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Project Overview

Ecosystems for Life A Bangladesh-India Initiative 2010 to 2014

Supported by the Minister for Development Cooperation The Kingdom of the Netherlands

Dialogue for Sustainable Management of Trans-boundary Water Regimes in South Asia

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Project Overview

2010 to 2014

Ecosystems for Life: A Bangladesh-India Initiative

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Introduction

Bangladesh and India share 54 large and small rivers, most of which flow into the Bay of Bengal. Draining millions of square kilometres, these rivers have an impact on the lives of more than half a billion people in the region. They are inseparable from history and legends of the region and have been a critical source of livelihood for people who use them for fishing, agriculture, transportation and other related activities.

Sustainability within the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) region is crucial. Because of the extent of these ecological, socio-economic and cultural dependencies, the ecosystems of the region require careful and strategic cooperative management. With the complex connections people have with the river ecosystems, this management will require the integration of multiple forms of knowledge, experiences and ideas.

An approach which brings together diverse stakeholders to map issues within the shared ecosystems, to formulate joint knowledge and research, and to look at options for management will therefore be crucial. This will help strengthen the understanding of issues and contribute to the better management of these shared ecosystems.

This has been the focus of Ecosystems for Life (E4L).

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Objectives

The overall objective was to increase understanding of the values of ecosystems in the Bangladesh–India sub region using various dialogue processes.

The specific objectives were:

• Creating a shared vision: Establishing a civil society led multi-stakeholder forum for organizations and individuals to engage in constructive and informed dialogue.

• A knowledge hub: Developing a relevant and comprehensive knowledge base on integrated ecosystems management of common water regimes by engaging civil society groups, research institutes, universities, scientists and experts.

• Strengthened capacity: Fostering mutual learning between civil society groups leading to the development of their respective capacities that are linked to similar processes in the region.

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Approach and Scope

The project is designed to facilitate a common understanding - through research, dialogue and consultations - on various shared ecosystems management issues, impacts of climate change, international navigation routes and the linkages of these with the lives of those dependent on the trans-boundary ecosystems of the GBM in Bangladesh and India. This common understanding provides a reference point to consider how this can be used to support cooperative trans-boundary management within the GBM.

The project carried out its activities under the following broad thematic areas:

• Food security, water productivity and poverty: Exploring issues and links between food security and water productivity for poverty alleviation.

• Impacts of climate change: Conducting research to develop a common understanding on the impacts of climate change, adaptation methods and mitigation strategies.

• Inland navigation: Conducting research on economic, social and environmental benefits of inland navigation considering the Integrated Water Resources Management principle.

• Environmental security: Understanding the linkages between economic development and environmental security.

• Biodiversity Conservation: Addressing conservation needs of indicator species such as Hilsa (a fish species), the Gangetic Dolphin and other riverine biodiversity.

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The Ecosystems for Life Process

The focus on the thematic areas requires a well defined process and methodology that is applicable in both Bangladesh and India and brings relevant actors from both countries together. To achieve this, E4L has focused on dialogues (used for a variety of outcomes), research and capacity building.

The process is designed to be:

1. an engagement mechanism, creating opportunities and spaces which support stakeholder involvement in achieving the project’s objectives

2. a mechanism for developing evidence-based policy options, through research and evidence generation which emphasises the importance of trans-boundary cooperation

3. a strategic mechanism for supporting collaborative approaches to managing shared ecosystems for life, focused on civil society actors as well as Government actors where appropriate.

Through the E4L process, non-state actors such as NGOs, communities, individuals, journalists, researchers and others are understood as civil society (used broadly) engaged in, in this case, the active creation and sharing of the knowledge, the stories and the experiences of the GBM landscapes and riverscapes. Inherent in this is understanding multi-stakeholder dialogues (MSDs) not as static consultations but as on-going mechanisms for trans-boundary sharing of knowledge, experience, and analysis in the region.

As an engagement mechanism, the process uses MSDs, dissemination of information and multi-media formats (for example, participatory film-making).

As a mechanism for developing evidence-based policy options, the project’s research process culminates in policy dialogues. Where possible and strategic, E4L works with key Government agencies (such as Fisheries departments) to present these findings and recommendations. This provides the intersection point of research, line agencies and policy formulation/impact.

