PROVATi³ Project
The PROVATi³ Project (Promote Resilience of Vulnerable through Access to Infrastructure, Improved Skills, and Information), financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Bangladesh’s most inferior area. The northwestern region of the country is affected by seasonal flooding, river erosions, and low density and quality of rural infrastructure (low percentage of paved roads). This area lacks access to input and output markets, given lousy connectivity. In addition, the population tends to have only one secured agricultural season. The PROVATi3 works to improve rural infrastructure, enhance poor people's ability to generate income, and increase access to flood information at the community level. The project provides last-mile connectivity to stimulate growth/ commercialization through market access (roads and markets), and increases resilience through diversification of incomes, infrastructure design improvements and better maintenance.
Subcomponent 2.3
Bangladesh lies within the 1.7 million km2 Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river basin with 57 transboundary rivers where 80% floodplain area is exposed to recurring floods. Bangladesh is the highest risk country among 14 Asian developing countries from flood risk assessment under climate change scenarios because of its largest vulnerable population. North-western and north-eastern parts of Bangladesh are mostly affected by flood. The Northern region accommodates poverty-stricken communities challenged with environmental and climatic risk factors. In fact, the area is most vulnerable to flooding than any other part of the country due to the high frequency of riverine, flash floods and the high exposure of poor local communities including char dwellers, to these hazards. Around 12.68% of total population is threatened by climatic hazards where almost 3.5% of that population resides in vulnerable regions (BBS, 2015).
Under subcomponent 2.3 of the PROVATi³ project, the Department of Disaster Management will provide solution for localized flood early warning information dissemination. The warning system is expected to reduce losses caused by floods in the flood-prone, low-lying areas of the northwestern part of Bangladesh, where agricultural land is often destroyed by floods during monsoon.
Project Snapshot
66
Months
19
Upazilas
500000
People
District: Kurigram Upazila’s: Char Rajibpur, Chilmari, Roumari, Ulipur, Rajarhat, Kurigram Sadar, Phulbari Nageshwari and Bhurungamari
District: Gaibandha Upazila’s: Shagata, Fulchari, Gaibhandha Sadar, Sadullahpur and Sundarganj
District: Jamalpur Upazila’s: Madarganj, Malendaha, Islampur, Dewanganj and Bakshiganj
Moonsoon floods also damage houses and other properties of the inhabitants of these districts Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) forecasts flood through its Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) DDM is authorized to warn communities about flood throughout the year Besides reviewing the current forecasting system, DDM under the PROVATi3 project will strengthen the flood information dissemination system for better results at the community level All these are expected to increase resilience and ultimately livelihoods for the local population.
Goals of the projects
• Assess baseline of existing flood early warning system in target areas and determine user needs
• Enhance local risk knowledge and strengthen linkages with existing flood early warning
• Develop Decision Support tools (web and mobile applications) for accessing disseminating and assessing early warning information
• Capacity building of the disaster management professionals and relevent stakeholders at national and local level.