ZCZC
BSS-12
CHAR-ADAPTATION-CLIMATE (with picture)
Char people adapt to adverse impacts of climate change
RANGPUR, Nov 21, 2018 (BSS) – Thousands of people living in riverine
char areas have successfully adapted themselves to adverse impacts of climate
change like floods, river erosion and abject poverty.
Officials and experts said some six lakh people of over 1.33 lakh
distressed families living in char areas have achieved the triumph on the
Brahmaputra basin after decades-long struggles with natural disasters to lead
better life now.
The Chars Livelihoods Programme (CLP), a joint initiative of the
government and non-government organisations, brought the significant changes
to the livelihood and living standard of the char people during the 2004-2016
periods.
Earlier, these have-nots group char people, who became homeless and
landless due to river erosion and floods, had to struggle every day only to
get some food for survival of their family members.
Side by side with helping the char people to adapt to adverse situations
under changing climate, the comprehensive CLP programme helped them to
generate incomes along with successfully managing the natural risks and
challenges.
Mamunur Rashid, Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS
Bangladesh, one of the CLP programme implementation partners, said the
programme effectively assisted the char people to manage natural risks and
disasters for survival.
“Successful implementation of the CLP programme, have helped six lakh
char people in achieving self-reliance through income generation activities
to improve livelihoods under adverse situations after successfully adapting
to changing climate,” Rashid said.
The interventions to adapt to adverse impacts of climate change began
with building houses on raised plinths to protect the houses of the char
people during flooding periods in the rainy season.
“Implementation of the CLP programme was implemented in the riverine
island chars of Kurigram, Bogra, Gaibandha, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Lalmonirhat,
Nilphamari, Rangpur, Pabna and Tangail districts on the Brahmaputra basin in
2016,” Rashid added.
Talking to BSS recently, CLP beneficiaries Mahmuda, Rahela and Kulsum
Begum narrated as how they successfully adapted them to climate change in
Purbo Char Gunai village on the Teesta riverbed in Kawnia upazila of Rangpur.
“Our families used to take shelters during floods in neighboring areas,
flood control embankments, highlands or other facilities every year in the
pasts,” said Rahela adding that the displacements caused huge losses to their
assets essential for survival.
With CLP assistance, they first raised plinths to build new houses, then
got training on various awareness building issues, health, hygiene,
sanitation, assistance and inputs to begin various income generation
activities for earning to live better.
Later, they started cultivating vegetables, animal husbandry, poultry,
tree plantation, setting up of compost heaps on raised homesteads and small
businesses and establishing tube wells and sanitary latrines to get rid of
water borne diseases.
“Now, we can stay at homes safely with our assets and cattle heads
during floods on raised plinths and provide shelters to other flood-hit char
people of neighbouring areas,” said Kulsum.
Chairman of Rangpur-based research organisation ‘Northbengal Institute
of Development Studies’ Dr Syed Samsuzzaman said floods and river erosion
affected life and livelihoods of char people, their agriculture, environment
and even existence on char areas in past.
“Successful implementation of the comprehensive CLP programme helped
char families in building their capacities to cope with changing climatic
conditions and achieving self- reliance through income generations for better
survival,” he said.
BSS/SPL/MI/IJ/1505 hrs