As a mechanism for supporting collaborative approaches to managing shared ecosystems, E4L has developed capacity-building programmes focused on strategic issues which have emerged both from joint research and MSDs. These include workshops on advocacy, the benefits of cooperation in shared riverscapes and exposure visits to basins where institutional arrangements are (often) collaborative. Development of specific learning modules on Objective Media reporting and Hydro-diplomacy are also designed to support collaborative mechanisms. These multiple and diverse capacity-building approaches not only provide support for the activities themselves, but through the activities, ensure that the outcomes of multi-stakeholder dialogues are institutionalised in some form.

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Strategies

Joint Research: The project undertakes joint research which takes a trans-boundary perspective and is relevant to policy-making. It is thus the foundation for engaging with, and supporting, evidence-based policy.

The E4L research process follows the steps below (see also Appendix I):

• Issuesareidentifiedthroughadialogueprocess.Thiscanbebothatproject-level(for example, identifying the themes the project needed to focus on), as well as at theme level.

• Once identified, a situation analysis is undertaken by experts in India and inBangladesh. This scopes key issues at country/national level.

• Adialogueandpresentationofthefindingsofthesituationanalysisoccurswhichscopes the key/strategic direction and focus for research.

• Oncethis is identified,a joint researchteam(JRT)comprisingexperts frombothBangladeshandIndia,isfacilitated.JRTsdevelopacommonmethodologywhichhelps in formulating joint research reports. These research reports also contain policy recommendations both at country level and at trans-boundary level.

• Thejointresearchisthenpeerreviewedandsharedthroughdisseminationmeeting/policy dialogue, where the research is again reviewed and discussions on policy-related actions (for example advocacy, next steps) take place.

Dialogues: As can be seen from the process above, dialogues are used in a number of different ways:

• Toidentifypriorityissuesforresearch

• Toreviewanddisseminateresearchfindings

• Todiscusspolicyrecommendationsandtheirimplementation

• Toengageandbuildbridgesamongthevariouslevelsofstakeholders

These are joint cross-sectoral dialogues with key civil society actors from both Bangladesh and India, and have the important function of facilitating shared understanding and building networks of professionals and others stakeholders across national borders and across sectors. Where appropriate relevant government agencies from Bangladesh and India are also part of these dialogues.

Knowledge management: Information emerging from the research and dialogues is:

• Processed and transformed into knowledge products. These include scientific reports, policy briefs, documentaries, maps, posters and books for targeted audiences.

• Disseminatedtorelevantstakeholders.

• Usedtoidentifypolicyoptionsandconsequentlyforpolicyadvocacy.

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Capacity-building: Capacity-building, is inherent in research activities and processes, in one form. In another more direct form, capacity building activities are focussed at key groups which have longer-term influence in the facilitation of cooperative approaches, for example, media professionals, universities and professional training institutes and young professionals. A major objective of this is to expose stakeholders to the benefits of cooperation as well as bringing together different perspectives and experiences.

• Researchers/Research institutions: Capacity-building occurs through the collaborative research process itself, the establishment of trans-boundary research networks and professional processes involved in developing the common research methodology and the joint research report.

• Media professionals: In the latter part of the project, media professionals have been increasingly engaged in attempts to support evidence-based journalism in reporting trans-boundary issues. This has specifically entailed support for a resource platform focused on trans-boundary ecosystem management and a training module which can be used by both professional journalists and those who teach journalism in Universities.

• Universities and professional training institutions: The project has sought to institutionalise hydro-diplomacy as a curriculum component of university water management courses and professional training of diplomats, water managers and other policy-makers within the region.

• Young professionals: The project has supported ‘Water Futures’, a programme where young professionals from a range of disciplines from Bangladesh and India come together within a structured professional development environment. As emerging practitioners this is a good opportunity to learn cross-country and cross-sectoral strategic, managerial and technical initiatives for sustainable water management, including food and environmental security.

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Activities

The project has focused on the following outcomes through its activities:

Outcome 1: Developing a shared vision for addressing food, livelihood and water security issues through:

• Facilitatingmulti-stakeholderforumsandgroupsineachcountry.Over45(includedparticipation by 561 Nationals from Bangladesh, 475 from India and 154 from other countries) were facilitated through the duration of the project.

• Undertaking background research and holding multi-stakeholder meetings/workshops on thematic areas. The project generated 20 situation analyses over 5 thematic areas. Additional two more thematic areas were later included.

• Advancingtheidentifiedcollaborativeresearchagenda,through11jointresearchstudies and 25 research-related meetings.

• Conductingjointresearchstudiesandfacilitatingmediadialoguesandworkshopson issues linked to trans-boundary ecosystems.

