promoting
alternative livelihood
for forest conservation
Arannayk Foundation
Annual Report 2010
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
1
Promoting Alternative Livelihood for Forest Conservation
Arannayk Foundation
Annual Report 2010
Report Writing
Mohd. Abdul Quddus
Mohammad Shawkat Hossain
Abedul Haque Chowdhury
Editing
Mohd. Abdul Quddus
Farid Uddin Ahmed
Desktop Publication (DTP)
Anirudha Alam
Mohd. Abdul Quddus
Photo Credit
Arannayk Foundation
Center for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS)
Department of Zoology (Wildlife Branch), Jahangirnagar University
Humanitarian Foundation
Sabalambi Unnayan Samity (SUS)
Society for Health Extension and Development (SHED)
Tahzingdong
Yong Power in Social Action (YPSA)
© Arannayk Foundation
Published on
June 2011
Published by
Arannayk Foundation
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Printed by
Classic Inn
Dhaka, Bangladesh
MESSAGE
2010 was a productive year for the Arannayk Foundation, adding six new projects
to its portfolio, expanding biodiversity monitoring systems, and approving a new
5-year strategic plan defining the path of its institutional development and focus
of interventions. By approving the strategic plan, the Board of Directors adopted
‘alternative livelihood development’ of the forest dependent communities as a key
strategy for conserving and restoring forests and forest biodiversity. As such, almost
all field-based projects included a provision for establishing a revolving fund for
the community-based organizations to support alternative income generating (AIG)
activities for their members. Access to revolving funds in most of the projects was
linked to planting indigenous trees at own cost either in homestead or marginal
land. Almost 50% of the participants of all the community-based forest and biodiversity conservation projects of Arannayk
Foundation are now engaged in various AIG activities. As a result, incomes have increased and extraction of forest resources has
decreased significantly. A discussion of a few of the interesting case studies is included in Chapter-4 (Spotlight) of this report.
With six new projects launched in 2010, Arannayk Foundation’s program expanded further from 21 ongoing activities to 27.
Aside from the increased scale of operation, the new projects have added exciting new dimensions to Arannayk’s reach. Three of
the new projects involved direct funding of community-based organizations (Co-management Councils) engaged in participatory
management and conservation of protected areas. Another project, implemented by a joint team of wildlife biologists from
Jahangirnagar University and botanists from Dhaka University, is conducting biodiversity monitoring in protected forest areas
of Bangladesh with the aim to establish a web-based database of flora and fauna of Bangladesh forests. Another new project
is focused on communication interventions for raising mass awareness on forest and biodiversity conservation using print and
electronic media with nation-wide coverage. The other new project contributes to human resource development for biodiversity
conservation activities through training and study tours for project implementing staff of various local community organizations.
Ongoing projects, addressing the biodiversity conservation needs of the degraded public forests, homestead forests and the
climate change affected coastal areas of Bangladesh, also made important progress and achievements. The successful restoration
of two critically endangered tree species of the hill forests of Bangladesh (Civit and Banshpata) by the Institute of Forestry and
Environmental Sciences of Chittagong University (IFESCU) is worth mentioning. Five projects in Chittagong Hill Tracts generated
a great deal of interest and enthusiasm among the indigenous communities and local authorities in favor of conservation of the
rich biodiversity assets of the region through adoption of alternative livelihood and sustainable natural resource management
practices. Arannayk Foundation, its partner NGOs and the Bangladesh Government Forest Department worked together to establish
collaborative management systems in five reserved forests that are expected to be converted to protected areas. This partnership
is the beginning of an activity to develop a satellite image based system of monitoring forest health in project areas.
While the Foundation’s programs are progressing well and have already attained an appreciable scale, they are still dependent on
a single source of income which is anticipated to be exhausted by 2017. Therefore, the Foundation’s future challenge is to secure
funding from other sources to expand the successful approaches of the projects into wider areas. During 2011 and beyond, the
Board will aggressively pursue opportunities to collaborate with other organizations to help conserve the tropical forests and forest
biodiversity of Bangladesh.
Mid-2011 marked the end of my four-year assignment in Bangladesh. I have had a tremendously positive experience in this
wonderful country and have learned so much more about development, partnership and resiliency. Bangladesh, while filled with
challenges, has incredible opportunities for success. With the type of professionalism and commitment that I have witnessed firsthand in this country, I am confident that progress will continue to be made throughout this beautiful land to benefit the citizens of
Bangladesh. I appreciate the capable staff and the Board members of the Arannyak Foundation for their continued dedication to
conserving and preserving Bangladesh’s remaining forests and biodiversity.
Denise Rollins
Chair, Board of Directors
FOREWORD
During 2010, the Arannayk Foundation (AF) provided six new grants of which
three for livelihood support to forest dependent groups in Lawachara, Satchari and
Rema-Kalenga and one for biodiversity monitoring of six protected areas, one for
capacity building of partner NGOs staff and the other for awareness raising on forest
conservation through a communication organization. In addition, there were 21
ongoing projects since 2009 encompassing five co-management projects, seven
community based forest conservation in Chittagong Hill Tracts and Haor areas,
three projects on homestead biodiversity conservation, two on coastal biodiversity
conservation, two on community based conservation of medicinal plants and two
projects on restoration of critically endangered species. The details of the projects
are described in chapter 3.
Some of the key lessons include a) improvement of livelihood can significantly contribute in forest conservation, b) once community
members are effectively motivated to conserve forests, they take active role in forest conservation including prevention of collection
of fuelwood and debris (leaves) from forest floors; c) vegetable cultivation in the homestead is one of the most effective IGA
followed by small business and land leasing for agriculture; d) sustained supply of water in the streams is the main motivation
for the indigenous communities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts to conserve the village common forests; and e) gravitational flow
system (GFS) of water harvesting from forests provide easy access to safe water for drinking and other domestic use (including
homestead agriculture) and establishment of such facility triggers active participation of the hill communities in development
projects. These lessons provide important clues for selection of interventions in the ongoing and future projects of the AF.
We hope that the reader will appreciate the endeavor of the AF and join with AF in conservation of forests and biodiversity of the
country.
Farid Uddin Ahmed
Executive Director
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary
07
Chapter 1
Introduction
09
Chapter 2
Grant Making in 2010
13
Chapter 3
Project Briefs
19
Chapter 4
Spotlight: Alternative Livelihood Development
33
Chapter 5
Challenges and Thrusts for 2011
45
Chapter 6
Finance
47
Abbreviations and Acronyms
52
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
05
6
6
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Arannayk Foundation (AF), also called the ‘Bangladesh Tropical
Forest Conservation Foundation’, was established in July 2003
jointly by the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) and the United
States Government (USG) under the provisions of the US Tropical
Forest Conservation Act (TFCA) of 1998 in order to conserve
rapidly disappearing forests and biodiversity of Bangladesh.
The AF is registered as a not-for-profit company limited by
guarantee and not having a share capital. It is managed by an
independent Board of Directors composed of one representative
each from the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) and United
States Government (USG), and five representatives from nongovernmental organizations. The Arannayk Foundation started
its grant making activities from 2006.
In 2010, the AF funded 27 projects, 21 continuing from previous
years and 6 new. The new projects include one project on
biodiversity monitoring (both flora and fauna) in six protected
areas (PA), one project on communication interventions for
raising mass awareness on forest and biodiversity conservation
using print and electronic media, one project on human resource
development for biodiversity conservation activities through
training and study tour of project implementing staff of various
organizations, and three alternative livelihood development
grants to the Co-management Councils of three protected
areas.
The pre-existing projects that continued in 2010 include (a)
three homestead agroforestry biodiversity conservation projects
in three different areas of Chittagong and Satkhira districts;
(b) two coastal biodiversity conservation projects in the coastal
areas of Khulna and Satkhira districts; (c) two community-based
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
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medicinal plant conservation projects in two locations of Jessore and Rangamati districts, (d) two projects on restoration of
critically endangered tree species of Bangladesh forests, (e) five projects on restoration and conservation of biodiversity in
degraded reserved forests (that are aimed to be declared as protected forest areas) through collaborative management approach,
(f) five projects on establishing sustainable management system in community conserved forests in Chittagong Hill Tracts, and (g)
two projects on community-based conservation of swamp forests in the haor (basin) areas of northeast Bangladesh.
The implementation of the projects progressed satisfactorily with mentionable achievements towards the overall goal of the
AF i.e., conservation and restoration of the dwindling biodiversity in the forests of Bangladesh. The AF has adopted ‘alternative
livelihood development’ of the forest dependent poor people as the key strategy of promoting conservation of forests and forest
biodiversity involving local communities. In almost all of its field-based projects, the AF included a provision of a revolving fund
for the community based organizations to support alternative income generating (AIG) activities of their members. The projects
also organized necessary skills development training for the project participants. In 2010, almost half of the total participants of
all the community-based forest and biodiversity conservation projects of the AF adopted various AIG activities such as vegetable
cultivation, rice cultivation (in leased land), small-scale businesses, poultry rearing, goat rearing, cow rearing, handicrafts making
and nursery. In most cases, the AIG activities gave good results, remarkably increasing the income of the concerned project
participants and reducing their dependence on extraction of forest resources. The Annual Report 2010 particularly focuses on the
success of the alternative livelihood development initiatives by presenting a number of success stories.
08
08 ‚ Arannayk Foundation ‚ Annual Report 2010
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
9
The Arannayk Foundation (AF), also called Bangladesh Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation, was established in July 2003 as
a not-for-profit company without shares pursuant to a ‘Debt Reduction’ and a ‘Forest Conservation’ Agreement signed between
the Governments of Bangladesh and the United States as per Tropical Forest Conservation Act (1998) of USA. The main objective
of the AF is to promote conservation and restoration of the natural tropical forest and forest biodiversity of Bangladesh through
providing grants to appropriate organizations. A legally-established Board of Directors consisting of five representatives from
Bangladesh civil society organizations and one representative each from the Government of Bangladesh and the United States
oversees the operations of the Foundation.
The AF’s grant making operations started in November 2006. By 2009, it awarded 51 grants, of which 30 were completed by
December 2009 and 21 continued in 2010. The AF-sponsored projects deal with conservation of threatened and endangered
tropical forest species, protected area management, restoration of degraded forests, coastal biodiversity conservation, conservation
of agroforestry species in homesteads, environmental education, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Foundation
promotes alternative income generating (AIG) activities among the poor people living in the vicinity of the forests as a key strategy
to restring and conserving biodiversity in the remaining forests of Bangladesh.
The program of the AF is guided by its ‘Strategic Plan’, the first edition of which was developed in 2002, when the Foundation
was being planned. In 2010, the AF updated its strategic plan for the period 2010 - 2015, based on its initial experiences, in
order to make it more effective in pursuing its vision and mission. The process of revising the strategic plan of the AF actually
begun in 2009 through development of the first draft of the updated version of the strategic plan incorporating certain new
program areas viz., swamp forests and climate change response activities. Later in the year, the USAID Bangladesh Environment
Sector Assessment and Strategic Analysis Mission 2009 reviewed the ongoing activities of the AF and the draft updated strategy
document. The mission assessed the latter to be consistent with the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) of
Bangladesh and also responsive to climate change. The Mission emphasized on scaling up of AF’s operations and on undertaking
fund raising efforts for that purpose. It also suggested some strategies towards making the AF more effective in the short-term
such as increasing number of small grants on need-based projects on both technical and social aspects of biodiversity issues;
providing a forum for policy dialogue, networking and knowledge sharing; and strengthening efforts to raise the profile of the
Foundation through dissemination of information about it.
In January 2010, the Board of Directors of the AF reviewed the recommendations of the USAID mission and thus finalized the
revised Strategic Plan (2010-2015) of the AF. The Strategic Plan provides a ‘result framework’ for planning (and evaluation) of
AF’s programs and projects.
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
In accordance with its ‘Strategic Plan 2010 – 2015’ and the suggested strategies to make the AF more effective in the short-term,
the program of the AF in 2010 was focused on addressing the following challenges:
♦ Scaling up and diversifying its program with particular emphasis on conservation of biodiversity in protected areas;
♦ Strengthening technical capacities of its project implementing entities; and
♦ Developing an effective fund raising strategy and undertaking various promotional measures in order to increase its fund.
With the above thrusts, the AF undertook a number of important new initiatives in 2010 in addition to continued funding,
backstopping and monitoring of the ongoing projects. To promote the image of the organization more widely, as a part of its fund
raising strategy, the AF decided to strengthen its public relations activities. As a part of this initiative, it adopted a new logo with a
tag line ‘Arannayk Foundation: Conserving Forests for the Future’, which was selected through logo design competition.
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
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12
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
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During 2010, the Board of Directors of the AF approved
six new projects. Moreover, 21 ongoing projects, initiated
earlier, were also funded in 2010. Thus the AF financed
a total of 27 projects in 2010. The new projects of 2010
include three grants for the improvement of livelihood of
the communities in three protected forest areas, one
grant for capacity building of NGOs, Forest Department
and other organizations engaged in AF-sponsored forest
and biodiversity conservation projects, one grant for
conducting promotional activities on forest and biodiversity
conservation at national level and one grant for biodiversity
(flora, fauna) monitoring in six protected forest areas. One
of the older projects, ‘Coastal Biodiversity Conservation
through Creating AIG Facilities in Paikgacha, Khulna’ was
completed in June 2010.
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
It may be mentioned that the AF is supporting projects in
the six strategic areas defined in its strategic plan i.e.
conservation of protected areas, scientific management of
forests, capacity building, biodiversity conservation, research
and livelihood development. Presently 30% of the projects
are primarily for conservation of biodiversity (flora and fauna),
22% for conservation of protected areas, 19% for scientific
management of forests, 11% for livelihood development,
11% for research and 7% for capacity building of partner
organizations. The current projects are distributed to different
forest types such as 57% on hill forests, 15% on homestead
forests, 7% on coastal forest land, 7% on swamp forests
and 7% on sal forests, while 7% of the projects (dealing with
capacity building, mass communication, etc.) are of crosscutting nature.
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
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Arannayk Grant Disbursements 2010
Project Title
Implementing
Entity
Date of
Commencement
Duration
(Years)
Amount
of grant
(Million
BDT)
Amount
disbursed
in 2010
(Million
BDT)
01.
Pilot Level Community Based Participatory
Herbal Gardens in Keshabpur, Jessore
IDO
Nov 2006
8
5.00
0.26
02.
Pilot Level Community Based Participatory
Herbal Gardens in Rangamati
Juno Pawr
Nov 2006
8
5.47
0.47
03.
Re-colonization and mass propagation of Civit
(Swintonia floribunda)
IFESCU
Nov 2006
5
3.00
0.51
04.
Re-colonization and mass propagation of
Banspata (Podocarpus nerifolia)
IFESCU
Nov 2006
5
3.00
0.62
05.
Coastal Biodiversity Conservation through
Creating Alternative Income Generation
Facilities in Kaliganj, Satkhira
Uttaran
Nov 2006
4
4.60
0.62
06.
Coastal Biodiversity Conservation through
Creating AIG Facilities in Paikgacha, Khulna
CFSD
Nov 2006
3
4.06
0.23
07.
Homestead Agroforestry through Improved
Management Practices in Sitakunda and
Mirsharai, Chittagong
Prottyashi
Nov 2006
5
3.50
0.62
08.
Homestead Agroforestry through Improved
Management Practices in Chandanaish and
Patiya Upazila of Chittagong
CODEC
Nov 2006
5
3.50
0.61
09.
Homestead Agroforestry through Improved
Management Practices in Tala, Satkhira
Uttaran
Nov 2006
5
4.10
0.63
10.
Itchari Community Reserve Forest Conservation
Proejct, Khagrachari
BIRAM
Jun 2009
3
6.00
1.77
11.
Restoration of Hilly Biodiversity through
Community Based Bio-Resource Management
at Dighinala, Khagrachari
Anando
Jun 2009
3
5.99
1.71
12.
Community-based Conservation of Forest
Resources and Enhancing Rural Livelihood in
Rangamati of CHT
Hill Flower
Jun 2009
3
5.99
1.93
13.
Community
Based
Forest
Resource
Management for Sustainable Development in
Rowangchari, Banderban Hill District
Tahzingdong
Jun 2009
3
5.11
1.98
14.
Indigenous Community Based Sustainable
Management of Chimbuk Hill Forests in
Bandarban
Humanitarian
Foundation
Jun 2009
3
5.71
2.16
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
Arannayk Grant Disbursements 2010
Project Title
Implementing
Entity
Date of
Commencement
Duration
(Years)
Amount
Amount of
disbursed
grant
in 2010
(Million
(Million
BDT)
BDT)
15.
Swamp Forest Restoration in Haor Areas of
Sunamganj District
CNRS
Jun 2009
3
5.90
1.65
16.
Access to Food Security and Accelerated
Livelihood towards Biodiversity in Khaliajuri
Upazila, Netrokona
SUS
Jun 2009
3
5.98
2.28
17.
Inani Protected Forest Area (PFA) Comanagement – NGO component
SHED
Jun 2009
3
15.95
6.14
18.
Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity
in the Denuded Hills in Sitakunda and
Mirsharai, Chittagong – NGO component
YPSA
Jun 2009
3
5.61
1.35
19.
Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity
in the Denuded Hills in Banskhali, Chittagong
- NGO component
DAM
Jun 2009
3
5.98
1.55
20.
Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity
in Barind Dhamoirhat Sal Forest, Naogaon –
NGO component
Padakhep
Jun 2009
3
3.52
0.94
21.
Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity
in Singra Sal Forest, Dinajpur - NGO
component
RDRS
Jun 2009
3
5.51
1.94
22.
Biodiversity monitoring in selected protected
forest areas
Jahangirnagar
Oct 2010
University
1
6.00
1.93
23.
Promotional and awareness raising activities
of the Arannayk Foundation
BCL
Oct 2010
1
6.00
0
24.
Capacity building of stakeholders for improved
planning and management of forest and
biodiversity conservation projects
PROSHIKA
Oct 2010
1
6.00
2.35
25.
Livelihood support to forest user groups in comanaged protected forest areas, Lawachara
Lawachara
CMC
Oct 2010
1
1.00
0
26.
Livelihood support to forest user groups in
co-managed protected forest areas, RemaKalanga
Rema-Kalenga
Nishorgo
Oct 2010
Sangstha
1
1.00
0
27.
Livelihood support to forest user groups in comanaged protected forest areas, Satchari
Satchari
Nishorgo
Sangstha
1
1.00
0
961.13
34.25
Oct 2010
Total:
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
19
Community Based Herbal Gardens
With the dual objective of conserving the biodiversity of medicinal plants in the natural and homestead forests and establishing
them as a viable source of income generation for the poor people living in and around the forests, AF has been providing financial
and technical support to two NGOs (IDO and Juno Pawr) in two regions of Bangladesh since late 2006.
Integrated Development Organization (IDO) has been promoting commercial cultivation as well as homestead-based conservation
of medicinal plants in Keshabpur Upazila of Jessore district in the northwest region. By providing training and planting materials to the
farmers, it has been promoting cultivation of selected commercially prospective medicinal plants, namely Bashok (Adhatoda vasica),
Kalomegh (Andrograpis paniculata), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Shatamuli (Asparagus racemosus) and Ghritakumari
(Aloe vera) in 2 villages of the Upazila
namely Hasanpur and Kabilpur. Each of
the 415 households of these villages has
planted at least one Amloki (Umbilica
officinalis), one Haritaki (Terminalia
belerica) and one Bohera (T. chebula)
tree and also one Arjun (Terminalia
arjuna) tree and one vine Chui jhal (Piper
chaba) in their homesteads. The fruits
of Amloki, Horitakii and Bohera trees
are collectively called ‘Tripahala’, which
are widely used in herbal medicine
preparations throughout the Indian subcontinent. As such these two villages
are termed as ‘Triphala Villages’. It is
expected that when the trees will start
bearing fruits, the Tripahala Villages will
produce ‘Triphala’ fruits at a scale good
enough to attract traders. IDO has also
established medicinal plant conservation
gardens in 10 primary schools with 25
species of medicinal plants (trees and
shrubs).
Juno Pawr Foundation (JP) has been working in Rangamati district in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). By 2009, it established
two community herbal gardens (5 ha each) in two areas of the district (Mubachari in Rangamati Sadar and Hazachara in Barkal
Upazila) with about 200 species of medicinal plants of the area to serve as germplasm repository of local medicinal plants. In 2010,
Juno Pawr concentrated on promoting homestead-based selected cultivation of commercially prospective species of medicinal
plants among 60 households in the Hazachara village, besides assisting the communities to maintain the two community herbal
gardens. To augment socio-economic condition of the project participants, Juno Pawr established a revolving fund at the group
level by contributing BDT 100,000 from the project and facilitating participatory savings by the group members. Through monthly
group meetings, the project staff guided the project participants to undertake alternative income generation activities (AIGA) using
the revolving fund and personal resources. Out of 60 project participants, 28 (47%) undertook AIGA ventures, of whom 19 went
for cultivation of turmeric and ginger and 9 for fruit gardening.
Restoration of Critically Endangered Tree Species
Since 2006, AF has been funding two projects at the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Chittagong University
(IFESCU) to restore and conserve two critically endangered tree species of the hill forests of Bangladesh namely Civit (Swintonia
floribunda) and Banspata (Podocarpus nerifolius). The researchers at IFESCU surveyed the remaining individuals of these trees in
the forests and botanic gardens of the country, established a germplasm bank of different provenences of these species at the
IFESCU campus by collecting seeds and scions from the identified mother trees and developed effective sexual and vegetative
20
20 I Arannayk Foundation I Annual Report 2010
propagation techniques for them. They multiplied these trees at the IFESCU nursery and established a 3.5 acre seed orchard of
Swintonia floribunda and a 1.5 acre seed orchard of Podocurpus nerifolius in the Chittagong University campus as a future source
of planting materials of these species. IFESCU has also distributed 12,000 saplings of Civit and 350 saplings of Banspata to FD,
different institutions and individuals, which have been planted in several places including forests and eco-parks managed by the
Forest Department, germplasm centers of other Universities, tea gardens and private lands.
In 2010, IFESCU has started working on a number of other endangered native species of Bangladesh forests, namely Boilam
(Anisoptera scaphula), Telsur (Hopea odorata), Gutguitta (Protium serratum), Batna (Castanopsis indica), Bandarhola (Duabanga
grandiflora), Baitta garjan (Diptercarpus costatus), Sada garjan (D. alatus) and Teli garjan (D. turbinatus). The IFESCU team has
collected seeds of the above species and raised seedlings for establishing plantation (as future seed source) in the IFESCU
germplasm centre and experimenting on propagation techniques.
Coastal Biodiversity Conservation through Development of AIG Facilities
To help local communities in the salinity intrusion affected coastal areas in the south-west of Bangladesh conserve local biodiversity,
Arannayk Foundation has been funding two projects since November 2006. One of the projects is located at Kaliganj Upazila
of Satkhira district and is implemented by Uttaran (NGO). The other project is located at Paikgacha in Khulna district, which is
implemented by a consortium of four NGOs (CFSD, BCAS, DEBTECH and Sushilan) led by CFSD.
Uttaran has been working with 40 groups, with an apex body, involving 1000 farm families, who have planted 19,000 saplings of
26 different species (fruit and timber trees) in their homesteads. The participants have also established 14 km strip plantations
on canal and river banks with 3 mangrove species namely keora (90%), baen and goran. Uttaran has provided skill development
training on livestock rearing, poultry rearing, vegetables cultivation in homesteads, and planting and management of trees to 420
participants and has established a revolving fund amounting to BDT 850,000 at the apex body of the groups to provide credit
support to the group members for AIG activities. The loans from the revolving funds are interest-free but the borrowers are required
to plant at least 5 endangered plants in their own lands per BDT 1,000 borrowed. About 400 project participants (40%) are now
involved in various AIGAs, the major ones being vegetable cultivation in homesteads (121) and rice cultivation on leased lands
(60). Other AIGAs include cow rearing/beef fattening (33), goat rearing (31), duck rearing (31), crab fattening (22), quail (bird)
rearing (18), trading of fish fry (25), other
small-scale businesses (14), Paniphal
(an aquatic fruit) cultivation (11), poultry
rearing (8) and nursery (5 participants).
The CFSD project (completed in March
2010) conducted intensive awareness
campaign among the community
members on the needs and ways to
conserve local biodiversity and adopt
alternative income generation activities.
It organized 250 poor households
into 10 groups and mentored them to
undertake participatory actions towards
biodiversity conservation and livelihood
adaptation.The participants have planted
about 6,500 saplings, mostly of fruit
trees (mango, guava, sapota, kathbael,
jujube, etc.) in their homesteads and
about 2,500 saplings of two mangrove
species, keora (Sonneratia apetala) and
baen (Avicennia officinalis) on dikes of
shrimp farms (in 2008). The project
participants established revolving funds
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
21
at the group level through self-contributions (monthly savings) of the members to support AIGAs at group or individual level.
Organizing themselves in 4 groups for a special AIG venture, 230 participants undertook crab fattening business and in 3 - 4
month’s time the groups earned BDT 10,000 - BDT 22,000 net profit. Moreover, some of the participants undertook other AIGAs
such as vegetable cultivation, fresh water fish cultivation in paddy fields and cultivation of ‘Mele’ ( a kind of sedge plant that is
used for mat-making).To help the community tackle crisis of drinking water in the dry season, the project established 10 rainwater
harvest devices, one per group, for storing rainwater during rainy season.
Homestead Agroforestry through Improved Management Practices
Since 2006, the AF has been supporting three projects on conservation and restoration of biodiversity in homestead forests
in three areas of Bangladesh which are implemented by three different NGOs: Prottyashi in Sitakund and Mirsarai Upazila of
Chittagong, CODEC in Patiya and Chandanaish Upazila of Chttagong and Uttaran in Tala Upazila of Satkhira district.
Prottyashi works with 422 households, organized into 21 groups. It has planted 40,000 saplings of 25 species of trees in the
homesteads of the project participants and along village roads. Through participatory savings, the groups have established
revolving funds to support agro-forestry based income generating activities of the members. Prottyashi has contributed BDT
200,000 to one of the groups and BDT 75,000 to 15 other groups from the project to initiate the revolving funds. Through monthly
meeting with each group, project staff provides training, advice and guidance on biodiversity conservation, agroforestry practices
and other income generation activities to the project participants. About 77% (324 out of 422) of the project participants are now
engaged in various income generating activities, vegetable cultivation being the most widely adopted (195 participants). The other
IGAs include mat making from Pati pata (Schumannianthus dichotoma) (55), fruit gardening (33), poultry rearing (31), etc.
One of the groups (Nijtaluk Krishi O
Banaon Samity), that received a grant
of BDT 200,000 from the project for
its revolving fund (and also raised BDT
35,700 through weekly savings of the
members @ Tk. 10-20), used the
revolving fund in an innovative way.
The group, involving 28 participants,
bought an engine operated rice
threshing machine at BDT 56,000 and
gave it to one of their forest dependent
participants under a higher-purchase
arrangement, involving
benefit
sharing with the group. By December
2010, the thresher operator returned
BDT 25,975 to the group fund. After
one season, they bought a tractor at
BDT 40,000 and in just one season
the group earned BDT 5,585 from the
tractor. More than 150 families of the
village are being benefited from the
threshing machine and the tractor.
Aside from these two ventures, Niztaluk Samity gave smaller loans (interest free) to its members for a variety of other AIG activities
such as agriculture, pisciculture, mat making, cow rearing or beef fattening, goat rearing and poultry rearing. The Niztaluk Samity
also leased in road-side marginal lands of two roads of the village from the local Union Parishad and planted that with indigenous
tree species. Moreover, every household of the village planted at least 1 or 2 saplings of indigenous species in their homesteads.
The people of that village are now more aware about conservation of local biodiversity than before.
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
CODEC is working with 300 households in 12 villages adjacent to degraded public forest lands, facilitating their technical and
organizational capacity development for local biodiversity conservation and improvement of agroforestry production in the homesteads.
By 2010, the project participants planted 80,000 saplings of 75 species of trees (fruit, timber) in their homesteads as well as institutional
and public lands. As fuel-wood collection from the forests by the local communities is a major factor affecting natural regeneration in
the forests, CODEC promotes adoption of improved cooking stoves among the project participants. It helped the groups establish their
own revolving funds to provide interest free loan to their members for agroforestry development and other income generating activities
by contributing BDT 212,000 to the groups as start-up fund and encouraging them to raise funds through monthly saving deposits
(@ Tk. 20-30) of the group members. By 2010, about 46% members (138 out of 300) of the 12 groups were engaged in 12 different
types of AIGAs, of which fish culture (31), goat rearing (30) and small business (26 participants) were the major ones.
Uttaran is working with 1000 households in 40 groups. To raise peoples’ awareness and interest in biodiversity conservation and
tree planting Uttaran undertook various programs every year, which include community meetings and observance of significant
days such as International Biodiversity Day and World Environment Day with rally, discussion session, various competitive learning
events for school students such as essay writing, debate, species identification and art competitions. The project has provided skill
development training on various agroforestry based income generating activities (livestock rearing, poultry rearing, homesteadbased vegetable cultivation, planting and management of trees, etc.) to 350 participants. To support agroforestry based AIG
activities of the project participants, Uttaran has established a revolving loan fund at the apex body of the participant groups with
BDT 800,000 contributed from the project and additional funds raised by the groups through collection of weekly savings deposits
(@ Tk. 10-20) from the members. Based on this facility, by 2010, 417 participants (42%) undertook various AIG activities (15
types), of which vegetable cultivation (140) was the most common. The other AIGAs include rice cultivation (67), goat rearing (46)
and fish culture (35 participants). The loans from the revolving fund were interest free, but borrowers were required to plant 5
saplings of endangered species in their own or community lands per BDT 1000 of the loan. The project participants have planted
26,500 saplings of about 40 different tree species, with particular emphasis on endangered local species, in their homesteads
and public places, including establishment of a 3 km strip plantation along roadside.
Community-based Conservation of Forest Resources and Enhancing Rural
Livelihood in Rangamati of CHT
This is a 3-year project located in Wagga Union of Kaptai Upazila of Rangamati district. It is implemented by a Rangamati-based
local NGO, Hill Flower, since June 2009. The project targets to conserve the existing forests, watershed and biodiversity of five
villages of Wagga Union including the surrounding landscape. It works directly with 105 forest dependent households of those five
villages, helping them (through technical and financial support) to undertake participatory programs on conservation of forests,
watershed and biodiversity of the area and for their alternative livelihood development. Using this project area as a demonstration
site, Hill Flower promotes environmental awareness among community leaders, local authorities and general mass of Rangamati
district as a whole. For this purpose, Hill Flower organized a number of awareness raising meetings with different segments of the
society including community leaders (twice), monks (thrice) and students (once) from different areas of the district and observed
the World Environment Day 2010 with rally and discussion meeting involving community leaders, students, teachers and general
mass of the project area.
For alternative livelihood development of the 105 households of the project area, the project has undertaken various steps,
organizing them into four groups. It has provided each group (association) with a revolving fund of BDT 200,000. The project
also provided training on financial management to the responsible persons of the groups (3 per group) and technical training
on mushroom cultivation and bee keeping to 100 participants, training on cultivation and post harvest management of turmeric
and ginger to 70 participants and training on nursery management and grafting techniques to 4 participants. Out of the 105
households, 83 (79%) are now involved in AIG activities: 54 in turmeric, ginger and aroid cultivation and 25 in small-scale
businesses. Two participants have established two nurseries.
Hill Flower distributed about 11,000 saplings of fruit trees, timber trees and medicinal plants among the project participants
for planting in their homesteads and other lands. The people of the project area are now well motivated to conserve the natural
resources of the project area and have already stopped removing stones from the hill slopes and creeks. They have done
enrichment planting (with local endangered tree species) in about 80 hectares of degraded forests.
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
23
Indigenous Community Based Sustainable Management of Chimbuk Hill Forests in
Bandarban
This project, implemented by the Humanitarian Foundation, includes two villages in the Chimbuk Range of Banderban district,
namely Korangpara and Kaprupara which are in close proximity to each other although they fall under two different Upazila –
Ruma and Lama, respectively. At each village, there is a Village Common Forest (VCF) and the main occupation of the community
members is shifting cultivation, which is done in the lands surrounding the VCFs. Due to continuous expansion of shifting cultivation
in the area, the VCFs were under increasing threat of further degradation and extinction of species. In this context, Humanitarian
Foundation undertook this project to conserve the two VCFs through awareness and capacity building of the concerned communities.
It organized a number of meetings with the communities of the project area, including local authorities, village heads (Karbari) and
religious leaders to raise their awareness on the importance of conserving the VCFs for their watershed and biodiversity functions.
For alternative livelihood development of the 58 households of the two villages, Humanitarian foundation established a revolving
fund at each VCF group by contributing BDT 467,000 (total) from the project and initiating a participatory saving program
(BDT 20/month) involving the group members. It provided leadership and management training to 24 members of the two
VCF management committees and skills training on poultry and livestock rearing to 40 participants, training on weaving to 20
participants and training on grafting techniques to 6 participants.
In 2010, all of the 58 households in two villages cultivated turmeric and ginger using the credit facility of the revolving fund (@
BDT 3,000 – BDT 5,000 per participant). Some of them also cultivated cucumber and other vegetables. Moreover, 23 participants
cultivated vegetables and 23 participants started small businesses such as trading of locally produced banana and retail business
of other commodities. One farmer in each village has also established one nursery. In fortnightly meetings, which are held
regularly, the project staff of the Humanitarian Foundation discusses technical (biodiversity conservation, IGA) and institutional
issues with the members of the VCF communities. The project participants have established 4 hectares of agroforestry plantations
with 10,400 saplings of mango, orange and some local tree species planted in pineapple fields as a demonstration of better
alternative to monoculture of pineapple or shifting cultivation.
Community Based conservation of Village Common Forests in Rowangchari,
Bandarban Hill district
This project, implemented by Tahzingdong, includes three VCFs in Rowangchari Upazila of Bandarban district namely Rowangchari
Para VCF (100 ha), Tulachari Para VCF (14 ha) and Ronin Para VCF (120 ha). There are 384 household in these three VCFs. The
baseline survey conducted in 2009 revealed that 19 species of native trees have been lost from the VCFs. To raise awareness of
the VCF communities and general mass of the project area about the importance of conserving the VCFs, Tahzingdong conducted
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
intensive awareness campaign by disseminating messages through posters, leaflets and billboards and by organizing rally, discussion
meeting and seedling distribution program on the World Environment Day (5 June). Through monthly meetings, the project staff of
Tahzingdong provides guidance and assistance to the VCF committees about their institutional and development issues.
To support alternative livelihood opportunity development, Tahzingdong has established a revolving fund at each VCF group by
contributing BDT 550,000 (total) from the project and initiating a participatory saving program (BDT 10/month) involving the
group members. It provided skill development training on agroforestry to 25 participants and that on nursery establishment and
management to 13 participants. In 2010, 16 participants undertook AIG activities: 12 cultivation of turmeric, ginger and aroids; 3
small-scale businesses and 1 nursery.
Tahzingdong established a gravitional flow system (GFS) of water supply to the households of the Tulachari community from a
water catchment point of their VCF.
Itchari Community Reserve Forest Conservation Project, Khagrachari
This project, implemented by BIRAM, is located in Panchari Union of Khagrachari Sadar Upazila of Khagrachari district. The Itchari
Community Reserve Forest (CRF) has an area of 67 ha and belongs to a community of 165 households in two villages, Itchari
Vitor Para and Itchari Madhya Para. The baseline survey of the CRF revealed that there are 37 species of trees in the CRF while
10 indigenous species of the forest have been lost. Although there was a management committee for the CRF since decades, it
was not so active and encroachment and illicit felling of trees were taking place in the CRF. After BIRAM raised awareness of the
community members through a number of discussion meetings, the community established a new management committee for the
CRF. Through technical assistance and input support from the project, the project participants have developed a management plan
for the CRF and have planted about 4,675 saplings of indigenous species in the gaps of the CRF and other places of the villages.
To support alternative livelihood development, BIRAM has established a revolving fund at the CRF organization by contributing BDT
500,000 from the project and initiating a participatory savings program (BDT 5/month) involving the group members. It provided
skill development training on fish farming, mushroom cultivation and grafting techniques to 20, 28 and 19 participants, respectively.
Using the revolving fund and other technical assistance of the project, 64 out of 165, participants (39%) have adopted various AIG
activities such as fish culture (18 participants), mushroom cultivation (18), pig rearing (12) and goat rearing (9 participants).
BIRAM shared the experience of the project with all relevant stakeholders at the Upazila level including government officials,
community leaders and civil society organizations by organizing an experience sharing meeting.
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
25
Restoration of Hilly Biodiversity through Community Based Bio-Resource
Management at Dighinala, Khagrachari
This project, implemented by Anando, includes two villages, Ghona Para and Bhoirofa Bridge Para, under the Boro Merung Mouza
of Dighinala Upazila of Khagrachari district, which is a resettlement area where the hills and forests are highly degraded due to
shifting cultivation. The baseline survey of the project site revealed that there are 45 species of tress in the homesteads and fallow
or jhum cultivated hills while 16 native tree species have been lost.
There are 31 households in the two villages (14 in Ghona Para, 17 in Bhoirofa Bridge Para) and they own a total of 41 ha of
cultivable hilly land. Each family also has a homestead of 0.1 ha. Anando has organized the households of the two villages into
two groups and initiated various participatory activities towards restoration and conservation of biodiversity alternative livelihood
development. In 2010, Anando included 22 new participants from adjacent villages in the project.
To develop institutional and technical capacities of the project participants, Anando organized two training courses on organizational
development and management (ODM) processes and 11 courses on technical skill development. Thirty-two participants
participated in the ODM courses and the same number in a course on multi-tier orchard and 30 in a course on boundary line
utilization. Twenty-five participants got training on poultry rearing, 18 on cow rearing, 20 on beef fattening, 16 on vermi-compost
preparation, 20 on bee keeping, 11 on nursery establishment, 20 on vegetative propagation techniques, 30 on biodiversity
conservation and 31 on preparation of improved cooking stoves. The project established a revolving fund at the apex body of the
community groups with BDT 260,000 contributed from the project and participatory savings by the participants at the rate of BDT
40 – BDT 100 per month.
Based on the above support of the project, every household has established a multi-tier-orchard, a proven boundary-line model
of agroforestry along homestead boundary and papya plants on house cliffs of respective homesteads. Besides that, many of
them have adopted other AIGAs such as cultivation of turmeric, ginger and aroids (28), poultry rearing (24), goat rearing (18), cow
rearing/beef fattening (17) and vegetable cultivation (12 participants). The project participants have enriched 39.3 hectares of
degraded forests (hills) with various native species by planting 32,000 saplings, 93% of which are surviving.
Swamp Forest Restoration in Haor Areas of Sunamganj District
This is a 3-year project, implemented by CNRS since June 2009. The project is working on restoration of two highly degraded swamp
forests: Rahimapur Bagh (43 ha) in Jamalganj Upazila and Gobindapur Bagh (22 ha) in Sunamganj Sadar Upazila of Sunamganj
district, which are public (khas) lands under the disposal of the district administration. CNRS organized a number of community
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
meetings to raise peoples’ awareness about the need for restoring and conserving the swamp forests and organized 38 poor
people of Rahimapur and 32 poor people of Gobinapur to undertaking a participatory program on restoration of the swamp forests.
By motivating, the authorities (Deputy Commissioner, Sunamganj), CNRS arranged a 10-year lease of the targeted lands in favor
of the two community-based organizations (CBO) formed by CNRS. The local communities developed a sustainable management
plan for each forest. To develop institutional and technical capacities of the project participants, CNRS provided training on
organizational and leadership development to 50 CBO members in 2 batches and training on swamp forest management to 116
participants in 4 batches. To promote alternative income generating activities, CNRS also provided training on vegetable gardening
to 150 participants in 7 batches. In two years, the project participants planted 17,000 Hijal (Barringtonia acutangula) and Koroch
(Ponogamia pinnata) trees at Rahimapur Bagh and 15,000 of these trees in Gobindapur Bagh. To extend environmental awareness
among more people, especially for conservation of the swamp forests of Sunamganj, CNRS organized various events such as
rally, group discussions and essay competition among school students (with prize giving ceremony) and seedling distribution on
relevant occasions such as World Wetland Day, International Forest Day, World Environment Day and Biodiversity Day.
Access to Food Security and Accelerated Livelihood towards Biodiversity
Conservation (AFAL) in Khaliajuri, Netrokona
This is a 3-year project located in Khaliajuri upazila of Netrokona district and implemented by a local NGO, Sabalamby Unnayan
Samity (SUS), since June 2009. The project site includes four villages: Lakshmiur, Rasulpur, Kristapur and Ichapur and it targets
to restore stands of Hijal and Koroch trees around the villages to protect the homesteads from erosion by wave action and provide
breeding ground for fishes and shelter for birds. Through motivation, SUS has organized 318 poor households from the four
villages to undertake participatory measures towards restoration of the Hijal and Koroch stands around their villages and provides
continuous backstopping to them through monthly meetings.
To create access of the poor community members to funds (interest free loan) for undertaking income generating activities, SUS
has established a revolving fund at each village by contributing BDT 600,000 (total) from the project and initiating a participatory
saving program (BDT 10-50/month) involving the group members. Out of the 318 participants, 133 (42%) have already adopted
various AIG activities such as small scale business (43), weaving of fishing nets (15), vegetable cultivation (13), cow rearing (13)
and fishing (12 participants). The project participants have also established 4.5 km strip plantations along the boundary of the
homesteads and 1.5 ha in blocks (open haor areas) with 24,300 Koroch and Hijal saplings.
Inani Protected Forest Area (PFA) Co-management Project
This is a 4-year project located in Ukhia Upazila of Cox’s Bazar District. It is implemented by a local NGO - Society for Health
Extension & Development (SHED) since June 2009. The project area covers part of Inani and Ukhia ranges including 7,000 ha
natural tropical forests planned to be declared as PFA plus 3,000 ha of surrounding Reserved Forests. The area is a part of a
natural habitat of Asian elephants adjoining the Teknaf Game Reserve. It still contains some old growth forests but its greater part
is highly degraded due to illicit felling of trees by the poor people living in and around the forest.
SHED has organized people of 15 villages around the Inani PFA for participatory conservation of the forest. At each village,
it has organized the most vulnerable forest dependent people (50 – 70) into a group called Village Forest Dependent Group
(VFDG) to provide technical and financial support for alternative livelihood development and a Village Forest Conservation Forum
(VFCF) involving the village leaders (including religious leaders) as well as representatives of the VFDG. In collaboration with
Forest Department, SHED has established a 65-member Co-management Council for the Inani PFA in June 2010 involving
all representatives of stakeholder groups. The Co-management Council members promptly formed a 29-member executive
committee – the Co-management Committee (CMC). The VFCFs of the 15 villages have formed an apex body, Peoples Forum, to
collaborate with the CMC in the management of the Inani PFA. SHED provided leadership development training to 123 leaders
of VFDGs and VFCFs. SHED organizes monthly meeting of VFDGs and quarterly meeting of VFCFs for planning and review of
participatory activities.
SHED undertook various awareness raising activities including celebration of the International Biodiversity Day and the World
Environment Day through rallies, discussion sessions and essay, drawing, slogan-writing and debate competitions among school
students.
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
27
For alternative livelihood development of the forest dependent people, SHED established a revolving fund at each of the 15 VFDGs
by contributing BDT 1,970,000 (total) from the project and initiating a participatory saving program involving the group members.
SHED also provided skills development training on planting and management of bamboo, fruit trees and timber trees to all the
990 VFDG members, training on homestead vegetable cultivation to 150 participants and training on nursery management and
vegetative propagation techniques to 33 participants.
Out of 990 VFDG members, 334 (34%) have adopted various AIG activities of which rice cultivation in leased land (98 participants)
is the most widely adopted one followed by small-scale businesses (87 participants) including grocery shop and selling of betel
leaf, banana, vegetables, fish fry, dried fish, green coconut, etc. The other IGAs include vegetable cultivation (35), goat rearing
(31), fish culture (23) and beef fattening (19 participants).
The project participants have established plantation in 40 ha of deforested area with 26,340 saplings, 65% of which are surviving.
Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in the Denuded Hills in Sitakunda and
Mirsarai, Chittagong
This is a 3-year project located partly in Sitakunda and partly in Mirsarai Upzaila of Chittagong District, implemented by a local
NGO, Young Power in Social Action (YPSA), since June 2009. The project targets to restore and conserve forest and biodiversity
in the denuded hills of Baraiyadhala (Sitakunda) and Mirsarai Ranges.
YPSA is working with 496 poor forest dependent families in 15 villages surrounding the targeted forests, organizing them into 20
forest depertment groups (FDG). In each village it has also estublished a village forest conservation forum (VFCF) to work as an
advisory body for the FDG. It provided leadership development training to 20 VFCF members and 20 FDG members. For alternative
livelihood development, It has provided skill development training on vegetable cultivation to 75 participants (FDG member),
training on fruit tree planting and management to 75 participants, training on poultry and cattle rearing to 25 participants, training
on handicrafts (bamboo and cane products) making to 64 participants, and training on improved cooking stove making to 20
participants. Each FDG has established a revolving fund based on participatory savings of its members at the rate of BDT 20 per
week to support AIG activities of its members.
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
With training and supply of quality seeds
mobilized by YPSA from the reputed seed
company, Lal Teer Seeds Ltd., the project
participants have started cultivating various
vegetables in their homesteads. The project
participants established 10 ha plantation with
about 12,000 saplings, of which 65% were
surviving at the end of the year 2010.
To raise peoples’ awareness about the
importance of restoration and conservation
of forest and biodiversity in the denuded hills,
YPSA conducted various awareness raising
activities such as community meetings, display
of slogans on billboards and observance of the
significant days (World Water Day on 22 March,
International Day of Biodiversity on 22 May and
World Environment Day on 5 June) with rallies,
discussion sessions and seedling distribution.
Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in the Denuded Hills in Banskhali,
Chittagong
This is a 3-year project located in Banskhali Upazila of Chittagong district and implemented by Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM)
since June 2009. The project targets to restore forest cover and biodiversity in the denuded hills of Sadahanpur Forest Beat of
Banshkhali and surrounding villages.
DAM has been working with 750 poor forest dependent households from three villages (Boilgaon, Banigram, Sadhanpur)
around Sadhanpur Beat, organizing them into 26 groups under three village-level federations. To support alternative livelihood
development of the project participants, DAM established a revolving fund at the apex body of the community groups with BDT
150,000 contributed from the project and participatory savings by the participants at the rate of BDT 10-20 per month. It also
provided skill development training on nursery to 11 participants and that on sewing to 16 participants.
In 2010, 37 (5%) participants adopted different AIG activities such as bamboo handicrafts making (22), vegetable cultivation (11),
small-scale businesses (3) and poultry rearing (2 participants).
To raise peoples’ awareness on forest and biodiversity conservation, DAM organized monthly group meeting and observed the
International Biodiversity Day and the World Environment Day through rallies, discussion sessions and essay writing competition
among students with prize giving ceremony.
Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in Barind Dhamoirhat Sal Forest,
Naogaon
This is a 3-year project located in Dhamoirhat Upazila in Naogaon district, implemented by Padakhep Manobik Unnayan Kendra
(an NGO) since June 2009. The project targets to restore and conserve biodiversity of the degrading Sal (Shorea robusta) forests
of Dhamoirhat Beat of Paikbanda Forest Range.
Padakhep has been working with 420 participants in 12 groups. It organized awareness raising meetings with different stakeholders
to promote participatory conservation of the Dhamoirhat Sal forest and organized observance of World Environment Day (5 June)
through rally, discussion session and seedlings distribution.
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
29
To support AIG activities of its members, each group has established a revolving through monthly savings of its members at the
rate of BDT 20-50. Padakhep provided training on homestead-based vegetable cultivation to 150 participants. Out of the 420
project participants, 175 (42%) have adopted AIG activities – mostly vegetable cultivation (156) and a few goat rearing (17) and
poultry rearing (2 participants).
Restoration and Conservation of Biodiversity in Singra Sal Forest, Dinajpur
This is a 3-year project located in Birganj Upazila of Dinajpur district, implemented by RDRS since June 2009. The project targets
to restore and conserve biodiversity of 170 hectares of Sal forest in Singra Forest Beat, which is under process of being declared
as a National Park but currently undergoing degradation due to overexploitation of fuelwood and leaf-litters, grazing, illicit felling
and encroachment.
RDRS has been working with 202 forest dependent households in six villages surrounding the targeted forest and has organized
them into eight groups. To raise awareness on forest and biodiversity conservation among local communities and other
stakeholders, RDRS undertook various steps such as organizing stakeholders meeting; observing the World Forestry Day and the
World Environment Day with rally, discussion session and seedling distribution; and erecting billboards with motivating slogans.
To support alternative livelihood development of the poor project participants, RDRS has established a revolving fund at each
group by contributing BDT 600,000 (total) from the project and initiating a participatory savings program (@ BDT 20-50/month)
involving the group members. RDRS staffs provide continuous technical support to the groups through monthly meetings. To
develop financial management capacity of the groups, RDRS provided basic accounting training to the Treasurer of each group.
By 2010, almost all participants (200 out of 202) adopted various AIG activities, of which vegetable cultivation (87), small scale
business (31) and goat rearing (27 participants) are the major ones.
The community groups are now very active in protecting the forest from illicit felling, encroachment and collection of leaf-litters
from the forest floor in collaboration with the local staff of the Forest Department.
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
Biodiversity monitoring in selected protected forest areas
In October 2010, the AF awarded a one-year project to the Zoology Department (Wildlife Branch) of Jahangirnagar University
(JU) that aims to identify and document the floral and faunal biodiversity of six protected forest areas and to establish a webbased national database on biodiversity starting with the information generated through this survey. The project will also assess
the habitat quality of those forests for the main wildlife species of the respective forests and suggest management strategies
to improve the habitat quality. The selected forests are: Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary and Inani National Park in Cox’s Bazar district,
Fashiakhali Wildlife Sanctuary, Dudhpukuria-Dhopachai Wildlife Sanctuary and Baraiyadhala National Park in Chittagong district
and Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sancturay in Habiganj district. The implementing entity initiated the survey work in November 2010
engaging a joint team of wildlife biologists from Jahangirnagar University and botanists from Dhaka University. The survey will
continue for a year at each site. In three protected areas covered by December 2010 (Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary, Rema-Kalenga
Wildlife Sanctuary, Fasiakhali Wildlife Sanctuary), the researchers found some critically endangered species of wildlife such as
Hog Badger (Arctonyx collaris), Flying squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger) and over 200 species of birds. In floristic biodiversity survey,
they recorded more than 150 species of trees and shrubs.
Livelihood support to forest user groups in co-managed protected forest areas
In October 2010, the AF initiated a collaborative program with the USAID funded Integrated Protected Area Co-Management (IPAC)
Project to support alternative livelihood development of the forest dependent people in the protected forest areas. AF provided
small grants amounting to BDT 1.0 million each to the Co-management Council of three PFAs namely Lawachara National Park,
Satchari National Park, and Rema-Kelenga Wildlife Sanctuary. The major part of the AF grants (90%) would be given to the forest
dependent groups to use as a ‘revolving fund’ to provide short-term loans to the group members for implementing AIG activities.
By December 2010, the CMCs of the three PFAs selected the forest user groups and AIG activities to distribute the grants.
Capacity building of stakeholders for improved planning and management of forest
and biodiversity conservation projects
In October 2010, AF awarded a project to Proshika to design and implement a number of training activities and a study tour to Nepal
for the staff of different NGOs and the Forest Department associated with the implementation of Arannayk Foundation supported
projects. The planned training courses include: (a) Facilitation techniques, (b) Organizational development and management of
community-based organizations, (c) Participatory Rapid Appraisal, (d) Biodiversity survey, and (e) Value chain analysis and rural
enterprise promotion. The implementation of the training courses, however, begun in January 2010.
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
31
Promotional and awareness raising activities of the Arannayk Foundation
To disseminate information and knowledge generated by it, Arannayk Foundation produced two video documentaries with the
help of two professional communication firms. One of the documentation produced by Hott Media Ltd. was on the vision, mission
and programs of Arannayk Foundation. The other documentary produced by Infotainment Ltd. was on the success story of
successfully restoring two critically endangered tree species by IFESCU.
In October 2010, AF awarded a grant to a private communication firm named Bangla Communications Ltd. to plan and implement
communication activities to create mass awareness on forest and biodiversity conservation and to share the vision, mission,
activities and experiences of the Arannayk Foundation with environmentally concerned civil society organizations, donor agencies,
national policy makers and key persons of relevant Government agencies. The contract was signed in November 2010, following
which Bangla Communications Ltd. detailed out a work plan in consultation with the AF Secretariat. The planned activities include
organizing an ‘Arannayk Foundation Day’ and a comprehensive package of awareness campaign on forest and biodiversity
conservation through print and electronic media. The awareness campaign will include airing of public service announcements
(PSA) on forest and biodiversity conservation issues and TV spots on Arannayk Foundation activities and success stories in
television channels, and publication of features and reports on environmental issues and success stories in newspapers.
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
33
ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOOD DEVELOPMENT
Forest dependent livelihood of the poor people living in and around forests is a major cause of deforestation and forest degradation.
For their livelihood, such people generally rely on collection of fuel wood, bamboo and other minor forest products from the forest.
But due to increasing scarcity of such natural resources (resulting from overexploitation and unsustainable management), people
often destroy planted and naturally regenerated saplings of trees for fuelwood and clear out forests for cultivation of sun grass
and other farming activities. On the other hand, due to increasing demands of timber and fuelwood (especially for brick kilns)
in the market, some people also engage in illicit felling of trees. Therefore, promotion of alternative income generation activities
(AIGA) among the forest dependent people has been a major strategy of Arannayk Foundation supported projects on forest and
biodiversity conservation. Generally about one-fourth of the total budget of a project is given the community-based organizations
(CBO), or groups, formed by the project participants as a grant to use a revolving fund to support AIGAs of their members. The
groups also generate such funds through participatory savings (monthly, fortnightly or weekly) of their members. The groups
operate the revolving fund based on agreed upon guidelines developed in a participatory manner. Loan from the revolving fund is
given to the group members based on the prospect of the AIGAs proposed by the applicants. In most groups, this loan is interest
free but the borrowers need to plant 2-5 saplings of endangered native trees in their own lands (homestead) in own cost. Some
groups, however, charge a nominal interest (2-5%) on the money lend from the revolving fund. The field staff of the project
implementing NGOs provides necessary training, market information and linkage building support to the AIGA participants.
In 2010, out of 6,973 project participants in 17 projects, 3,183 participants (46%) were involved in various AIGAs. The relative
number of project participants engaged in AIGAs varied significantly among the projects, ranging from 4% to 100%, depending
on the amount of the revolving fund and some other factors such as facilitation skills of project staff, dynamism of the groups and
availability of funds (credit) from other sources.
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
Forty-three different AIGAs were found to be practiced by the participants of different projects. The choice of AIGAs might
be influenced by various factors such as agro-ecological characteristics of the respective area, marketing opportunities, input
availability and access to extension services. In respect of distribution across the projects (or locations), small business and
vegetable cultivation have been the most widely adopted AIGAs, each of which is practiced in 12 out of 17 (70%) projects,
followed by, poultry rearing (60%), nursery (60%), goat rearing (53%), cow rearing or beef fattening (53%), fish cultivation (53%)
and fruit gardening (47%). Small-scale business includes retail selling (door-to-door or in local market) of vegetables, banana, dry
fish, betel leaf, goat, fish fry, green coconut and other commodities; grocery or stationery shops and trading of wood. With regard
to total number of adopters (irrespective of location), however, vegetable cultivation (mostly in homesteads) is the most widely
adopted AIG activity, which has been adopted by 19% of all the AIGA adopting project participants, and it is closely followed by
fruit gardening (17%). Small-scale business has been adopted by 7% and rice cultivation (generally on leased land) by 6% of all
the AIGA adopting participants in 17 projects.
The investments made by the project participants in the AIGAs generally ranged from BDT 4,000 to BDT, 10,000, although a few
entrepreneurs invested significantly higher amount (mainly for buying engine-driven agricultural machineries to operate on rental
basis). On the other hand, some of the participants invested only BDT 1,000 – BDT 3,000 for small-scale business involving
buying and selling commodities on a daily basis or for buying seeds for vegetable cultivation. According to crude estimates made
by project staff, the gross returns of the AIGAs ranges from 1.2 to 3.1 times of investments, small-scale businesses being most
profitable for the short (almost daily) cycles of buying and selling. The AIGAs have started to improve socio-economic conditions of
the concerned project participants and to reduce their dependence on forests (extraction of fuelwood, bamboo or timber) as their
mainstay of livelihood. This development is illustrated by a series of case studies presented in the foregoing sections.
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
35
Goat rearing
Betel nut cultivation and processing
Fish culture
Trading of banana
Mobile vendor of dried fish
Mobile vendor of betel leaf
Grocery shop
Mobile vendor of vegetables
Fruit gardening
Tailoring
Cow rearing/beef fatenning
Rickshaw/Rickshaw van
Buying and selling of goat
Mobile vendor fish fry
Cultivation of potato
Poultry rearing
Pickle processing
Mobile vendor of green coconut
Lime processing
Inani PFA Co-management
Project, Cox’s Bazar
Cultivation of vegetables
Name of IGA
Cultivation of rice
List of Alternative Income Generation Activities (AIGA)
98
35
31
16
23
4
2
34
41
3
3
1
19
9
1
1
2
4
1
1
1
Biodiversity restoration in
denuded hills of Banshkhali
11
Biodiversity restoration in
denuded hills, SitakundMirsarai
Conservation of Dhamoirhat
Sal forest
Conservation of Singra Sal
forest
300
20
156
17
87
Community conserved
forest in Chimbuk Range,
Banderban
Community conserved
forest in Rowangchari,
Banderban
496
18
2
27
1
23
1
13
11
4
17
10
1
2
2
Community based mgt.
of forests resources in
Rangamati
Communty based
management of Itchari CRF,
Khagrachari
Community based bioresource management in
Dighinala
5
12
9
18
18
2
12
Communty based herbal
gardens in Rangamati
4
Homestead agroforestry,
Patiya-Chandanaish,
Chittagong
10
30
Homestead agroforestry,
Sitakunda-Mirsarai
195
5
140
46
67
Coastal biodiversity
conservation, Paikgacha,
Khulna
12
2
24
7
5
1
13
9
6
9
5
6
33
1
31
10
24
2
17
5
33
25
8
20
60
TOTAL
342 1053 216
121
31
35
40
Coastal biodiversity
conservation, Kaliganj,
Satkhira
36
3
9
Restoration of swamp forest
in Khaliajuri, Netrokona
13
(AFAL)
Homestead agroforestry,
Tala, Satkhira
17
31
14
18
156
17
2
39
48
15
561
19
135
33
1
28
5
113
1
1
1
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
Shop of traditional snack foods
3
1
2
39
1
18
22
1
1
12
31
2
2
10
58
58
3
12
15
25
54
83
2
12
8
4
8
5
26
3
145
171
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
3
5
2
6
99
2
22
3
2
26
3
3
138
57
324
1
1
3
3
8
8
6
6
14
6
7
60
3
3
4
4
3
3
22
31
15
27
230
18
22
45
259
7
20
28
12
37
2
2
52
19
15
1
20
11
52
TOTAL PROJECT PARTICIPANTS
Multi tier orchard
Panniphal (aquatic fruit) cultivation
Mele’ (mat making plant) cultivation
Crab fattening
Koeal (bird) rearing
Making of fishing nets
Boat making
Shallow machine rental service
Mobile vendor (unspecified)
Duck rearing
Stationary shop
Trading of wood
Mobile rice mill on boat
Rickshaw maker
Water pump (irrigation service)
Handicrafts production
Barber shop
Cultivation of turmeric, ginger & taro
Small scale business (unspecified)
Pig rearing
Mushroom cultivation
Plant nursery
with Number of Participants in Different Projects
334
22
37
15
496
175
200
64
53
28
133
417
230
398
3183
Some Success Stories
Case 1. Forest dependent Kashem now relies on vegetable cultivation in leased land
Mr. Abul Kashem is a 42 years’ old landless poor man, living in Village Kamaldaha under Wahedpur Union of Miresharai Upazila
in Chittagong district. To feed his four-member family, he used to collect bamboo and young trees from the forests of Wahedpur
Beat and sell those in the nearby market. He lived a miserable life since he had no other sources of income.
Kashem became a member of the forest and biodiversity conservation project of YPSA two years back. He received training on
vegetable cultivation from the project and leased a 44 decimal (0.18 ha) land with BDT 4,000 for one year. He cultivated the
leased land with bitter gourd, bottle gourd and papaya using seeds of the Lal Teer Seeds Ltd. When he encountered some insect
infestation in his vegetable field and shared the problem with YPSA staff, the latter introduced him with Mr. Rabindra Barua, an
Agriculture Officer of Sitakunda Upazila Agriculture Office, who taught him biological pest control methods to control that insect
pest. This worked well. Mr. Kashem sold BDT 20,000 worth of vegetables in 3 months’ time while his total investment was
BDT 14,000. Thus he earned a profit BDT 6,000 in 3 months. Seeing the economic benefits earned by Kashem from vegetable
cultivation and the effectiveness of the biological pest control system, the other members of the community became inspired to
cultivate vegetables in their own lands. Senior officers of the Upazila Agriculture Office visited their area and organized a field
exhibition. The land owner has extended the lease to Kashem for 8 months more. Kashem is expecting to earn more profit in the
next cropping season.
With the help of YPSA staff, Kashem has been included as a participant in a social forestry project of the Forest Department. The
10-member social forestry group that Kashem belongs to manages one-hectare area of a social forestry plantation from which
Kashem gets some interim income by selling the stems and branches extracted out through thinning and pruning operations. The
group will also receive 50 percent share of the final harvest of the trees.
Kashem says, “Vegetable gardening has enhanced my income and improved my livelihood. Now I don’t need to go to the forest
as frequently as I used to go earlier. I go to the forests only occasionally for collecting some bamboos to fence my vegetable
garden. Being engaged with this project, now I realize the importance of forest and biodiversity conservation for our own benefit.
38
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
My experience has encouraged others to join the YPSA project and participate in the protection of the forest. Now I like planting
trees. A few days back, I have planted two Ficus trees near my house as these trees provide food and shelter to birds and other
animals. These trees also give us shade. In absence of mine, people of my area will remember me as they will get benefit from
these trees”.
Case 2. Najuma Khatun’s family is no more dependent on the forest for livelihood
Najuma Khatun, a housewife, lives in an occupied Protected Forest (PF) land of Patuartek village in Jalia Palong union of Ukhiya
upazilla. She was only 15 when her poor parents forced her to marry Monir Ahmed. They live in a small homestead of 10 decimal
land but, like their other neighbors, they also own about an acre of occupied PF land. The 38 years’ old Najuma’s only dream is to
have a self sufficient family that will not be blamed as “Muraylla”. Muraylla is a local term having several meanings such as forest
people, forest dweller and illicit feller, and used to mean lower class people.
It was really hard for Najuma’s husband to bear expenses of food and clothing of the 6-member family. Three of their children
go to school and one is reading in a nearby Madrasha (religious institution). Meeting the minimal educational expenses of the
children is a big burden to her husband. Both Najuma and her husband are illiterate. Since they got married, her husband used to
go to the forest to cut trees (mostly fuel wood) and sell them in the market to buy rice, vegetables and, occasionally, fish or meat
(not of good quality). This was the livelihood pattern of her family. By the time their family become bigger, trees in the local forest
decreased drastically and it become hard for her husband to meet the needs of the family.
Despite that, ambitious Najuma used to dream for a better life for her children. The situation worsened when her husband started
to work as an irregular daily laborer. He sometimes forced their kids to go to the forest to collect fuel wood. To fulfill the needs
of the family, Najuma started going to the forest to collect fuel wood for the family, but also sometimes selling the surplus in the
local market.
In November 2009, the Inani Protected Forest Area Co-management (PFACM) project team of SHED selected her as a member of
Patuartek Village Forest Dependant Group (VFDG) through a village level stakeholders’ workshop involving local UP member, Beat
Officer, local elites and some other forest dependant people of the village. She got a day-long training on vegetables cultivation
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
39
along with 10 gm pumpkin, 5 gm bitter gourd, 50 gm lady’s finger, 1 gm cucumber, 100 gm red amaranth, 10 gm stem amaranth
and 50 gm kidney bean seeds, 4 papaya seedlings and 1 kg each of Urea, TSP and MP fertilizers, free of cost, from the project in
March, 2010. She planted these seeds and seedlings and took care of the plants according to her training. She invested around
BDT 1200 for fencing and other needs of her vegetables garden. From April to June 15, 2010, she didn’t buy any vegetables from
the market. Moreover, she earned BDT 4,680 by selling some of her vegetables, mostly lady’s finger. She gave most of her income
to her husband for buying rice and fish for the family and clothes and educational materials for their children. She kept some
money for further investment in income generating activities. On June 15, 2010, a heavy rainfall washed away all her planted
vegetables except the lady’s finger plants that gave another good crop. The handsome income she earned from her vegetable
garden made her confident that she could contribute significantly to her family from such activities.
Thus the little support of the project helped Najuma Khatun to discover her hidden strength. She continued to grow vegetables
in her homestead as well as in her occupied land. Following winter, she grew cucumber, pumpkin, kidney bean, lady’s finger and
Indian spinach, investing around BDT 2000 that she saved from the income of the earlier season. Project staff helped her to find
out good quality seeds. Within two months, she earned around BDT 6000 in cash after consuming enough vegetables in the
family. She got the realization that her homestead could be a significant source of income. In June 2010, she planted 10 seeds of
‘Muli’ bamboo, 11 grafted fruit saplings (BAU kul, Apple kul, Amrapali mango, Ranguai mango, Guava) and 5 rain tree seedlings
(for fuel wood) in her homestead.
As a reward of her hard work, she further got (based on the recommendation of the Patuartek VFDG) 2 goats, 1 cock, 4 hen, 4
kg Kakrol (Teasle gourd) rhizomes, 5 kg Tarmarid, 10 Red Lady papaya seedlings, 4 China-3 litchi grafts, 2 Jambura seedlings, 3
Amra saplings and 2 Amrapali mango grafts from the project along with training on preparation of organic fertilizer for establishing
a “Productive Homestead ” demonstration. In addition to BDT 10,000 worth of project support, she also invested BDT 4000 from
her own to enrich her homestead garden. Now she is growing vegetables in her garden in a much larger scale and her husband is
helping her in selling the vegetables. The success of Najuma khatun is frequently discussed in the monthly meetings of the VFDG
and Village level Forest Conservation Forum (VFCF) as an example to motivate other forest dependant people to adopt alternative
livelihood practices instead of destroying the forest.
When asked about her self-evaluation of achivements and future plans, Najuma said, “I am very happy. A part of my dreams
has been fulfilled. I have freed up my family from the curse of being called “Muraylla”. None of my family members goes to
forest except for collection of fuel wood only 2 -3 times a month when my homestead doesn’t produce enough fuel wood. We
now rely mostly on vegetables cultivation and selling of eggs of my hens. Within 2 to 3 years, we will also earn cash from other
sources like selling of mango and other fruits, cattle, etc. I shall try to collect and rear one cow and some more goats and hens
from the savings of my income”. She further added, “I am grateful to SHED and Arannayk Foundation for helping me to find out a
way towards fulfilling my dream. I have learnt a lot from the project staff and VFCF meetings about the importance of forest and
biodiversity conservation and now I feel emotional attraction to forest and wildlife. SHED has created this emotion in my heart”.
Monir Ahmed becomes emotional when he is asked to express his feeling about Najuma’s success. “Now I am a 52 years’ old
weak man. I failed to bear expenses of my family but my wife is helping us to live a decent life. It is a really a great surprise for
me. My soul will rest in peace after my death because I know Najuma is strong enough to take care of my kids in my absence”.
Case 3. Hafizur’s family became well-off by rearing Quail (Coturnix ypsilophora)
Hafizur Rahman (22) is a college student. He lives in Bairhat village in Tala upazilla of Satkhira. His father Asgor Ali is a marginal
farmer. As the family was not financially well-off, Hafizur was planning to do something to improve the economic condition of his
family. With this aim, in October 2008, he became a member of the Shuvro Group of the Homestead Agroforesty Improvement
project of Uttaran. Within a couple of months, he received two 3-day training courses on livestock rearing from the project.
The trainings made him interested in livestock rearing and he decided to start with Quail and goats. He received an interest
free loan of BDT 5,000 from the HAIMP project in November 2008 and started rearing Quail with 200 baby Quails, which he
bought for BDT 2,000. For feeding the birds, he had to spend BDT 3000 per month. After 1 to 1.5 months, almost one third
of the Quails started laying eggs. Within next 15-20 days, about 90% of the birds started laying eggs. It took 2.5 months to
get the complete production. In the local market, he sold the eggs for BDT 1.5 per piece. Thus, Hafizur starred earning BDT
40
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
225 – BDT 270 per day after 2 – 2.5 months by selling 160 – 180 eggs from his 200 Quails. In every month he earned BDT
7,500 – 8,000. He had to spend BDT 3,000 – 3, 500 per month for feeds for the birds and maintenance of the cage. Thus he
earned a net profit of BDT 4,500 – 5,000 per month. Now he helps his father in various household works. Hafizur duly repaid
the loan taken from the project and saved some money as well. He has planned to start goat rearing soon. Now his family is
becoming solvent and running quite smoothly.
Hafizur says, “If any one starts rearing Quail in his own house with determination, he/she can earn good amount of money without
investing much capital and can maintain his/her family from it easily. This business does not require much hard work and there
is not much risk either”.
Case 4. AIGA Helps Kaingprey Mro step out from shifting cultivation
Mr. Kaingprey Mro (38) is an inhabitant of Village Korang Para in Gallenga Mouza of Gallenga Union under Ruma Upazila of
Banderban Hill Distrct. His family, consisting of his wife, three sons, one daughter and himself, was totally dependent on shifting
cultivation. He lived a miserable life as he had no other source of income. On the other hand, the area of shifting cultivation has
been reducing day by day.
Kaingprey became a member of the Korang Para Village Common Forest (VCF) Conservation Committee under the Arannayk
Foundation supported project of Humanitarian Foundation (HF) in 2009. He received a loan of BDT 3,000 from the revolving
fund of Korang Para VCF Conservation Committee in March 2010. He also got entrepreneurship training from the HF. He used
this money to cultivate cucumber (hybrid variety) in 0.25 acre of his own land. He invested BDT 8,000 in this venture. HF
arranged the availability of fertilizer to him by establishing a direct trading arrangement with a fertilizer dealer of Korang Para.
For this reason he did not need to take loan to purchase fertilizer from the businessman as ‘Dadon’ that would eventually
cost higher than dealer price. HF project staffs, informed him time to time about the market price of the cucumber. Kaingprey
sold BDT 13,500 worth of cucumber after 3 months. Thus he earned a profit of BDT 5,500 in 3 months. Kaingprey repaid the
loan to the community fund. Thereafter he took a second time loan amounting to BDT 15,000 from the same source to start a
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
41
small business. He purchased dry fish and clothes from Chittagong City and sold those in the local market of Korang Para. At
present his daily income is BDT 300 – 400 whereas it was less than BDT 100 before joining the project. Seeing the economic
benefits earned by Kaingprey from cucumber cultivation and small business, other group members have become inspired
to undertake similar income generating ventures. On the other hand, Kaingprey is expecting to earn more profits in the next
cropping season.
Kaingprey says, “Cucumber cultivation and small business have enhanced my income and has improved my livelihood. This year
I have reduced the area for Jhum cultivation. I have planned to plant 500 seedlings of ‘Rangui Amm’ (a local variety of mango) as
perennial crop in my present jhum field next year. For my success I am grateful to Humanitarian Foundation.”
Case 5. Puthwe Aung Marma now earns his living from nursery and gardening
Puthwe Aung Marma (29) is a poor young man, living in Rowangchari Sadar Para village of Rowangchari Sadar Union under
Rowangchari Upazila of Banderban district, who could not continue schooling after class VIII due to poverty. Now he has a family
of three members including him. By primary occupation, he is a day laborer. To fulfill the basic needs of his family, Puthwe used
to collect bamboo and firewood from nearby forests and sell those in the local market on a daily basis. He had no other means to
earn a living. Overall, he had a miserable life, living hands to mouth.
In 2009, Tahzingdong included Puthwe as a member of Nursery Group (3 group members) in its Arannayk Foundation funded VCF
conservation project. He obtained basic training on agriculture, grafting and seed preservation techniques from this project. With
these trainings and continuous accompaniment support of the staff of Tahzingdong, he established a nursery in March 2010. He
spent BDT 35,000 to establish this nursery in 8 decimal (0.08 acre) land. He raised about 6,000 seedlings of 14 types of fruit,
timber and non-timber trees in his nursery, the major species being Rangui and Amropali varieties of mango, litchi, mahogani,
lotkon, chalta and chapalish. Now his average net income from the nursery is BDT 4,000 per month. He also planted 240 banana
plants in an acre of land. At present, he spent most of his time for nursery and gardening although he still works as a wage-laborer
occasionally. Puthwe hopes, he will earn more money from the nursery in the next year.
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Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
About his success, Puthwe said, “I am happier than ever before. I could never think of such a development in my life before
getting training on nursery. I have not gone to the forest for cutting bamboo in last six months”.
Case 6. Smriti Ranai has a regular income now
Smriti Rani, a 25 years’ old a housewife, lives in Echapur village of Mendipur Union under Khaliajuri Upazila of Netrakona district.
She has two children: a boy and a girl. Her husband, Ranju Sharker, has only a small homestead (1.5 decimal) but no cultivable
land. He cultivates some leased land from which he gets only four months food for the family in a year. Rest of the year, they need
to purchase food from the market. For which, her husband works as a day laborer. During rainy season, when there is very little
demand for laborers, most of the days they had to keep fasting. This was how the life of Smiriti Rani and her family going on.
In 2009, when SUS launched the AFAL project in the area, Smriti Rani eagerly joined the project as a member of a group. She
regularly participated in the group and community meetings, from which she became aware of alternative income generation
opportunities and also about the need for planting and conserving hijal and koroch trees and other development issues. She had
knowledge and skills in making handicrafts from bamboo and cane that she learnt from her father. But she never thought of
utilizing that skill for an income generation purpose. She did not have any cash capital either. After joining the group and being
inspired by the AFAL project staffs, she took a loan of BDT 5,000 from the revolving fund of the project and she started making
various products from bamboo and cane. such as Chai (fish trap), Chukra (fish container), Kacha (container for storing grass and
other things) and Dari (drying equipment). She sold some of the products at home while others were sold in the nearby market
by her husband. She earned BDT 50 – BDT 70 per day on an average from this venture. She sold BDT 12,000 worth of those
products in 4 months while her investment was BDT 5,000. Thus her profit was BDT 7,000 in 4 months. She duly repaid the
loan to the revolving fund of the project in monthly installments. After repaying the first loan in full, she has taken a second loan
amounting to BDT 10,000 for the same business and to start a beef fattening venture. Seeing the economic benefits of bamboo
and cane works, other community members having the same traditional skills became inspired to engage in this business.
Now Smriti Rani is more confident about her capabilities and she dreams of a much better future for her family. She says, “As my
income has increased, I can contribute more to my family. Now our children go to school and we can buy necessary dresses for
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
43
them. I want to continue my children’s education. I have bought a fishing net for my husband, so that he does not work as a day
laborer. Now I want to scale up my business of producing various bamboo and cane products”.
Aside from the increased family income, active participation in various activities the AFAL project has increased Smriti Rani’s
awareness and commitment towards environmental and social development of her community. For this, she is respected by the
other members of her community. She says, “I am very happy to become a member of AFAL project. Now my group members
and neighbors look upon me for advices and opinions on various issues. I am grateful to the AFAL project of SUS for changing
my life”.
44
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
45
To materialize its vision, the Arannayk Foundation needs to scale up and diversify its program. AF needs additional fund for this
purpose. As of now, a USD 8.5 million TFCA grant provided by the US Government in the form of a debt cancellation fund, which is
being paid in diminishing quarterly installments since September 2000, is the only source of funding to the Arannayk Foundation.
By June 2010, AF has already received a total of BDT 415.48 million, part of which was fixed deposited in scheduled banks and
thereby increased the fund to some extent through the interest income earned from such investments. At the beginning of the FY
2010-11, the AF had a closing balance of BDT 471.69 million. According to the existing financial plan for the ongoing and pipeline
projects, the present TFCA fund will be exhausted by June 2017 (see graph). But, it is not possible to fully achieve the goal of the AF
within this time frame and with the existing scale of its operations. Therefore, the AF needs to start mobilizing additional funds to be
able to continue its operations and establish it as a sustainable organization. For this purpose, it should try to mobilize resources, in
the form endowments or project grants, from all possible sources including international donors, Government of Bangladesh, private
companies and individuals.
In 2011, the AF will organize an
information
sharing-cum-promotional
event to be called ‘Arannayk Foundation
Day’ involving bi-lateral and multilateral international donor agencies,
senior officials and policy makers of the
Bangladesh Government, environmental
NGOs, private sector organizations and
journalists as the first step towards a
concerted fund raising campaign. The AF
will also start searching and competing
for competitive project grants in relevant
fields offered by international donors as
well as for the ‘Climate Change Trust
Fund’ of the Bangladesh Government
and the multi-donor ‘Climate Change
Resilience Fund’ managed by the World
Bank.
In regard to further expansion of its program in 2011, the AF would focus on increasing alternative livelihood development support to
forest dependent communities and capacity development of CMCs in the co-managed protected forest areas and similar support to
the indigenous communities associated with the community conserved forests in CHT. The specific development needs in these areas
would be identified in a participatory manner by organizing two stakeholder workshops, one for the co-managed protected forest
areas and another for the community conserved forests in the CHT, and the projects would be designed based on that.
In regard to the ongoing projects, the main thrusts would be on establishing Co-management Councils and Committees (CMC) in four
FD-AF collaborative projects initiated in 2009 and building capacities of the CMCs, including that of the Inani Protected Forest Area
where CMC has been established in 2010. Completion of the ongoing bio-diversity survey in the protected areas and promotion of
alternative livelihood among the forest dependent people in all the field based projects of the AF would also get high priority.
46
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
47
Arannayk Foundation follows the International Accounting Standards (IAS) as well as Bangladesh Accounting Standards (BAS) for
the financial management within a strong internal control framework. The financial statements are prepared in accordance with
international reporting standard that strives for excellence and transparency in financial reporting. All the financial and human
resources information of the foundation is managed through a web based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system at different
cost centers. It helps in improving the program efficiency, enhancing management decision-making capabilities, and promoting
transparency and accountability.
As part of the monitoring and internal control mechanism all the implementing entities of the projects funded by the Arannayk
Foundation are equipped with a simple Grant Management Software (GMS). The GMS keeps track of all the grants disbursed by
the foundation and expenditure made by the implementing entities with quarterly budgetary control.
By June 30, 2010, Arannayk Foundation received BDT 415.48 million as Forest Conservation Fund from the US Government, part
of which was invested in fixed deposits in scheduled banks and thereby increased the fund to some extent through the interest
income earned from such investments. In the same period, AF approved 57 grants amounting to BDT 246.76 million to different
entities for implementing its programs and already disbursed BDT 61.36 million, out of which BDT 27.13 million was disbursed
in the FY 2009-10. Including grant financing and other expenditure the AF had a fund balance of BDT 471.69 million at the end
of June 2010.
48
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
ARANNAYK FOUNDATION
BALANCE SHEET
AS AT JUNE 30, 2010
Particulars
06-30-2010
06-30-2009
Assets:
Fixed and Intangible Assets (At cost less Depreciation)
1,222,958.00
1,487,329.00
Current Assets:
473,331,803.00
436,694,633.00
Cash and Cash Equivalent
459,859,643.00
423,117,155.00
31,599.00
31,599.00
Advances & Prepayments
13,440,561.00
13,545,879.00
Total Assets:
474,554,761.00
438,181,962.00
471,694,716.00
435,529,879.00
2,860,045.00
2,652,083.00
-
-
62,828.00
779,794.00
2,797,217.00
1,872,289.00
474,554,761.00
438,181,962.00
Stock in Hand
Fund:
Tropical Forest Conservation Fund
Current Liabilities:
Provisions
Accounts Payable
Accumulated Staff Benefits
Total Equity & Liabilities
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
49
ARANNAYK FOUNDATION
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2010
Particulars
06-30-2010
06-30-2009
Income:
Other Income
-
-
Total Income:
-
-
Core Expenses
11,218,783.00
9,525,828.00
Personnel Expenses
7,855,234.00
6,827,982.00
Operational Expenses
3,363,549.00
2,697,846.00
Program Expenses
28,785,856.00
14,502,277.00
Grant Awards
27,133,928.00
13,008,445.00
1,651,928.00
1,493,832.00
40,004,639.00
24,028,105.00
(40,004,639.00)
(24,028,105.00)
Expenditure
Program Support Expense
Total Expenditure
Excess of Income over Expenditure
50
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
ARANNAYK FOUNDATION
CASH FLOW STATEMENT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2010
Particulars
2009-2010
2008-2009
Cash flow from Operating Activities
Net Income before taxation
(40,004,639.00)
(24,028,105.00)
880,846.00
1,101,488.00
828,748.00
1,063,021.00
52,098.00
38,467.00
(39,123,793.00)
(22,926,617.00)
Adjustment for (Increase)/Decrease in Current Assets
105,318.00
(4,597,593.00)
Adjustment for Increase/(Decrease) in Current Liabilities
207,962.00
312,331.00
(38,810,513.00)
(27,211,879.00)
Purchase of Property, Plant and Equipment
(616,475.00)
(182,518.00)
Net cash From Investing Activities: (B)
(616,475.00)
(182,518.00)
Tropical Forest Conservation Fund from U.S (Govt.)
76,169,476.00
78,562,613.00
Net cash Flow from financing Activities: (C)
76,169,476.00
78,562,613.00
Increase/(Decrease) In Cash and Bank Balance (A+B+C)
36,742,488.00
51,168,216.00
Cash & Bank balances at opening
423,117,155.00
371,948,939.00
Cash & Bank balances at closing
459,859,643.00
423,117,155.00
Add: Adjustment for:
Depreciation on Property, Plant and Equipment
Amortization Expenses
Operating profit/(loss) before changes in working capital
Net Cash Flow from Operating Activities: (A)
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Cash flow From financing Activities:
Arannayk Foundation Annual Report 2010
51
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
AF
AFAL
Arannayk Foundation
Access to Food Security and Accelerated
Livelihood towards Biodiversity Conservation
Alternative income generation activities
Bangladesh Accounting Standards
Bangladeshi Taka
Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies
Bangladesh Forest Research Institute
Community based organization
Centre for Sustainable Development
Chittagong Hill Tracts
Co-management Committee
Center for Natural Resource Studies
Community Development Centre
Community Reserve Forest
Dhaka Ahsania Mission
Development through Biotechnology
Forest Department
Financial Year (01 July – 30 June)
Grant Management Software
Government of Bangladesh
Homestead Agroforestry through Improved
Management Practice
International Accounting Standards
Integrated Development Organization
AIGA
BAS
BDT/Tk.
BCAS
BFRI
CBO
CFSD
CHT
CMC
CNRS
CODEC
CRF
DAM
DEBTEC
FD
FY
GMS
GOB
HAIMAP
IAS
IDO
52
IFESCU
IGA
IPAC
NBSAP
NGO
ODM
JU
Padakhep
PFA
PFACM
PSA
RDRS
SHED
SUS
TFCA
USAID
USD
USG
VCF
VFCF
VFDG
YPSA
Institute of Forestry & Environmental Sciences,
Chittagong University
Income Generating Activity
Integrated Protected Area Co-management
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
Non Government Organization
Organizational Development and Management
Jahangirnagar University
Padakhep Manabik Unnayan Kendra
Protected Forest Area
Protected Forest Area Co-management
Public service announcement
Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service
Society for Health Extension & Development
Sabalambi Unnayan Samity
Tropical Forest Conservation Act
United States Agency for International
Development
United States Dollar
United States Government
Village Common Forest
Village Forest Conservation Forum
Village Forest Dependent Group
Young Power in Social Action
Arannayk Foundation Board of Directors
From 26 July 2008
Ms. Denise Rollins, Chair
Mission Director, USAID
American Embassy, Dhaka
(Representative of the US Government)
Dr. Mohammed Nasiruddin, Member
Joint Secretary (Development)
Ministry of Environment & Forests
Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka
(Representative of the Bangladesh Government)
Prof. Md. Anwarul Islam, Member
Chief Executive
Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh
Dr. Engr. Kazi Ali Azam, Member
Chief Advisor
INDEX Bangladesh
Mr. Ahmad Nasiruddin Mahmood, Member
Former Director (Administration)
Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST)
Mr. Salahdin Imam, Member
Chief Executive Officer
Radius Enterprises
Gulshan-1, Dhaka
Ms. Nazneen Azim, Member
Former IUCN Country Representative, Bangladesh
Director, Azim & Sons Pvt. Ltd.
Freelance Communication Advisor
Arannayk Foundation
House No. 120, Flat 4A
Road No. 1, Block F
Banani, Dhaka 1213
Tel +880-2-9873275
Fax +880-2-9873248
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.arannayk.org