NEWSLETTERBuilding Capacity and Empowering Communities (BCEC)

Project (Year-2)A Project in Partnership with CIFAL Scotland, Gaia Education, UNITAR, and

Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development (BASD)

Editorial: This is the fifth Newsletter designed to enlighten BCEC project activities. BCEC is an initiative of a BASD-CIFAL Scotland program to address climate change in the southeastern coastal areas of Bangladesh ongoing since June 2013 financed by a Scottish Government grant.

BCEC project is enjoying some encouraging impacts at present in organic vegetable cultivation, integrated fishery and in vermiculture project. Community people have started to persuade from the community trainers (PDC/DSSB trained community people by the BCEC proect) already and some of them have started to practice in real into their house compound. The news about community stimulation have shared through the newsletter this time. The newsletter shares a case study showing significant positive socio-economic and ecological impacts in climate change affected community in the project target area. The case studies show practical demonstrations of climate change adaptation that have been disseminated widely in international networks.

I would like to express gratitude to our Great Creator and acknowledgement to the BCEC Bangladesh team; especially the team manager, trainers, and others who have supported collection of information and editing the Newsletter. Finally, I would like to express my special gratitude to CIFAL Scotland, Gaia Education, UNITAR and, the Scottish Government, and BASD for co-operation and assistance in the BCEC project and the newsletter.

Editor: Richard Gregory Gomes

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Issues

Permaculture Design Training

Course (PDC) 2014

Training of Trainers on Design for

Sustainable Settlement Bangladesh

Training Course, 2014

Allumni of PDC & DSSB

Participants and Kevin’s Visit

42 Communities Enjoyed Its First

Eco-fair 2015

Prokash, a Trained Community

Leader

Implementation of Small Project

Fund (SPF) and 25 New Climate

Change Adapted Houses in Year 2

Vermicompost is becoming Popular

at Mongla and Banishanta

People of Banishanta and

Sutarkhali are Admired for Canal

Fishery

BCEC Project Activities are

Available Now at Website &

Facebook

Integrated Fish Cultivation in

Andharmanik Village Community,

a Case Study

Newsletter No. 5 February 2015

Permaculture Design Training Course (PDC) 2014

BCEC project organized it’s second PDC training at Uttar Banishanta, Khulna in 16 to 25 September 2014. 23 participants from Banishanta, Sutarkhali and Mongla, Bangladesh and 1 participant from Patuakhali, Bangladesh have participated into this training course. The aim of the training was, “140 community leaders of which 50% women from Khulna and Bagerhat trained in community-led integrated sustainable strategies to improve the economic and social stability of the community while preparing for and coping with climate change.” The core faculty of the training was Mr. Boniface S. Gomes, an expert in ecology and sociology and Fr. Ignatius Gomes, a Jesuit Priest and an expert in ecology and spirituality.

In this training PDC trainee learnt about integrated mixed fish cultivation with vegetables in the edge around the pound, cultivation of floating and hanging vegetables, making of dry fish, vermi-composting, liquid composting, mulching, herbal and natural

pesticides, waste management, nursery training, designing a Permaculture house, livelihood, food security and so on. PDC 2014 training was held with great enthusiasm both theoretical and practical by the trainee participants, trainers along with the local community. At the end, national and local journalists, community leaders came to encourage the learners and express unity for climate change adaptation. Moreover, national dailies in Bangladesh such as, ‘The Daily Ittefaq’, ‘The Daily Purbanchal’ has published encouraging news in their newspapers about this training course.

Training of Trainers on Design for Sustainable Settlement Bangladesh (DSSB,

ToT) Training Course 2014

BCEC project has organized it’s 1st ‘Training of Trainers, Design for Sustainbale Sttlement Bangladesh Training Course, 2014’ from 9th to 20th October, 2014 with 8 village communities of Banishanta, Mongla and Sutarkhali. 14 women and 7 men joined the course for all 12 days. All of the participants were mostly village community leaders and previously PDC/DSSB trained with keen environmental sensitivities wishing to apply their talents and practical knowledge to combat the challenge for climate change adaptation through the application of different climate change adaptation techniques among their village communities. Mr. Pradyut Nayek, who has more than 25-year’s field experience as a permaculture practitioner and a consultant of

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sustainability living facilitated the whole DSSB, ToT course this time.

Figure: Enjoying after building an organic house for vermicompost

During the DSSB, ToT training time the participants mainly practiced round compost, vermicompost, vermi wash, fish tonic, bed, raised bed, diamond bed, liquid compost, nursery bed, pitcher bed, floating vegetable cultivation, potato cultivation through participating with the local community by different practical sessions in three different places. The training was conducted with enthusiasm and full of practical activities and much enjoyment.