Outcome 2: Establishing a multi-stakeholder knowledge hub on food, livelihood and water security issues through:

• Transformingresultsfromstudiesintoknowledgeproducts.Forexample:theprojecthas published seven thematic situation analysis reports; four joint research reports; one media analysis, three books and three films. The project is disseminating these knowledge products through workshops, website, publications and other media including audio-visual materials.

• Thewebsite,inadditiontothepublicationsalsohostsadatabaseoftrans-boundaryrivers between Bangladesh and India, annotated bibliography, resource mapping and has recorded 8500 visitors since February 2013

• Developingevidencebasedpolicyoptionsonthematicareasandsharingthemwithrelevant stakeholders. The project has undertaken extensive policy engagement conducting eight policy dialogues on joint research themes identified.

Outcome 3: Enhancing the capacity of civil society stakeholders to address food, livelihood and water security through:

• Developingandimplementingacomprehensivejointcapacitybuildingprogrammefocused on trans-boundary cooperation. Water Futures: 40 early career professionals (20 India and 20 Bangladesh) engaged over two years.

• ArrangingexposurevisitsofrelevantGovernmentandcivilsocietystakeholderstosee/learn about the best practices in food, livelihood and water security. A total of 20 visits were undertaken where key stakeholders were exposed to collaborative management approaches.

• Undertakingresearchonenvironmentalflows.

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Engagement with Government

The original intent of the project was to only focus on civil society actors through the Track III approach*, with government agencies being kept informed of research, dialogues and outputs. However, the project was able to make significant linkages with Government agencies and has strategically engaged where it was able to do so.

The forms of this engagement have been dependent on the opportunities and links which have been established with agencies. Strategically however, the project has:

• Taken guidance from Project Advisory Committee (PAC) and National AdvisoryCommittee (NAC) members to facilitate engagement.

• RegularlyhadGovernmentrepresentationinrelevantdialogues.

• Usedresearchpartnerstodisseminateresearchfindingsandpolicyrecommendationswithin Government agencies.

• Engagedwithagenciesdirectlytosupportdialogues.

• FacilitatedGovernment-to-Governmentdialogues,especially in thecaseofHilsaconservation.

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Project Impacts

Ecosystems for Life has been successful in initiating and facilitating dialogue between major stakeholders (including those from Government) from Bangladesh and India on various trans-boundary ecosystem issues associated with the GBM region, and ways for addressing them.

The success is attributable to the unique approach, methodology and process adopted by the project. Some key features of this include:

• Creatingandusingmulti-stakeholderplatformsatlocal,nationalandinternationallevels for dialogues focused on research, local priorities in ecosystem management, policy engagement and knowledge sharing.

• Consultingconcernedstakeholdersatallstagesoftheprojectcycletoscopeanddiscuss identified common issues and their potential solutions.

• Formingadvisorycommittees-suchastheProjectAdvisoryCommittee(PAC)andthe National Advisory Committee (NAC) - involving people with high credibility and public standing (including former, retired senior government officials and diplomats) for overall direction and guidance of the project work (see Appendix II).

• Engaging civil society organizations (NGOs and communities) for dialogue andidentification of issues for joint research and analysis.

• Forming and mobilizing joint research teams involving senior researchers andacademics from reputed national institutions.

• Engaging senior media professionals from Bangladesh and India for informed,evidence-based reporting on the trans-boundary water issues highlighted by E4L.

Some specific outcomes and outputs include the following:

• Situation analyses of the trans-boundary thematic issues and topics such aslivelihoods, water productivity and poverty, climate change, food security, environment security, energy security, biodiversity conservation and inland navigation. These have added significantly to the body of academic knowledge on these issues.

• TheformationofJointResearchTeams,involvingseniorresearchersandacademicsfrom various national research and academic institutions from the two countries. This has facilitated new forms of trans-boundary academic collaboration with researchers and post-graduate students picking up new research topics which are trans-boundary in nature. Further, researchers have been successful in leveraging the E4L collaboration to attract significant funding on trans-boundary topics related to biodiversity conservation, livelihood security and climate change.

• Bringinginmultipleactorstothetableandcreatinginterestinwaterandenvironment.For example, private sector participants in inland navigation and fisher communities in Hilsa conservation have brought in different perspectives to discussions thus creating both vertical and horizontal linkages.

• Targetedcapacitybuildingprogrammesandexposurevisitshelpedbuildcapacities.

