iconJoin Our Event (28 Nov, 2024) New Market, California.
Donate Now

Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) is a leading community-based non-profit organization dedicated to solving complex environmental and social challenges in Bangladesh. Recognized globally, BEDS proudly received the prestigious Equator Prize in 2024 and the National Environment Award of Bangladesh in 2022, along with several other national and international honors. Founded with a vision to promote harmony between people and nature, BEDS works hand in hand with local communities—respecting indigenous knowledge, culture, and ecological wisdom—to restore ecosystems and strengthen resilience.

thumb
Livelihood improvement for the Sundarbans coastal communities of Bangladesh

Livelihood improvement for the Sundarbans coastal communities of Bangladesh

The mangrove forests of the tropical coasts are among the most important and productive ecosystems on the earth. The Sundarbans is the single largest Mangrove forest of the world which is the lifeline of approximately 3.5 millions of coastal people in Bangladesh. The Sundarbans coastal region is the frontline of global climate change due to its geographic location. People here frequently suffer from different natural disasters like tropical cyclones, flood, erratic rainfall, salinity intrusion, riverbank erosion etc. Most of the coastal people are dependent on the forest resources like honey, fish, crab, nipa palm as well as on agriculture. Average monthly income of the maximum coastal people is from 3000 to 7000 BDT ($ 40 to $100). Rapid population growth, lack of alternative income generating activities and high price of daily necessary commodities are the reason why overharvesting of the mangrove resources are increasing day by day. Beside this, local communities are being deprived of faire price of their resources as the markets are in the grips of middlemen and different companies. Moreover, local communities are failed to get their desired price due to lack of their capacity to use their natural resources in a sustainable way. As a result, socio economic conditions of these poor communities are not changing by any means. Overall goal of the project is to improve the livelihood of the poor coastal people by promoting the primary sector (fisheries, forestry and agriculture) i.e to implement the sixth sector industrialization in the Sundarbans region of Bangladesh. Through this initiative we are developing the capacity of the poor resource harvesters and producers for utilizing their natural resources in order to make products, process, package and ensure marketing so that development of primary sector can be ensured. Thus we will develop and promote the primary sector towards the social inclusion. We will also establish the linkage among primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. So, the Multi Stakeholders will be engaged to reduce the poverty of the resources harvester and mangrove ecosystem conservation. This project is very much focused on sustainable use of mangrove resources; improving the capacity of locals and provide them infrastructural support to improve their economic condition. As a result, socio economic condition of the Sundarbans coastal people will be improved, overharvesting of the natural resources will be reduced. This project will also assist to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and Bangladesh Governments Vision 2021.

  • Duration: February 2020 to February 2021 (Approved) February 2020 to February 2023 (Proposed)

  • Location: Sundarbans coastal region i.e Banishanta Union under Dacope sub-district of Khulna in Bangladesh

  • Theme: Livelihood and Mangrove Ecosystem

  • Partners: Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF)

  • Donors: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA)

thumb
Multi-stakeholder partnership to strengthen transformative processes in shrimp trade as a basis for the protection of mangrove ecosystems in South Asia
thumb
Eco Village Project in Bangladesh

Project Information

Category

Ongoing Projects

Duration

February 2020 to February 2021 (Approved) February 2020 to February 2023 (Proposed)

Location

Sundarbans coastal region i.e Banishanta Union under Dacope sub-district of Khulna in Bangladesh

Theme

Livelihood and Mangrove Ecosystem