Allumni of PDC and DSSB Trainee and Kevin’s Visit

Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development (BASD), partnership with CIFAL Scotland, UNITAR, and Gaia Education have organized an Allumni program at Banishanta, Khulna from 28th to 30th January 2015 financed by the Scottish Government.

From 2013, BASD, CIFAL Scotland, UNITAR, and Gaia Education have provided trainings among the 65 participants from Banishanta, Sutarkhali and Mongla communities through the BCEC project by organizing two Permaculture Design Courses, one Design for Sustainable Settlement Bangladesh, and one Training of Trainers training course to promote life, livelihood and food security among the trainee participants for adopting different Climate Change Adaptation strategies.

In the Allumni program, 52 among 65 Allumni participants have joined to share their positive and challenging learnings with practical experiences among themselves, high officials, consultants and staffs of BASD and CIFAL Scotland. After finishing the presentations by the every alumni participants, instantaneous solution has been given regarding the challenges faced by them by the expert colsultants of BASD and CIFAL Scotland.

After the Allumni one expert consultant Mr. Pradyut Nayek, who has 30 years practical knowledge on permaculture in Urrissa, India will visit to the communities of the Allumni participants for providing practical solutions to them against challenges they are facing everyday while applying permaculture techniques inside or outside their house compound .

At the end, each Allumni participant took a plan that they will be going to spread their knowledge among ten more members of their

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own community so that those ten community members can spread the same knowledge regarding adopting different climate change adaptation techniques that they have learnt from their trainings to ten more community members, and by that there will be one day when the whole community members can able to get and prepare by themselves to cope with the challenges of climate change.

Kevin Groome, a representative of CIFAL Scotland (lead partner of the BCEC project) has visited to Mongla, Banishanta and Sutarkhali from 22nd to 30th January 2015 and were present at the Allumni program & to the Ecofair to monitor the BCEC proect activities on behalf of his organization and BCEC project. During those days he has visited to more than 18 communities among 42 communiities of Mongla, Banishanta and Sutarkhali areas and monitored BCEC project activities with great enthusiasm and happiness. At the end, he participated in the Allumni program and in the Ecofair 2015 which brings great encouragement to the trainee participants.

42 Communities Enjoyed Its First Eco-fair 2015

Eco-fair, that is also a part of Allumni program have successfully organized in 29th December 2015 at Banishanta Bazar, Bangladesh organized by the BCEC project in partnership with BASD, CIFAL Scotland, UNITAR and Gaia Education financed by the Scottish Government.

Figure: 42 communities from Mongla, Banishanta and Sutarkhali Came to Visit the Eco-

fair

The eco-fair was enriched with different organic products such as, organic vegetables, fish and prawns, poultry, hand made cloths, bags, embrodoired quilt and so on sold by the Allumni participants and by the local communities among 42 communities of Mongla, Banishanta and Sutarkhali areas.

In the Ecofair Deputy Commissioner of Khulna district, other higher governmental officials, Chairman from local union parishads (smallest administrative unit of Bangladesh), higher officials from several local NGOs’, media journalists were present with 42 communities of Mongla, Banishanta and Sutarkhali areas and with BASD board members, higher officials and staffs. Moreover, Member of Bangladesh Parliament Mr Ponchanon Bishwas delivered his best wishes for the Eco fair.

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Figure: Cultural Evening

People of Banishanta, Mongla and Sutarkhali enjoyed the Ecofair 2015 for the first time ever. Many people come to visit and purchase goods from the Ecofair. At the end, the Ecofair ended with a beautiful cultural evening and an award giving ceremony for the best stalls and several gifts for the best organic products (in different catagories).

Prokash, a Trained Community Leader

Prokash Gowshami lives in Gharamipara, Sutarkhali. He is also the President of Gharamipara village co-operative savings group. Proash got DSSB training last year and DSSB, ToT training this year from BCEC project. Last year in December, he got some assistance from Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) of United Nation such as, agricultural tools like spade, scissor, weeding hook and chemical fertilizers like Uria, Phospate, Diammonium Phospate (DAP) for vegeatable cultivation. Prokash has learnt to produce organic vegetables using different organic compost and adopting different permaculture techniques through his DSSB and DSSB, ToT training last year and this year. So, he decided and returned all the chemical fertilizers to FAO and told that he is interested organic vegetable cultivation only

by using organic compost because using organic compost will increase his cultivable soil health, family food nutrition and production. Not only Prokash, but also Prokash’s other village cooperative saving members such as, Kushum, Kumudini, Kajol and two more of Gharamipara, Sutarkhali retured back all the chemical fertilizers given them by FAO for food vegetable cultivation. They all are really motivated by their community leader Prokash and started organic vegetable cultivation in their own house.

Implementation of Small Project Fund

(SPF) in Year 2

Application of Liquid Compost in New Organic

Garden at Mongla

Organic Vegetable Cultivation Projects: 3 Small projects fund for Organic Vegetable Cultivation in year 2 have given to 1 in Gharamipara community of Sutarkhali, 1 in Vhojonkhali community of Banishanta and 1 in Kolatola community of Mongla. In every community there are a trained community leader that has got either PDC nor DSSB or both. These communities have already started organic vegetable cultivation in their community by applying several organic compost such as, vermi compost, liquid compost and hard compost. Moreover, they are adopting different saline tolerant techniques such as, raised bed, diamond bed to get maximum vegetable cultivation in less salty soil, minimum water and for maximum production.

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Figure: New Vermiculture at Sutarkhali

Vermiculture Projects: 2 vermiculture projects has been given to West Banishanta of Banishanta and Roshikmondolpara of Sutarkhali. In West Banishanta, Bivuti got PDC and in Roshikmondolpara Proshanto got PDC. Both communities of Banishanta and Sutarkhali have started vermiculture initially in two ways organic and non organic. In organic ways they have build houses made by hays rope and cow dung mixed with biodegradable organic materials. In non-organic ways they are using cement (made by strong bricks and sand) rings or cement made houses where they are adding cow dung with biodegradable materials. They are applying red earth worm (Eisenia foetida) in their vermi houses. Besides, they are doing organic vegetable cultivation at present and wishes to develop their organic garden by applying vermicompost in near future.

Fishery Projects: 2 fishery projects have given to Moddhapara, Sutarkhali and Shelabuniya, Mongla this year. Between this groups, Shushoma from Sutarkhali and Osru from Mongla have got PDC. These two communities have started fishery project already. They have provided different layers of mixed young fishes and prawns in their pond/gher initially. Not only mixed fishes but also some of them have started hanging organic vegetables (such as gourds, pumkin) in the bank or edge of the pond/gher.

Horticulture Projects: 2 horticulture projects have given to North Banishanta, Banishanta and Malgazi, Mongla. In North Banishanta, Banishanta Shefali got DSSB, ToT and in Malgazi, Mongla Elizabeth got PDC. These two communities have already started nursery initially.

Implementation of 25 New Climate Change Adapted (CCA) Houses

BCEC project is already delivering results for local communities in Khulna and Bagerhat, Bangladesh to cope with climate change after a series of devastating cyclones and surges. As well as providing training for community leaders in sustainable development and small projects there are three pilot schemes adapting 25 village houses to be more resilient to inundation.

Figure: Construction of High Raise Basement in Low Ceiling House

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Figure: High Raised Kitchen

Figure: Savings of dry foods imside the house (Left) and Savings Bank (Right)

In the second year, the project has successfully introduced the following Disaster Adaptation Techniques (DAT) to 25 houses in Banisanta, Mongla and, Sutarkhali.

Raise & repair house bases by 5 feet. Raise toilet bases by 4 feet. 4 corner pillars and strings. Harvest and store rain water in 100

litre Earth Pitchers (3 per house). Raise floor of cow shelters by four

feet and repair. (Houses without cows or goats raised the compound rather than the cow shelter).

Install earth pitchers for emergency food, water and valuable materials.

Moreover in the first year, BCEC project has implemented 25 CCA houses at Banishanta, Sutarkhali and Mongla areas with six different CCA techniques. Community people are trying to adopt some CCA adapted techniques already.

Figure: Dhiraj of Sutarkhali

Among them, Dhiraj of Dorshonkhali, Sutarkhali is such an example who has adopted 4 techniques in his own house by observing CCA houses at Dorshonkahli, Sutarkhali. Dhiraj has adopted 5 feet raised base in his house, 4 feet raised toilet, 4 corner pillars with strings and raised floor of cow shelters by four feet.

Vermicompost is becoming Popular at Mongla and Banishanta

6 community members of Machmara community, Mongla and 4 community members of East Khejuriya community, Banishanta have started vermiculture from January 2014. During these days they produces vermicompost through applying red earth worm (Eisenia foetida) in cement rings, cement or organic houses. Some of them have started selling vermicompost to the community. Most of them are applying vermicompost in their organic vegetable

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garden also. At the end of the season everyone is getting profit from organic vegetables. People around them have inspired to see this picture that producing vermicompost is profitable. Not only that, in recent DSSB, ToT training they have learnt to do raised bed, diamond bed, pitcher bed where they can produce more than 20 different types of vegetables in bed by using vermicompost. Therefore, in Machmara and East Khejuriya community a want of vermicompost created whereas 1 year before this practice have not seen everywhere. It is an positive impact of BCEC project regarding application of vermiculture in year 1.

People of Banishanta and Sutarkhali are Admired for Canal Fishery

4 community members of Andharmanik, Banishanta and 7 community members of Dorshonkhali, Sutarkhali have started ‘Canal Fishery’ project with small project funds (small seed money) from BCEC project in January, year 1.

2 members of Andharmanik, Banishanta have started canal fishery in sharing basis 2 members individually in their own pond. 7 members of Dorshonkhali, Sutarkhali have started in sharing basis in a big gher (gher means a raised embankment structure with internal ditch or pond area in which water is held). Both communities have started this canal fishery project through integrated mixed fish cultivation. They are producing different layers of fishes with prawns in their pond/gher cultivating and organic vegetables in the bank/edge of the

pond. Among them, Francis, Kallyani in Banishanta and Anjoli in Sutarkhali have got PDC/DSSB training last year and DSSB, ToT training this year. They are earning profit from the canal fishery project already. In an example: Francis have earned approximately 150000 taka (1293£) in 2014. People around them have started canal fishery through integrated mixed fish cultivation already. Among them, Ajit, Kalipodo, Madhobi, Bipro Biswas from Andharmanik, Baniashanta have so much inspired from Francis and Kallyani and doing really well in their house by mixed fish cultiuvation with prawns and organic vegetable cultuivation in the edge of their pond.

BCEC Project Activities are Available Now at Website and Facebook

BCEC project is working in Khulna and Bagerhat areas by the partnership with BASD, CIFAL Scotland, Gaia Education and UNITAR financed by the Scottish Government from the year 2013 to present. BCEC project activities is regularly updating in BASD and CIFAL Scotland website and in facebook.

The link of BCEC activities in BASD website is:

http://www.basdbd.org/bcec.html

The website link from CIFAL Scotland is:

http://www.cifalscotland.org/

http://www.cifalscotland.org/index.php/infocus/92-climate-leadership

The link for the Facebook page and group are:

Facebook page:

Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development or https://www.facebook.com/basdbd.org

Facebook group:

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Bangladesh Ecovillage and Climate Change Network or https://www.facebook.com/groups/406314926092543/

Integrated Fish Cultivation in Andharmanik Village Community, a

Case Study

This case study is about the application of ‘Integrated Fish Cultivation’ [Fish and prawn cultivation in pond or gher (gher means a raised embankment structure with internal ditch or pond area in which water is held) and organic vegetable cultivation in the bank/edge of the pond/gher] has successfully contributed towards the development of Andharmanik, Banishanta community.

Background: Andharmanik is a village of Banishanta union council at Dacope sub-district in Khulna district of Bangladesh. Andharmanik village community faced the powerful cyclone ‘Sidr’ in 2007 and the ruinous cyclone ‘Aila’ in 2009, which have affected the area in the long term through salinization of soil and water (which limits the availability of pure drinking water during the dry season of November to April). Previous development measured from 1971 to 2011 has included a substantial increase in primary education levels and middle-income families reporting an increase of incomes (Source: Community People, Andharmanik). Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development (BASD) founded a village co-operative savings group at Andharmanik area in 2009 and the people of Andharmanik report positive economic changes achieved through the co-operative savings group (Source: Community People, Andharmanik).

Francis Halder, Kallyani Roy, Shonjit, Rehana, Kingshuk Roy, Ajit, Kalipodo, Madhobi, and Bipro Bishwas live in the village and are members of the village co-operative savings group. Francis Halder has

completed the ‘Design for Sustainable Settlement Bangladesh’ (DSSB) training course in 2013 and ‘Design for Sustainable Settlement Bangladesh, Training of Trainers’ (DSSB, ToT) training course in 2014 and Kallyani Roy have completed the ‘Permaculture Design Course’ (PDC) in 2013 organized by BASD, CIFAL Scotland and Gaia Education financed by Scottish Government. Shonjit completed ‘Certificate in Pisciculture and Fishery Processing’ (CPFP), a one-year diploma course from the Open University of Bangladesh in 2013. In the training courses, Francis and Kallyani learnt about ecologically aware agriculture plus the importance of villagers living together happily, caring for the environment, and working co-operatively to ensure long-term food security.

Francis along with Andharmanik Community are Catching Fishes

After returning home from the DSSB and PDC, Francis and Kallyani started ‘Integrated Fish Cultivation’ from January 2014 along with Shonjit and Rehana. Initially, they have received a small project fund (small seed money) to start their desired ‘Integrated Fish Cultivation’ project from the project, BCEC. Francis and Rehana have started their project individually in their own pond and Kallyani and Shonjit have started their project in sharing basis in Kallyani’s pond and in a small gher. Before receiving the training, as they were telling that Francis, Kallyani, Rehana and Shonjit cultivated only fishes in their own

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pond and received very few profit due to lack of ecologically scientific knowledge regarding fish cultivation. In an example: Francis received only 30000-40000 taka (259£-345£) as profit from his fish cultivation in 2013. After the completion of the training, Francis, Kallyani started ‘Integrated Fish Cultivation’ scientifically. Within the few days, Shonjit and Rehana have started the same project in sharing basis by learning by doing from Francis and Kallyani. They have learnt how to prepare their own pond before integrated mixed fish cultivation, purchased or collected different layers of good young fishes and prawns for fish cultivation [such as, Rui (Labeo Rohita, a carp like fish) as upper layer fish, Catla (Catla catla) as middle layer fish, Mrigal (Cirrhinus cirrhosus), Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) as lower layer fish] from fish hatchery or river, learnt about preparation of organic fish foods and medication of different fish diseases. Moreover, they have cultivated Prawns (Penaeus monodon) with their mixed fish cultivation project in their ponds and gher and cultivated organic vegetables; especially hanging vegetables in the bank or edges of their cultivable ponds and gher. They are using vermicompost, liquid compost in their organic vegetable garden and enjoying enough production of white gourd (Benincasa hispida), bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), brinjal, radish (Raphanus sativus), Red Indian Spinach (Basella rubra) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum); especially in this winter season. Francis, Kallyani, Sonjit, Rehana have started to earn money by selling fishes, prawns in the local market.

Francis is selling fishes to his community

In an example: Francis have earned approximately 150000 taka (1293£) in 2014. Moreover, their family is now enjoying enough fishes, prawns, organic vegetables whole year that have reduced the food cost and medical cost therefore, it has increased their family food security and happiness. Not only fishery and organic vegetable garden but also they have fruit garden, waste management system, organic composting, poultry, and adopted two basic climate change adaptation techniques by themselves in their houses such as, low ceiling in high basement and tied their house with strong rope. They are the encouragement for the Andharmanik village community.

After coming back from the training, Francis and Kallyani inspired Shonjit and Rehana first who have started integrated fish cultivation in a same time with Francis and Kallyani at Andharmanik in their own ponds and gher. Ajit, Kalipodo, Madhobi and Bipro Biswas have deeply inspired from Francis, Kallyani, Shonjit and Rehana and started primarily integrated fish cultivation in their own ponds and gher. They often visited to Francis and Kallyani’s house and asked for the solution regarding successful implementation of integrated mixed fish cultivation. Ajit, Kalipodo, and Bipro Biswas have started with few young fishes and prawns in their ponds initially. They have started to earn initially. In an example: Kalipodo, have earned approximately 30000 taka (259£) from his fishery initially. Besides, they have prepared a wonderful organic vegetable garden on the

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edge of their pond. Madhobi, has started with few Rui, Catla, Mrigal fishes, and prawns in a gher along her house compound initially.

‘Integrated Fish Cultivation’ is a food production project, which provides additional food and income for the families along with greater resilience that the community could face natural disasters in the future. The community of Andharmanik has expressed their desire to BCEC team that they have the motivation, will power, practical skills, and vision to see Andharmanik as a self-reliant community and later an Eco-village within 10 years.

For more information, please contact to:

Publisher – BCEC Newsletter

110, Monipuripra, Tejgaon, Dhaka-1215, Bangladesh.

Phone– 88-02-9102326, 00 88 01713451849, Fax; 88-02-9102324,

E-mail-<basdbd91@yahoo.com>, <bsgomes52@gmail.com>,

Website: http://www.basdbd.org/

Facebook Page: Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development

Facebook Group: Bangladesh Ecovillage and Climate Change Network

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