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Additionally, participants found areas of mutual learning by working together and complemented each other due to the diversity of educational background, experiences, age etc. This diversity helped in appreciating each other’s expertise and creating a setting for reflective learning.

• Other innovative capacity buildings programmes such as ‘Water Futures’ whichbrings young professionals together from Bangladesh and India in a structured trans-boundary research and learning environment.

• Promotionoftheconceptofhydro-diplomacy intheregionandthefacilitationofmodules for academic and professional development in hydro-diplomacy.

• Engagement with senior media professionals, especially journalists from bothBangladesh and India, through workshops focused on objective, fact-based reporting on trans-boundary river issues and the development of training materials and media kits for the same.

Despite its main focus on civil society, E4L has been able to engage Government agencies, and has had significant lasting impacts. The following can be linked to the relationships established through the E4L dialogue processes:

• TheProject’sworkwithHilsahasinfluencedtheStateGovernmentofWestBengal,India to introduce regulations to ban Hilsa fishing during the breeding and spawning period and establish a Hilsa Conservation Research Centre (HCRC).

• StaffsfromDepartmentofFisheries,StateGovernmentofWestBengal,havebeensent on exposure visits to Bangladesh to see the implementation of Hilsa fishing ban and related alternative livelihoods practices.

• TheProject’sinlandnavigationworkhascontributedtoon-goingdialoguebetweenthe countries and raised the importance of using ecosystem-based approaches.

• The Government of Assam is in the process of setting up an Integrated WaterManagement Research Centre to undertake high quality modelling, research and analysis on the lines of Institute of Water Management (IWM) and Centre for Environment and GIS (CEGIS) in Bangladesh.

• Hydro-diplomacyisbeingintegratedintotheprofessionaldevelopmenttrainingofGovernment officials through the Government training institutes of the respective countries.

• AspectsofthecollaborativeresearchapproachhavebeentakenupbytheJointRivers Commission** for application in their research work. The E4L process of joint researchhasbeenadoptedfortheJointStudyonTipaimukhdam,takenupbytheGovernments of India and Bangladesh

• Asaresultofexposurevisitsandprojectdialoguesthereisnowincreasedrecognitionof the importance of ecosystems based approaches to the sustainability of shared ecosystems of Bangladesh and India.

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Lessons Learned

The Ecosystems for Life project has a number of important lessons for establishing civil society-led trans-boundary dialogues and engaging with Governments:

1. Stakeholder ownership: It is possible for civil society actors to be the drivers of dialogue processes. The networks and shared understanding developed through these processes have resulted in strong socio-cultural and institutional networks across national borders. This has been apparent within the research teams, the media, NGOs and the diversity of young professionals with whom the project has engaged. The challenge will be to institutionalise this approach into an on-going Government-level decision making both within and between countries.

2. Community-led participation: Dialogue processes ensured local people had the opportunity to influence proceedings, including those associated with joint research and policy recommendations. In a sense, local people have become part of the review process and their contributions to the project have been significant.

3. The importance of a variety of voices and experiences: Bringing into the process a variety of voices and experiences, including those with dissenting or alternative views, is crucial as it builds transparency and accountability. These have included foci on gender, grass-roots organisations, communities and the landless/near-landless. Evidence suggests the importance of these multiple perspectives being recognised by Government officials who are interested in further dialogues.

4. Dialogue design: Well-designed dialogues and meetings have been crucial to their success. These contributed to participatory processes as well as ensuring the

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variety of voices were incorporated into the discussions. Whilst not all voices could be incorporated into outcomes, these voices were heard and discussed, adding to a sense of inclusiveness and transparency in outcomes.

5. Partnership with the media: Media were engaged within the project after the project had ‘something to say’. As a result, the project was able to begin a dialogue with media professionals on the importance of evidence-based reporting on trans-boundary issues and then use this dialogue to develop a resource-base which reflected the media’s requirements. This in turn could be further institutionalised into media practice and media courses in universities.

6. Integrating with policy: The importance of having a strong civil society base prior to formally engaging with Government has been demonstrated within the project. Further, the project has highlighted the importance of strategically engaging with Government agencies through science-based advocacy using a variety of avenues.

7. Stepwise consensus building: The importance of having a clear and strategic process within the project is clear. Co-operation is something that needs to be built using consensus-driven ideas and practices.

8. A process-oriented approach: The strength of the Ecosystems for Life process can be found through its consensus building (above) and also through its iterative foundations which have provided scope for flexibility in engaging with Governments and civil society stakeholders.

9. Project governance: The importance of the membership and role of the Project Advisory Committee and the National Advisory Committees has been obvious throughout the project. Committee members have facilitated access to Government agencies when appropriate, have provided technical inputs and guided the team throughout the project (see Appendix II).

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Next Steps

Ecosystems for Life has been successful in building trust and facilitating linkages between and within civil society actors, researchers and government officials in the GBM. During the implementation period between 2010 to 2014, the project has taken first steps in developing a shared understanding of both, the potential for, and steps towards, trans-boundary collaboration. This period can be considered as Phase I.

With the aim to further support, strengthen and institutionalise these aspects, Phase II needs to be considered. Its focus will be more specifically on policy-making and working towards longer-term policy change through the facilitation of best-practice approaches to cooperation in the management of the GBM’s shared ecosystems.

The learning from Phase I will guide the development and implementation of Phase II:

• Effectivedialogueismorethanjustgettingtherightpeopleintheroom,itsengagementand trust building to create an environment where ideas can be shared and built upon. Phase I has achieved a great deal in this direction, and second phase needs to build substantially on the trust and the collaboration already developed.

• Civilsocietyactorsareintegraltothedialogueprocessandtheyhaveimportantrolesto play in the policy process. Phase I has created numerous champions in research institutions, Government agencies, the NGO sector, journalists and amongst young professionals in both Bangladesh and India and Phase II will use these to further expand and extend its engagement across civil society and within Government.

• Realpolicychangetakestime,andrequirestargetedeffortsathigherlevelpolicymakers. Phase I has had significant success in engaging with Governments and Phase II will build on the goodwill generated to strategically engage with policy-makers.

• Effective governance can improve the cooperative management of the GBM’sshared ecosystems and provide important lessons in processes and approaches beyond the immediate region. Phase II will move to institutionalise multi-stakeholder platforms into state, national and trans-boundary decision-making and strengthen locally-appropriate institutional mechanisms to support local experiences and engagements in these multi-stakeholder platforms.

*Track III process focuses on civil society, with an emphasis on research, dialogue, advocacy and capacity-building. Crucially, it aims to lay strong foundations for engagement with Tracks II and through that, Track I.

**The Joint River Commission is a bilateral working group established by Bangladesh and India in the Indo-Bangladeshi Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Peace that was signed on March 19, 1972 and came into being in November, 1972. As per the treaty, the two nations established the commission to work for the common interests and sharing of water resources, irrigation, floods and cyclones control. The studies and reports of the commission contributed directly to the efforts of both nations to resolve the dispute over the Sharing of Ganges Waters, facilitating bilateral agreements in 1975, 1978 and finally in 1996.

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Appendix I: The Ecosystems for Life Research Process

Joint Research Team (JRT)

Common Methodology

Joint Research Report

ReviewGuidance from NAC Members

Guidance from NAC Members

Peer Review

Facilitated Common

Methodology Meeting

Multi-Stakeholder Consultation

Researchers: India

Researchers: Bangladesh

Dissemination

Formulation

Publication & Dissemination

Policy Options

FeedbackStakeholders/Constituency

Fee

db

ack

Prioritized List of Issues

Situation Analysis

Dissemination

Feedback Multi-Stakeholder Consultation

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Appendix II: Project Management for Ecosystems for Life

The project is managed jointly by the IUCN offices in Bangladesh and India with the Asia Regional Office at Bangkok. Following is the structure used in implementation of the project:

Advisory Committees

To strengthen project implementation, advisory committees are established at national levels. The National Advisory Committee (NAC) in each country guides, mentors and ensures the quality of the deliverables in the project. The committee decides a chair from amongst them. The co-chair of this committee is the Regional Director, IUCN Asia. IUCN Project Managers (PM) from each country are member secretaries. The Project Director, IUCN Country Focal Person and the Coordinator, Regional Water and Wetlands Programme are members of this committee.

The NACs from each country together constitute the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) to perform the same role at a regional level. The PAC is headed by the Chairs of the NACs of each country on an annual rotation basis and co-chaired by the Regional Director, IUCN Asia. The Project Director assisted by the Project Managers form the member secretaries. The IUCN Country Focal Persons (India and Bangladesh) and the Coordinator, Regional Water and Wetlands Program are also members of PAC.

