Strategic Objective 3:

Less extreme poverty and vulnerability to disasters and climate change (MDG 1 and 7)

A – Introduction

Background

- Did you know that in a normal rainy season up to 30% of Bangladesh is under water? And that this can be 50-60% in an extreme flood year?

- Did you know that 80% of Bangladeshi’s (120 million people) rely every day on water infrastructure (embankments, sluices, irrigation/drainage canals) for their livelihood and security? And that this includes the entire population of Dhaka?

- Did you know that the coastal area of Bangladesh is growing by some 35 sq. km per year? And that Bangladesh could create even more land and outpace the effects of sea level rise through innovative river and coastal zone management?

Water is of crucial importance for Bangladesh. Water is intrinsic to agriculture, livelihoods, health, transport, economic activities and culture. Good water management is therefore probably the single most important factor in the fight against poverty in the country. Bangladesh at the same time is both blessed, and cursed, by its water resources: abundant water flows in the Ganges (called Padma in Bangladesh), the Brahmaputra (or ‘Jamuna’) and Meghna feed agricultural lands during the 4 month long rainy season. But the same water can cause floods and destruction, both by rivers and by the sea. Lack of rains and low river flows during the 8 month dry season can cause droughts and famine. Climate change is likely to make these natural phenomena even more extreme. However, nature also provides us with solutions to these problems. When we understand the natural processes, and learn how to make use of them, we can make Bangladesh a safer, more secure place to live for its people.

The devastating floods and famine which ravaged Bangladesh in 1974, proved to be a turning point in the history of water management in the country: it was obvious that drastic improvements had to be made in order to prevent such catastrophes from happening again. The events prompted the start of the Netherlands-Bangladesh development cooperation in the water sector.

Why Netherlands-Bangladesh cooperation?

From 1975 onwards an intensive development co-operation programme between The Netherlands and Bangladesh started in the water sector, with a special focus on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Given the natural similarities between the two delta-countries it was felt that much could be learned from each other and that new approaches towards water management could be developed jointly and shared. In the early years the focus was on construction and rehabilitation of embankments, sluices and regulators etc., in order to enhance agricultural production and reduce the risk of floods. This effort proved highly successful and Bangladesh became self-sufficient in food production. However, it was soon realised that management, operation and maintenance of the thousands of kilometres of dikes and other infrastructure could not be done by the government alone. Following a model which had evolved in The Netherlands over hundreds of years, people’s participation was introduced to Bangladesh. Hence, with continuous Dutch support, in the mid 1990’s a new people oriented approach to water management was developed and eventually enshrined in the government’s National Water Policy (1999) and Guidelines for Participatory Water Management (2000).

In later years, Integrated Coastal Zone Management was added to the Netherlands-Bangladesh cooperation programme. The potential of land creation along the coast of Bangladesh, and the need to develop these new lands for the ever growing population, became the driving force behind a series of study and implementation projects in the coastal zone and delta of Bangladesh (for more information on former Netherlands-Bangladesh projects on integrated coastal zone management see www.iczmpbangladesh.org).

Objectives in the water sector

The overarching objective of EKN’s involvements in the water sector in Bangladesh is to contribute to a reduction of extreme poverty and to reduce the vulnerability to disasters and climate change.

In order to achieve this overall objective, a number of strategic goals have been set in EKN’s multi-annual strategic plan (MASP), stating that by 2011 we hope to have achieved:

1. Improved rural livelihoods through increased production of rice, vegetables and fish, as a result of better water management;

2. Population better prepared for, and protected against, impacts of river floods, erosion and climate change, resulting in 10% less damages due to floods and 10% less area of land lost to river bank erosion. Long term environmental and productive functions of rivers are safe guarded;

3. 20,000 poor families living in the coastal zone have better livelihood development options by having title deeds on newly accreted land

4. 10% reduction in the incidence of water related diseases in Bangladesh.

In practical terms, our intention to achieve these four strategic goals means that at present the Netherlands-Bangladesh development cooperation programme in the water sector targets four key issues:

Capacity building of the Bangladeshi authorities in their new tasks of participatory water management (PWM);

Promotion of integrated river basin management including river bank erosion control and climate change preparedness; coupled with promotion of better transboundary river management in a regional context (Nepal, India, Bangladesh).

Improvement of the lives of people in coastal zones through integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), including the development of newly accreted land;

Improve rural drinking water and sanitation to help Bangladesh achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

B - Cooperation with GoB and donors

Our main government partners are the Ministry of Water Resources, the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), the Water Resources Planning Organisation (WARPO) and the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). Other partners include BRAC and partner NGOs, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the International Fund for Agriculture Development and other donor organisations. Together with our partners The Netherlands currently has a direct stake in over USD 500 million worth of investments in the water sector and spends about USD 20 million annually. All Netherlands support to Bangladesh is in the form of grants.

The Embassy currently chairs the Local Consultative Group on Water Management (LCG-WM). The LCG-WM is one of several thematic (donor) consultation groups in Bangladesh, all of which report to a central LCG-Plenary where the heads of agencies meet. The EKN chairs and holds the secretarial function of the LCG-WM. Meetings are organised every 2-3 months to share information, discuss issues of common interest or concern, and to jointly establish future directions of development interventions in the sector.

C - Activities undertaken in support of the EKN objectives

As explained above, the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands is active in the following specific areas of the water sector in Bangladesh:

• Capacity building for Participatory Water Management

• Integrated River Basin Management and River Erosion Control &

• Transboundary River Management

• Integrated Coastal Zone Management

• Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation

The activities that are being implemented (or considered) to support our objectives in these areas are listed below.

Capacity building for Participatory Water Management

1. Twinning Mission (TM) – phase 3

Objective:

support the reform efforts of relevant Bangladeshi government institutions: MinWR, BWDB and WARPO

Partner organisations:

Rijkswaterstaat (Netherlands Water Development Board), Ministry of Water Resources, BWDB, WARPO

Budget:

EUR 530,000

Timeframe:

01/01/2008 – 31/12/2011

Rationale:

Since 2001, the Bangladesh Ministry of Water Resources and its Netherlands counterpart, the Netherlands Ministry of Transport and Water Management, department Rijkswaterstaat, have been cooperating in the area of institutional strengthening. Professionals from both countries are looking at ways and means to rationalise and reform the water management institutions, notably WARPO and BWDB and make them more suitable for their tasks in establishing Participatory Water Management throughout the country. The arrangement has been extended several times and will now run up to the end of 2009.
 

2. Integrated Planning for Sustainable Water Management (IPSWAM)

Objectives:

pilot the implementation of PWM (participatory water management) in 9 polders near Khulna and Patuakhali

test the PWM approach in the field, generate lessons to strengthen the planning capacity both of local water management organizations as well as national bodies, Notably the BWDB institutional strengthening of BWDB

Partner organisations:

BWDB

Budget (TA & FA):

EUR 9.9 million

Timeframe:

02/11/2003 – 31/01/2010

Rationale:

With the help of the project participatory Water Management Groups and Water Management Associations are established in the project areas, infrastructure is rehabilitated and management responsibility is formally handed over from the BWDB to the WMGs and WMAs. Results show that agricultural production is enhanced by some 30% and culture fish production may increase by 15% as a result of the improved water management conditions.

3. Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management Project (SAIWRPMP)

Objective:

improve the productivity and sustainability of the existing flood control, drainage and irrigation schemes in Chenchuri and Narail beels through a participatory water

management approach

Partner organisations:

Asian Development Bank, BWDB

Budget:

EUR 8.5 million

Timeframe:

01/05/2006 – 30/06/2013

Rationale:

The South-West region has the most acute water management problems in Bangladesh. Of particular concern is the water shortage/drainage and the associated social and environmental hardships, including salinity intrusion, livelihood loss, and environmental degradation. The project will establish Water Management Groups and Water Management Associations in the two project areas, thus allowing the local communities more control over their water resources and the opportunity to enhance their livelihood.

4. Water Management Improvement Programme (WMIP)

Objective:

upscale the pilot experiences with PWM to the national sectoral level rehabilitate about 200 medium or large sub-projects (with a total area of approximately 750,000 hectares)

continue capacity building of BWDB and WARPO

Partner organisations:

Worldbank, BWDB, WARPO

Budget:

EUR 13.6 million

Timeframe:

26/11/2007 – 30/06/2015

Rationale:

The WMIP programme was designed to follow-up the IPSWAM programme and will implement PWM throughout Bangladesh. In doing so more and more professional staff of the BWDB will become trained ‘on the job’ in implementing the new approach. Besides funding the formation of the local level water management organisations and restoration of water management infrastructure in 200 sub-projects, WMIP has specific components to continue the institutional reforms and strengthening efforts initiated under IPSWAM and the Twinning Mission. WMIP is jointly financed by Worldbank, EKN and the Government of Bangladesh.

Objective:

transfer management of 260 small scale flood control, drainage and irrigation (FCDI) schemes to local water management organisations and local government bodies

improve agricultural and fishery production reduce rural poverty

Partner organisations:

ADB, LGED

Budget:

EUR 16.5 million

Timeframe:

01/01/2002 – 30/06/2009

Rationale:

The Small-Scale Water Resources Development Sector Project follows the Participatory Water Management approach in small areas (<1000ha) with a methodology that is highly similar to that of the IPSWAM and WMIP projects, which target medium to large scale areas. It follows on an earlier (first phase) Small Scale project and is specifically designed to implement the lessons learnt policies that were developed under the First Phase project. The project is implemented by LGED and co-funded by ADB, GoB and the Netherlands. As from 2002 this program is nationwide (with the exception of the Chittagong Hill tracts), and will continue till 2009. A third phase is under preparation with possible co-financing of ADB, IFAD, EKN and GoB.

Participatory Small Scale Water Resources Sector Project (PSSWRSP)

This project is under consideration (May 2009). It would effectively be the follow-up of the successful Small Scale-phase 2 (and phase-1) projects described above.

Objective:

transfer management of 260 small scale flood control, drainage and irrigation (FCDI) schemes to local water management organisations and local government bodies

improve agricultural and fishery production

reduce rural poverty

Partner organisations:

ADB, IFAD, LGED

Budget:

EUR 13 million

Timeframe:

2009 - 2014

Rationale:

The Participatory Small-Scale Water Resources Sector Project would continue the successful path prepared by its predecessors Small-Scale-1 and -2. In phase 3 the lessons learned from phase 1 and 2 would be incorporated, making the project even more targeted and addressing issues such as enhancing the sustainability of the water management groups and their ability to provide long-term coverage for the O&M costs of the rehabilitated water infrastructure. Also, phase 3 would go back into some areas of phase 1 and 2 to give additional follow-up support to the established groups for specific thematic issues such as agricultural development, crop diversification, etc. Finally, phase 3 would address the need to build capacity with the Department of Cooperatives to handle the registration of the many newly established Water Management Cooperative Associations. Financing for the third phase is being considered by ADB, IFAD, EKN and GoB.

Integrated river basin management & river erosion control

River bank erosion in Bangladesh is a continuous process which is part and parcel of the natural environmental setting of the country. The many rivers which find their way to the sea through a low-lying delta region have, over the past thousands of years continuously deposited, eroded and re-distributed sediments. In what has now become a densely populated area such as Bangladesh however, the erosion of land immediately means the loss of livelihood of the affected land occupants. In this way, river erosion today is an important and very direct factor influencing poverty. Due to various constraints Bangladesh has so far fought river bank erosion in a largely ‘ad-hoc’ fashion: protective measures are taken at specific locations when there is an acute crisis. A long term strategy to control the rivers and limit bank erosion has not been implemented.

By looking at the long-term processes and causes of river bank erosion, rather than treating only the immediate effects, it will be possible to gradually reduce the toll that river bank erosion takes on the livelihoods of the poor. Long-term (e.g. 50 year) river basin management visions and implementation plans could help to confine the rivers to more or less fixed river beds and could reclaim lost lands along the banks. Understanding the natural processes and applying a ‘Building with Nature’ approach, rather than fighting the forces of nature with costly infrastructural works, are key principles here. The EKN intends to engage more actively in this field in future which is expected to result in specific projects by 2011. Meanwhile, EKN provides support to repairs of critical infrastructure, in so far as this is the result of unforeseeable natural calamities.

Emergency Disaster Damage Rehabilitation Project (EDDRP)

Objective:

Rehabilitate and repair essential water infrastructure (embankments, groynes, sluices, regulators, etc.) damaged during the 2007 floods and cyclone

Partner organisations:

ADB, JICA, CIDA, BWDB

Budget:

EUR 16.3 million

Timeframe:

20/11/2008 – 30/06/2011

Rationale:

Floods and cyclones are recurrent events in the natural environmental setting of Bangladesh. To date, the GoB does not have a long term strategy in place to structurally prevent or limit the damages caused by these events to the essential water infrastructure of the nation. A financial modality for these (frequent) disaster-related costs is being considered (Disaster Fund). Until the time that such a modality is established, and a long-term strategy for reduction of disaster damages is producing results, emergency repairs will remain necessary. The alternative, i.e. leaving wide swaths of the country prone to increased flooding because the protection works were swept away or damaged by a previous extreme flood event, is neither socially, nor politically acceptable. The EDDRP follows on and builds on the implementation arrangements of a successfully and efficiently implemented earlier flood damage rehabilitation programme co-financed by ADB, GoB and EKN.

Transboundary River Management

With its own experience in Europe as a lower riparian country of the rivers Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt, The Netherlands understands, like no other nation on earth, Bangladesh’s desire to have good relations and agreements with its neighbouring countries on the management of transboundary rivers. Besides the three main rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna, Bangladesh shares no less than 51 other rivers with its regional neighbours. Better flood forecasting and flood management, reliable irrigation water availability, safeguards for environmental functions, power generation, maintained navigability of rivers, and salinity intrusion control in coastal areas are all examples of what can be achieved for the mutual benefit of all countries, if good systems are in place for transboundary river management.

Unfortunately, the current formal negotiation structures between the riparian countries of the region (such as e.g. the Joint Rivers Commission between India and Bangladesh) do not seem to function as fully effective platforms for constructive and innovative dialogue on the many technical, managerial and political sides to this issue. EKN intends to promote civil society dialogue in India, Bangladesh (and possibly China and Nepal) on the topic of transboundary rivers. By helping civil societies on both sides of the respective borders to engage in dialogue, it is hoped that messages can be sent to the governments and that bilateral or multi-lateral cooperation can be enhanced to create win-win solutions to the existing problems. An activity in this area is currently under preparation and is expected to start in the course of 2009.

Transboundary Water Management Dialogues (TBWMD)

This activity is under consideration (May 2009).

Objective:

Stimulate ‘Track-3’ civil society dialogues on transboundary river management issues in Bangladesh, India (and possibly China and Nepal)

Establish effective civil society networks

Organise workshops

Develop a information database

Partner organisations:

IUCN (Regional office S-Asia, country offices Bangladesh, India)

Budget:

Under negotiation

Timeframe:

2009 - 2013

Rationale:

The formal channels of discussion and negotiation between South-Asian regional neighbours on the topic of water sharing or distribution are cumbersome, and dominated by the hegemony of India as a regional superpower. These so-called Track-1 (govt-govt) and Track-2 (govt-civil society) efforts are therefore not addressing the needs of the region: transboundary water management can and must be better organised in order to meet the development needs of all people in the river basin. By supporting a Track-3 approach (civil society – civil society) multiple sides of the respective borders, EKN hopes that local voices can be strengthened which will ultimately reach the politicians and get reflected at the respective international fora. This project would generate unbiased data on specific transboundary water issues, provide for a discussion platform, and lead to the formation of a network in the region in which this topic can continue to be addressed.

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)

Char Development and Settlement Project–3 (CDSP-3)

Objective:

Construction of infrastructure (roads, bridges, embankments, regulators, sluices, cyclone shelters, drinking water supply, forest plantations, etc.) for integrated development of newly accreted coastal char

Handing out of title deeds for plots of land to formerly landless families

Community mobilisation and development

Partner organisations:

BWDB, LGED, DPHE, Min. of Land, DAE, DoF

Budget:

EUR 13.4 million

Timeframe:

01/07/2005 – 31/12/2010

Rationale:

The Char Development and Settlement Project III (2005-10) follows on from two earlier CDSP phases. While the first two projects implemented integrated area development activities (embankments, roads, schools/cyclone shelters, community mobilisation) in newly accreted lands along the coast near Noakhali, the third phase has tried to combine implementation on the ground, with institutionalising integrated coastal zone management within no less than 6 partner agencies of the Government of Bangladesh. Overall coordination of the project lies with the BWDB, while LGED, DPHE, Ministry of Land, Department of Agriculture Extension and Department of Forestry are joint implementing partners. In practice, the project supports the construction of a variety of infrastructure with which the new lands can become part of the mainstream agricultural and economic production system of Bangladesh. Under the project, title deeds of plots of land are handed out to the formerly landless occupants of the coastal ‘chars’. A fourth phase of the project is under preparation with possible co-financing of EKN, IFAD and ADB.

Char Development and Settlement Project – phase 4 (CDSP-4)

This activity is under consideration (May 2009).

Objective:

Construction of infrastructure (roads, bridges, embankments, regulators, sluices, cyclone shelters, drinking water supply, forest plantations, etc.) for integrated development of newly accreted coastal chars

Handing out of title deeds for plots of land to formerly landless families

Community mobilisation and development

Partner organisations:

IFAD, BWDB, LGED, DAE, others to be determined

Budget:

Under negotiation

Timeframe:

01/01/2011 – 31/12/2015

Rationale:

Continue the successful outputs achieved under CDSP 1-3 and promote institutional embedding of the CDSP approach within relevant GoB organisations.

Estuary Development Programme (EDP)

Objective:

Surveying of coastal zone Bangladesh for sedimentation process

Pilot testing of coastal erosion works and cross-dams

Establish semi-autonomous and self-sustaining Survey Unit Anwesha

Partner organisations:

BWDB

Budget:

EUR 6.5 million

Timeframe:

02/05/2005 – 30/11/2010

Rationale:

Effectively started in 2006 and most likely to be continued until 2011, the Estuary Development Project is implemented by the Bangladesh Water Development Board. It will carry out an extensive marine survey in the entire coastal zone and pilot a number of engineering interventions (anti-erosion works, cross dams) to see how Bangladesh can create new land and protect itself against the consequences of sea level rise. The Survey Unit Anwesha is a ship furnished with specialised equipment with which to measure all kinds of underwater processes, such as sediment transport, depth of the seabed, flow velocity etc. Generating this information on a long term basis is essential for future planning of coastal development in Bangladesh.

Market Infrastructure Development in Charland Regions (MIDPCR)

Objective:

Improve market access of farmers in coastal chars

Develop market infrastructure

Strengthen marketing skills of farmers

Partner organisations:

IFAD, LGED

Budget:

EUR 4 million

Timeframe:

01/07/2006 – 30/06/2013

Rationale:

The Market Infrastructure Development Project in Charland Regions (2006-13), is implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department. It is funded by a loan from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD, the UN’s agricultural bank) and a grant from The Netherlands. It aims to improve market access of poor farmers in the coastal chars, not only by improving the physical infrastructure (roads and markets) but also by providing business development services. This programme ties in with the conviction, shared by The Netherlands and Bangladesh, that the private sector has an important role to play in the development process. This project is designed to complement CDSP-III, mentioned above.

Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation

In addition to the above mentioned themes EKN is contributing to the Millennium Development Goals in the area of drinking water and sanitation by funding a specific activity with BRAC:

BRAC/Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme

Objective:

provide 17.6 million people in 150 upazillas all over the country with sustainable access to sanitation services

provide more than 8.5 million people with sustainable access to safe drinking water

Partner organisations:

BRAC

Budget:

EUR 43.6 million

Timeframe:

01/05/2006 – 30/04/2011

Rationale:

While most Netherlands funded activities in the water sector are in water management, the single largest contribution of EKN is to a project in water supply and sanitation. This project was formulated in response to The Netherlands’ international commitment to MDG 7 and the commitment of the Minister for Development Cooperation to providing safe drinking water and sanitation to 50 million people by the year 2015. The programme, which runs from 2006 to 2011, will greatly improve the health situation of the poor. WASH will provide 17.6 million people in 150 upazillas with access to sanitation services. Also, more than 8.5 million people will be provided with sustainable access to safe drinking water. The program seeks to work together with the private sector, for instance through village sanitation centres. Awareness raising plays an important role in this program.