Download Start-Up Workshop, Brahmanbaria

Haor Infrastructure & Livelihood Improvement Project
(HILIP)
Report on Planning Workshop
&
Start-Up Workshop
Brahmanbaria District
Date: 19-20 June 2013
Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), HILIP
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Table of Contents
Start-Up Workshop, Brahmanbaria
Page
1. Introduction
2. Schedule, Venue and Guests
3. Objectives of the Workshop
4. Program/Activities of the Workshop
5. Presentation by the Project Director, HILIP
6. Deputy Commissioner, Brahmanbaria
j
7. Presentation by the Deputy Project Director, HILIP
8. Vote of Thanks by XEN, LGED, Brahmanbaria
9. A section of participants in the Start-up Workshop
10. Open Discussion
11. Start-up Workshop session: Component-wise presentation by PMU, Dhaka
12. Closing Session
13. List of the participants
1
1
1
2
2-4
5
6
7
7
7-9
10-15
15
16
Planning Workshop
14. Planning Workshop, Brahmanbaria District
15. Introduction
16. Presentation by the Project Director, HILIP at the Planning Workshop
17. A section of the participants in the Planning Workshop
18. Presentation by the individual consultant of Project Management Unit
19. Short brief by the Deputy project Director
20. Closing Session
21. List of Participants
22. A Challenge
17
18
18
18
19-20
20
20
21
22
Annexure - : Annual Work Plan & Budget for 2013-2014 and Spent for 2012-2013 (5 pages)
Start-Up & Planning Workshop, Brahmanbaria District
Haor Infrastructure & Livelihood Improvement Project (HILIP)
Introduction:
The Haor Infrastructure and Livelihood Improvement Project (HILIP) is situated in north-eastern
Bangladesh and is subject to very peculiar conditions and suffers from extensive annual flooding.
This makes livelihood extremely vulnerable and limits the potential for agricultural and rural
enterprise growth. Strong wave action adds to the vulnerability as it can potentially wash away the
land and poses a major threat to many villages in the Haor. The rural poor households have to
depend upon fisheries and off-farm labour. The poor communication network limits the increasing
production, access to markets, off-farm employment opportunities and access to existing social
services particularly health and education.
The project has started working from mid 2012 in 28 upazilas that includes 165 unions of
Sunamgonj, Brahmanbaria, Kishoregonj, Netrokona and Habigonj districts, which remain flooded
during monsoon for about 6-7 months of the year. The population living in these areas are
characterized by extreme poverty due to a number of factors that include: lack of access to natural
resources; lack of access to services; seasonal isolation; and extreme biophysical constrains to
production (only one boro rice crop is grown). The project aims to improve the livelihood of the
surrounding haor people through various activities that have been briefly described in this report.
Schedule, Venue and Guests:
A district Start-up Workshop and Planning Workshop was organized by HILIP, which was held
for two days on 23rd & 24th June 2013 in the conference room of LGED, Brahmanbaria. The
Workshop was chaired by Mr. A.K.M. Harun-ur-Rashid, Project Director where Mr. Nur
Mohammad Majumder, Deputy Commissioner was present as Chief Guest.
In addition to the LGED and project staff, Upazila Chairman (Nabinagar), Upazila Chairman
(Brahmanbaria), District Fisheries Officer (DFO), District Livestock Officer (DLO), Deputy
Director (Agri. Extension), Upazila Nirbahi Officer (Sarail), Members of Labour Contracting
Society (LCS), Journalist and other elites of Brahmanbaria were present.
Objectives of the Workshop:
To provide participants with a clear understanding of project objectives, project components,
financial arrangements, implementation methodologies, monitoring and evaluation requirements
including the way of preparing the AWPB
Programs/Activities of the Start-up Workshop:
1:
2:
3.
4.
5.
6.
9.
10.
11.
Inauguration and presentation on the overview of the project by the Project Director
Presentation by the Deputy Commissioner, Brahmanbaria
Presentation by the Deputy Project Director. HILIP
Vote of Thanks by the XEN, Netrokona
Tea break
Open discussion:
Lunch Break
Start-up workshop Session: Component-wise presentation by Project Management Unit
Closing of Start-up workshop
Presentation by Mr. Harun-ur-Rashid, Project Director, HILIP
.
In the beginning the Project Director welcomed the participants and declared the Workshop
open. He then presented an overview of the Haor Infrastructure & Livelihood Improvement
Project that is being implemented in the haor region of Brahmanbaria district by the Local
Government Engineering Department (LGED). The presentation of the Project Director focused
on the following important points, which made the participants a clear understanding about the
project
Project Approval:
Project Implementation Period as per DPP
:
January 2012
Project Completion Period as per DPP
:
June 2019
Project Approved by ECNEC
:
05 June 2012
Project Approved & Signed by IFAD
:
18 July 2012
Total
:
94538.73
GOB
:
25561.99
P.A
:
68976.74
Total estimated cost of the project (in lakh Taka):
Location wise cost breakdown:
District
Estimated cost (in Lakh Taka)
Sunamgonj
17522.00
Kishoregonj
24529.00
Netrokona
16285.50
Habigonj
18685.23
Brahmanbaria
17517.00
Total
94538.73
Project Goal:
The goal of the project is to contribute to the reduction of poverty in the Haor Basin.
Project Objectives:
The objective of the project is to improve living standards and reduce vulnerability of the poor.
The outcomes expected from the project include to:
•
•
•
•
•
enhance access to markets, livelihood opportunities and social services;
enhance village mobility, reduction in production losses and protection against
extreme weather events;
enhance access to fishery resources and conservation of biodiversity as a follow up
of SCBRMP;
enhance production, diversification and marketing of crop and livestock produce and
efficient, cost effective and equitable use of project resources.
Project Components:
The project has five components, which are:
(i)
Communications Infrastructure: Under this component the project will build about 250
km of Upazila and union roads including submersible roads. The component will also
build bridges and culverts and 50 boat landing stations;
(ii)
Community Infrastructure: Under this component the Project will build 350 km of
community (village) roads, 78 small village markets (hats / bazars), protection works
against wave erosion for about 78 villages and 52 markets;
(iii)
Community Resource Management: The project under this component will provide
support for 300 existing Sunamgonj Community Based Resource Management Project
(SCBRMP) Beel User Groups (BUG) and 200 new water bodies under community
management. The project will strengthen the institutional arrangements for beel
management and invest resources in developing water bodies to improve their
productivity and biodiversity through beel re-excavation;
(iv)
Livelihood Protection: This component under which the project will assist to protect
existing resources of livelihood such as crop cultivation particularly rice, horticulture,
ducks, poultry etc by adopting a value chain approach; and
(v)
Project Management: This component will put in place the management structures to
implement, coordinate, project support and monitor all project activities.
Executing Agency:
Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) under the overall guidance of an InterMinisterial Project Steering Committee (IMSC) headed by the Secretary, Local Government
Division, Ministry of Local Government Rural Development and Cooperatives including
representatives from the Ministry of Agricultural Extension, Ministry of Livestock Services,
Ministry of Land, Ministry of Fisheries, etc. There will be Progress Review Committees (PRC) in
each district and Upazila to oversee and support in the implementation process and provide
guidance/assistance where required. The Department of Agricultural Extension, Fisheries,
Livestock and the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) will be members of these committees. There
will be Project Management Unit (PMU) in Dhaka and offices in five project districts and also in
14 Upazilas within the existing structures of LGED. The project will also involve Union Parishads
(Ups) in mobilizing communities for the workshops/training programs for effective
implementation of the project activities.
Targeting:
The various approaches for targeting under HILIP will include (i) geographic targeting by
selecting those Unions and Upazilas most susceptible to annual flooding. This approach is
appropriate given the high proportion of poor households in the Haor area; (ii) household
targeting to select households engaged in smallholder farming and fishing (iii) individual
targeting will identify women and men from the poorest households and provide additional wage
employment opportunities by engaging them as labour for construction of infrastructure
schemes as well as opportunities in other project activities. Within each Project component,
specific selection criteria has been developed to ensure that project resources can reach to the
poorest people and can address poverty and vulnerability in the Haor areas.