National Advisory Committee (NAC)

- India

Country Representative-

India

Country Representative-

Bangladesh

India•ProjectManager•Dialogue Coordinator•Programme Officer

•LogisticOfficer

•OfficeAssistant

India•ProjectManager•Dialogue Coordinator•Communications Officer•LogisticOfficer•OfficeAssistant

Coordinator Projects-India

Programme Coordinator-Bangladesh

Ecosystems and Livelihoods Group -Regional Water and

Wetlands Programme

National Advisory Committee (NAC)

- Bangladesh

IUCN Asia

Project Director

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ECOSYSTEMS FOR LIFE: A BANGLADESH-INDIA INITIATIVEDistinguished members of the Project Advisory Committee (PAC)

Bangladesh

• DrQaziKholiquzzamanAhmad,Chairman,PalliKarma-SahayakFoundation(PKSF),Dhaka• AmbassadorCMShafiSami,FormerAdvisertotheCaretakerGovernment,Bangladesh• DrMahabubHossain,ExecutiveDirector,BRAC,Dhaka• ProfessorAAMSArefinSiddique,ViceChancellor,DhakaUniversity,Dhaka• AdvocateSultanaKamal,ExecutiveDirector,Ain-o-SalishKendra,Dhaka• DrMAQuassem,Chairman,NationalDisasterManagementAdvisoryCommittee,Dhaka• DrAtiqRahman,ExecutiveDirector,BangladeshCentreforAdvancedStudies(BCAS),Dhaka• ProfessorMMonowarHossain,ExecutiveDirector,InstituteofWaterModelling,Dhaka• ProfessorKBSajjadurRasheed,FormerProfessor,DepartmentofGeography,DhakaUniversity

India

• MrAshokJaitly,Retiredofficer,IndianAdministrativeServices• MsMeenaGupta,RegionalCouncilor,InternationalUnionforConservationofNature• ErMGopalakrishnan,FormerMember,CentralWaterCommission(CWC),GovernmentofIndia• MrHomiRKhusrokhan,VicePresident,BombayNaturalHistorySociety• Dr Ashvani Kumar Gosain, Professor & Head, Civil Engineering Department Indian Institute of Technology Delhi• ProfessorJBandyopadhyay,InternationalAdvisoryBoard,TuftsUniversity• AmbassadorShivMukherjee,RetiredDiplomat,IndianForeignService• ProfessorSanjoyHazarika,Director,CentreforNorthEastStudiesandPolicyResearch,JamiaMilliaIslamia

Ex-Officio Members

• MsAbanMarkerKabraji,RegionalDirector,IUCNAsiaandCo-ChairPAC• DrTPSingh,DeputyRegionalDirectorProgramme,IUCNAsiaandPermanentMember,PAC• MrIshtiaqUddinAhmad,CountryRepresentativeIUCNBangladeshandPermanentMember,PAC• MrPRSinha,CountryRepresentative,IUCNIndiaandPermanentMember,PAC• MrBrianJFurze,ProjectDirector,EcosystemsforLifeandMemberSecretary,PAC• MsBushraNishat,ProjectManager(Bangladesh),EcosystemsforLifeandMemberSecretary,NAC• MsArchanaChatterjee-ProjectManager(India),EcosystemsforLifeandMemberSecretary,NAC

IUCN Project Team

• MrBrianJFurze,ProjectDirector,EcosystemsforLife• MsBushraNishat,ProjectManager(Bangladesh),EcosystemsforLife• MsArchanaChatterjee-ProjectManager(India),EcosystemsforLife• MrDipankarAich-DialogueCoordinator(Bangladesh),EcosystemsforLife• MsSushmitaMandal-DialogueCoordinator(India),EcosystemsforLife• MrAJMZobaidurRahmanSoeb–CommunicationsOfficer,EcosystemsforLife• MsAditiJha-ProgrammeOfficer,EcosystemsforLife

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INTERNATIONAL UNION FORCONSERVATIONOFNATURE

Asia Regional Office63 Sukhumvit Soi 39Bangkok 10110, ThailandTel: + 66 2 662 4029Fax: + 66 2662 4389www.iucn.org/asia

Bangladesh Country OfficeHouse: 16, Road: 2/3, BananiDhaka 1213, BangladeshTel: + 88 02 9890423Fax: +8802 989 2854www.iucn.org/bangladesh

India Country OfficeB 88 Neeti BaghNew Delhi – 110049, IndiaTel/Fax: +91 11 4605 2583, 26527742www.iucn.org/india