happy to become a member of AFAL project. Now my group members and neighbors look upon me for advices and opinions on various issues. I am grateful to the AFAL project of SUS for changing my life”.


To materialize its vision, the Arannayk Foundation needs to scale up and diversify its program. AF needs additional fund for this purpose. As of now, a USD 8.5 million TFCA grant provided by the US Government in the form of a debt cancellation fund, which is being paid in diminishing quarterly installments since September 2000, is the only source of funding to the Arannayk Foundation. By June 2010, AF has already received a total of BDT 415.48 million, part of which was fixed deposited in scheduled banks and thereby increased the fund to some extent through the interest income earned from such investments. At the beginning of the FY 2010-11, the AF had a closing balance of BDT 471.69 million. According to the existing financial plan for the ongoing and pipeline projects, the present TFCA fund will be exhausted by June 2017 (see graph). But, it is not possible to fully achieve the goal of the AF within this time frame and with the existing scale of its operations. Therefore, the AF needs to start mobilizing additional funds to be able to continue its operations and establish it as a sustainable organization. For this purpose, it should try to mobilize resources, in the form endowments or project grants, from all possible sources including international donors, Government of Bangladesh, private companies and individuals.

In 2011, the AF will organize an information sharing-cum-promotional event to be called ‘Arannayk Foundation Day’ involving bi-lateral and multi-lateral international donor agencies, senior officials and policy makers of the Bangladesh Government, environmental NGOs, private sector organizations and journalists as the first step towards a concerted fund raising campaign. The AF will also start searching and competing for competitive project grants in relevant fields offered by international donors as well as for the ‘Climate Change Trust Fund’ of the Bangladesh Government and the multi-donor ‘Climate Change Resilience Fund’ managed by the World Bank.

In regard to further expansion of its program in 2011, the AF would focus on increasing alternative livelihood development support to forest dependent communities and capacity development of CMCs in the co-managed protected forest areas and similar support to the indigenous communities associated with the community conserved forests in CHT. The specific development needs in these areas would be identified in a participatory manner by organizing two stakeholder workshops, one for the co-managed protected forest areas and another for the community conserved forests in the CHT, and the projects would be designed based on that.

In regard to the ongoing projects, the main thrusts would be on establishing Co-management Councils and Committees (CMC) in four FD-AF collaborative projects initiated in 2009 and building capacities of the CMCs, including that of the Inani Protected Forest Area where CMC has been established in 2010. Completion of the ongoing bio-diversity survey in the protected areas and promotion of alternative livelihood among the forest dependent people in all the field based projects of the AF would also get high priority.


Arannayk Foundation follows the International Accounting Standards (IAS) as well as Bangladesh Accounting Standards (BAS) for the financial management within a strong internal control framework. The financial statements are prepared in accordance with international reporting standard that strives for excellence and transparency in financial reporting. All the financial and human resources information of the foundation is managed through a web based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system at different cost centers. It helps in improving the program efficiency, enhancing management decision-making capabilities, and promoting transparency and accountability.

As part of the monitoring and internal control mechanism all the implementing entities of the projects funded by the Arannayk Foundation are equipped with a simple Grant Management Software (GMS). The GMS keeps track of all the grants disbursed by the foundation and expenditure made by the implementing entities with quarterly budgetary control.

By June 30, 2010, Arannayk Foundation received BDT 415.48 million as Forest Conservation Fund from the US Government, part of which was invested in fixed deposits in scheduled banks and thereby increased the fund to some extent through the interest income earned from such investments. In the same period, AF approved 57 grants amounting to BDT 246.76 million to different entities for implementing its programs and already disbursed BDT 61.36 million, out of which BDT 27.13 million was disbursed in the FY 2009-10. Including grant financing and other expenditure the AF had a fund balance of BDT 471.69 million at the end of June 2010.


ARANNAYK FOUNDATIONBALANCE SHEET

AS AT JUNE 30, 2010

Particulars 06-30-2010 06-30-2009

Assets:

Fixed and Intangible Assets (At cost less Depreciation) 1,222,958.00 1,487,329.00

Current Assets: 473,331,803.00 436,694,633.00

Cash and Cash Equivalent 459,859,643.00 423,117,155.00

Stock in Hand 31,599.00 31,599.00

Advances & Prepayments 13,440,561.00 13,545,879.00

Total Assets: 474,554,761.00 438,181,962.00

Fund:

Tropical Forest Conservation Fund 471,694,716.00 435,529,879.00

Current Liabilities: 2,860,045.00 2,652,083.00

Provisions - -

Accounts Payable 62,828.00 779,794.00

Accumulated Staff Benefits 2,797,217.00 1,872,289.00

Total Equity & Liabilities 474,554,761.00 438,181,962.00


ARANNAYK FOUNDATIONINCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2010

Particulars 06-30-2010 06-30-2009

Income:

Other Income - -

Total Income: - -

Expenditure

Core Expenses 11,218,783.00 9,525,828.00

Personnel Expenses 7,855,234.00 6,827,982.00

Operational Expenses 3,363,549.00 2,697,846.00

Program Expenses 28,785,856.00 14,502,277.00

Grant Awards 27,133,928.00 13,008,445.00

Program Support Expense 1,651,928.00 1,493,832.00

Total Expenditure 40,004,639.00 24,028,105.00

Excess of Income over Expenditure (40,004,639.00) (24,028,105.00)


ARANNAYK FOUNDATIONCASH FLOW STATEMENT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2010

Particulars 2009-2010 2008-2009

Cash fl ow from Operating Activities

Net Income before taxation (40,004,639.00) (24,028,105.00)

Add: Adjustment for: 880,846.00 1,101,488.00

Depreciation on Property, Plant and Equipment 828,748.00 1,063,021.00

Amortization Expenses 52,098.00 38,467.00

Operating profi t/(loss) before changes in working capital (39,123,793.00) (22,926,617.00)

Adjustment for (Increase)/Decrease in Current Assets 105,318.00 (4,597,593.00)

Adjustment for Increase/(Decrease) in Current Liabilities 207,962.00 312,331.00

Net Cash Flow from Operating Activities: (A) (38,810,513.00) (27,211,879.00)

Cash Flow from Investing Activities:

Purchase of Property, Plant and Equipment (616,475.00) (182,518.00)

Net cash From Investing Activities: (B) (616,475.00) (182,518.00)

Cash fl ow From fi nancing Activities:

Tropical Forest Conservation Fund from U.S (Govt.) 76,169,476.00 78,562,613.00

Net cash Flow from fi nancing Activities: (C) 76,169,476.00 78,562,613.00

Increase/(Decrease) In Cash and Bank Balance (A+B+C) 36,742,488.00 51,168,216.00

Cash & Bank balances at opening 423,117,155.00 371,948,939.00

Cash & Bank balances at closing 459,859,643.00 423,117,155.00

52

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

AF Arannayk FoundationAFAL Access to Food Security and Accelerated

Livelihood towards Biodiversity ConservationAIGA Alternative income generation activitiesBAS Bangladesh Accounting StandardsBDT/Tk. Bangladeshi TakaBCAS Bangladesh Centre for Advanced StudiesBFRI Bangladesh Forest Research InstituteCBO Community based organizationCFSD Centre for Sustainable Development CHT Chittagong Hill TractsCMC Co-management CommitteeCNRS Center for Natural Resource StudiesCODEC Community Development CentreCRF Community Reserve ForestDAM Dhaka Ahsania MissionDEBTEC Development through BiotechnologyFD Forest DepartmentFY Financial Year (01 July – 30 June)GMS Grant Management SoftwareGOB Government of BangladeshHAIMAP Homestead Agroforestry through Improved

Management PracticeIAS International Accounting StandardsIDO Integrated Development Organization

IFESCU Institute of Forestry & Environmental Sciences, Chittagong University

IGA Income Generating ActivityIPAC Integrated Protected Area Co-managementNBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action PlanNGO Non Government OrganizationODM Organizational Development and ManagementJU Jahangirnagar UniversityPadakhep Padakhep Manabik Unnayan KendraPFA Protected Forest AreaPFACM Protected Forest Area Co-managementPSA Public service announcementRDRS Rangpur Dinajpur Rural ServiceSHED Society for Health Extension & DevelopmentSUS Sabalambi Unnayan SamityTFCA Tropical Forest Conservation ActUSAID United States Agency for International

DevelopmentUSD United States DollarUSG United States GovernmentVCF Village Common ForestVFCF Village Forest Conservation ForumVFDG Village Forest Dependent GroupYPSA Young Power in Social Action

Arannayk Foundation Board of Directors

Ms. Denise Rollins, ChairMission Director, USAID

American Embassy, Dhaka(Representative of the US Government)

Dr. Mohammed Nasiruddin, MemberJoint Secretary (Development)

Ministry of Environment & ForestsBangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka

(Representative of the Bangladesh Government)

Prof. Md. Anwarul Islam, MemberChief ExecutiveWildlife Trust of Bangladesh

Dr. Engr. Kazi Ali Azam, MemberChief Advisor

INDEX Bangladesh

Mr. Ahmad Nasiruddin Mahmood, MemberFormer Director (Administration)Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST)

Mr. Salahdin Imam, MemberChief Executive Officer

Radius EnterprisesGulshan-1, Dhaka

Ms. Nazneen Azim, MemberFormer IUCN Country Representative, BangladeshDirector, Azim & Sons Pvt. Ltd.Freelance Communication Advisor

From 26 July 2008

Arannayk FoundationHouse No. 120, Flat 4ARoad No. 1, Block FBanani, Dhaka 1213

Tel +880-2-9873275Fax +880-2-9873248Email: [email protected]: www.arannayk.org

Arannayk Foundation · management and conservation of protected areas. Another project, implemented...

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