Target Population: 1,130,108; Target Household: 204,202
Benefits to the targeting people:
It is assumed that the entire population of the 165 Haor unions under the project will directly and
indirectly receive benefits from improved infrastructure and economic opportunities. The
beneficiaries of the project will include about 110,000 members of Labour Contracting Societies
(LCS) who will be employed as skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labours on infrastructure
activities. It is expected that the project will create employment for 2,215 people annually over a
eight years period. In addition, it is expected that the project will benefit 20,000 members of Beel
User Groups.
Implementation Area:
The project activities will be implemented in 6 (Six) Upazilas of Brahmanbaria district. These
are: 1, Nabinagar, 2. Nasirnagar, 3. Sarail, 4. Sadar, 5. Ashugonj and 6. Bancharampur
Presentation by the Deputy Commissioner, Brahmanbaeia
The Deputy Commissioner in his presentation mentioned that the project will focus on poverty
reduction through various activities in the haor basin, which was described by the Project
Director. He was hopeful saying that the project will definitely improve the situation than what
the people have been facing now. The weather condition is such that the farmers can grow a
single rice crop and harvest depending on early or late monsoon, which is a challenge for them.
It is also very hard to get employment for income during this time.
He said that he was quite hopeful about the planned activities, which can create great impact for
the improvement of the social life of the haor people. He was specific telling that the project staff
should work with beneficiaries for improvement of the livelihood. He mentioned that traditionally
the people grow only one boro rice crop in the area and now the time has come to train the
farmers with new technology for growing diversified crops and disseminate the technology for
the improvement of poultry, livestock and fisheries.
Unlike Jamuna River, Padma will greatly help if built particularly for transportation of goods in a
shortest possible time. He said that there are farmers who have been growing tomato but can
not get the market price due to communication, market facility and for the middlemen who \ take
chance in buying at a lower price. He also said that the Haor Infrastructure & Livelihood
Improvement Project, which is being implemented in the haor areas that will build
communication and community infrastructure leading to improvement of the livelihood of the
poor people. He specifically mentioned that all people should work hard for the development of
their own locality and for the country as well. The donors have given funds to LGED for building
infrastructure in the haor area and improvement of the livelihood of the people. He was very
happy seeing that the project has very good components that are appreciable that can change
the whole scenario if all related people work together in harmony. He wanted to see that the
funds are properly utilized for the planned objectives. The project should set very successful
examples so that the project activities can be expanded to other areas. The key focus of the
project is poverty reduction.
He was comfortable in saying that he was confident and positive about the success of this
project.
Presentation by the Deputy Project Director
The Deputy Project Director in his presentation mentioned that the project goal is to contribute
to the reduction of poverty in the Haor Basin. He said that the livelihood improvement of the
haor people will be taking place through employment generation, dissemination of diversified
technologies for maximum production of crop, poultry/livestock, fish and building infrastructures
as planned. He mentioned in his speech that the methodology of taking decision will be made
through participatory approach, which will be applied in the field levels for execution to achieve
project goal. The poor people of the haor areas will be the main beneficiary of the project who
will receive the benefits from the project activities. He also briefed in the workshop that the
communication and community infrastructures will be built by the contractor and the LCS group
where the people of haor areas will find job opportunities of both man and woman. Under
communications Infrastructure the project will build upazila roads, union roads, submersible
roads, bridges, culverts and boat landing stations and under community infrastructure the
project will build community (village) roads, small village markets (hats / bazars), protection
works against wave erosion for villages and markets that will greatly help the people to access
to markets, livelihood improvement and social services. In addition, Beel User Group (BUG),
LCS will be formed with the initiative of the project and the people will be given training on
various segments. The project will be assisting people who are interested for poultry, livestock,
fisheries, crop/horticulture production including off-farming activities. The people will have job
opportunities during beel excavation, re-excavation, swamp tree plantation (Hizol/Koros),
nursery development, fish processing and so on. All these activities of the project will help
people for their livelihood improvement and better living standard. The project will have gender
participation and gender equality that will encourage woman to get involved in various project
activities.
