Climate-Resilient Infrastructure for Sustainable Community Life in the Haor Region of Bangladesh

  • Country: Bangladesh
  • Organisation: Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF)
  • Support area: Adapting to the impacts of climate change
  • Objective: Strengthen the resilience of selected communities in the Haor region by promoting climate adaptive infrastructure and improving biodiversity conservation.
  • IKI funding: 969,637 euros
  • Project start: 01/03/2023
  • Project end: 31/05/2025
  • Website: Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF)

In Bangladesh’s flood-prone Haor region, communities face recurring flash floods that endanger lives, homes, and livelihoods. Supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) through the IKI Small Grants programme, the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) led an effort together with three local organisations to build over 1.5 kilometres of protective walls, establish tree buffer zones, and deliver flood resilience training. Community members, local institutions, organisations, and climate financing came together to build sustainable flood walls that are suited to the local context and climate. The measures now bring more safety to almost 3,000 local residents who can now live, work and play on safer ground.

GALLERY

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Remote villages and settlements are exposed to high waters and flooding in Bangladesh's Haor region. © GIZ
Remote villages and settlements are exposed to high waters and flooding in Bangladesh's Haor region. © GIZ
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The Haor region in Bangladesh is prone to flash floods caused by unpredicted and excessive rainfall which causes erosion to the villages. © GIZ
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New flood walls and open spaces create safe areas for village residents to gather during monsoon season. © GIZ
New flood walls and open spaces create safe areas for village residents to gather during monsoon season. © GIZ
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The project involved constructing over 1.5 kilometres of wave-resistant flood retention walls, planting 1,300+ flood-tolerant indigenous trees in buffer zones. © GIZ/Ranak Martin
The project involved constructing over 1.5 kilometres of wave-resistant flood retention walls, planting 1,300+ flood-tolerant indigenous trees in buffer zones. © GIZ/Ranak Martin
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Villages provided labour and can now maintain things by themselves – without asking experts from the outside. © GIZ
Villages provided labour and can now maintain things by themselves – without asking experts from the outside. © GIZ
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The first completed flood walls were inaugurated with representatives from the German Embassy. © GIZ

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

PKSF received technical support in the following areas:

  • Improving hati infrastructure design
  • Socio-economic analysis; cost-benefit analysis; livelihood impacts; gender aspects; risk monitoring; negative environmental and social aspects and mitigation measures
  • Strengthening capacities in the implementation of the project interventions, i.e., selection process of the beneficiaries, environmental and social safeguards, ensuring quality standards for construction
  • Capacity strengthening for documenting lessons learned and upscaling project interventions

AKM Nuruzzaman is General Manager for Environment and Climate Change at Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation, Bangladesh’s development bank tasked with financing the country’s development projects as part of its vision to bring an end to poverty. © GIZ / IKI Small Grants

 

Project video

AKM Nuruzzaman, General Manager for Environment and Climate Change at Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation, explains how PKSF led an effort with local organisations to build over 1.5 kilometres of protective walls, establish tree buffer zones, and deliver flood resilience.

Links

International Climate Initiative: Holding back the floods in Bangladesh | Internationale Klimaschutzinitiative (IKI)

Download the IKI Small Grants PKSF project fact sheet (July 2024).

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) was established by the Government of Bangladesh in 1990 and registered under the Companies Act 1913/1994 as a ‘not for profit’ organization with the vision of ‘A Bangladesh where poverty has been eradicated; ruling development and governance paradigm in inclusive, people-cantered, equitable and sustainable; and all citizens live healthy, appropriately educated and empowered and humanly dignified life’.

SELECTED PROJECTS

Radha Naghar Hati Development Project
Support area: Adapting to the impacts of climate change
Organisation: Thengamara Mahila Sabuj Sangha (TMSS)
Description:
Lombabag Alga Hati Development Project
Support area: Adapting to the impacts of climate change
Organisation: Padakhep Manobik Unnayan Kendra (Padakhep)
Description:
Chandrapur Puratan Hati Development Project
Support area: Adapting to the impacts of climate change
Organisation: Friends In Village Development Bangladesh (FIVDB)
Description: