ALM UNDP

Progress to date: In a poverty stricken coastal zone, land and farming are the limiting factors for poverty alleviation where rational use of land comes to the fore. The major contribution of Fish, Fruit and Forest (FFF) model is that it ensures livelihood security by accommodating 15 families/ha and appears as one of the pioneering rational land use model for a highly land scarce country like Bangladesh. Besides, in terms of rational income, the outcome of the model is highly rational for participating communities because it provides two to threefold added income in addition to their routine livelihood activities.  FFF Model differs in that it comprises the following Early, Mid-term, Mid/long-term and Long-term resource generation options for livelihood security of coastal communities. It provides opportunity to grow large number of improved variety vegetables on the 2.7m × 86.7m long top surface of the mound. Moreover, further expansion is possible through special supporting arrangements (scaffold) on the margins of ditch to support hanging vegetables for growing country bean, cucumber, bottle, bitter and sweet gourds (cucurbitaceous vegetables) and other creeper vegetables.Key lessons learned:

1. Involve stakeholders from different government departments to create appropriate adaptation measures: Identifying different needs and implementing them with multiple perspectives. Given the multitude of stakeholders, integrated communication and coordination will be key to success. The project aims to address these potential risks by coordinating closely with ongoing activities of the government and International Union for Conservation of Nature.
2. Ensure that there is on-going cooperation and consistent support between the stakeholders and the government: Communication with stakeholders, project team, sponsors and people of Bangladesh. In the absence of an integrated coastal development strategy which incorporates climate risks for the Government to utilize over the coming decades, the current set of ad-hoc activities is unlikely to address emerging climate change, including variability, problems coherently.  There is a need to develop strategies based on existing opportunities, understanding of the level of climatic risks, political and economic feasibility of adaptation to climate change response options.
3. Involve district authorities and local communities at an early stage of project design: Involving local residents in various stages of the project has been beneficial. Awareness-raising of projected impacts and potential solutions has been conducted through local media and other appropriate channels.
4. Identify risk management/ vulnerability and areas for synergies with other sectors during the initial stages of the project: Identify complementarities and establish linkages with other programmes and sectors (e.g. disaster risk management). The project will further generate adaptation benefits by facilitating the integration of climate risk into existing poverty reduction and rural development strategies, especially as they pertain to coastal regions.