Vote of Thanks by the Executive Engineer, Brahmanbaria
The Executive Engineer, LGED, Brahmanbaria expressed his deepest gratitude and thanks on
behalf of the project to all participants for attending this important workshop. He said that the
Project Director presented the project overview elaborately so that the participants can
understand and conceive the activities that can be applied in the target areas to make the
project a success leading to improved livelihood of the people. He requested the participants to
work very closely and sincerity in cooperation with all concerned agencies, beneficiaries and
others to reduce the poverty level of the people in haor areas
A section of the participants in the workshop
OPEN DISCUSSION:
Upazila Parishad Chairman, Nabinagar:
He said that the whole world has been using the latest technology for the livelihood
improvement. He said that no one is involved for the development of the haor people. He
wanted that the project should encourage people for growing potatoes and build a cold storage
that will encourage farmers to grow more potatoes and facilitates for employment and earning
source. He made a request to the project management to build a bridge over the river
connecting Nabinagar and Barhampur that will reduce about 40 km road that automatically
reduce the journey time, people can get jobs in town and can sell their produces in
Brahmanbaria markets. The project will receive all supports from the upazilla administration.
Sadar Upazila Chairman, Brahmanbaria:
Upazila Chairman said that natural resources (fish) are available in the haor and to be exploited
by the genuine fishers with the initiative of this project. He wanted that HILIP is going to be a
good project for the people.
District Fisheries Officer (DFO):
The District Fisheries Officer opined that the project is well designed, which can greatly help the
poor people in haor areas. He said that if there is no utilization of beel resources, employment
and income won’t be there and ultimate result of the project will not be achieved.
He said that all of our staff will support this type of project and will extend full cooperation to
share knowledge with the staff and the beneficiaries as and when required. He expressed his
interest to assist the project for the benefit of the poor people in the fisheries sector though
disseminating the new technologies. The Beel User Group should immediately be formed with
the initiative by the project to take care of the natural resources (fish) that are available in the
haors for the benefit of the people.. All people including department of fisheries and the fisheries
community should come forward to work together. He was pleased saying that Beel User Group
should be developed and trained in areas of environmental issues. This natural resource is one
of the most important areas for livelihood improvement of the poor people.
District Livestock Officer (DLS):
He said in his speech that the project will have activities for the development of poultry,
livestock, ducks etc in haor areas. He mentioned that the people should be trained by the
project and undertakes livestock related initiatives to improve their livelihood. The expansion of
livestock is importantly for the economic development of the people of the haor areas. Poverty
reduction is very important where Department of Livestock (DLS) can contribute for
enhancement of the economic growth. He was pleased saying that the project has identified
livestock as one of the key activities of Poverty Reduction.
He requested the project management that the project staff should work closely and establish
effective coordination between the project and DLS that will institutionalize the system and
ensure better delivery services to the poor. DLS can transfer new technology, provide training
support in collaboration with the project to the beneficiaries for the improvement of the livelihood
of the people including destitute women. The duckling rearing is a profitable sector and can
easily be made sustainable provided training is given and demonstration is done.
Deputy Director, Dept. of Agricultural Extension (DAE):
The Deputy Director of DAE in his speech mentioned that the haor areas are inundated at least
for 5/6 month of the year and the farmers can not grow crop other than one rabi rice crop that
also get damaged if early flash flood enters in the haors. It was suggested by the speaker that
the farmers should be trained on new technology of crop/horticulture production that are
adaptable to haor area. This will give the farmers more or additional income for their economic
growth. The farmers should be given training on the production using floating technology;
homestead gardening and so on. He emphasized on crop insurance possibility and requested
the project management to look into this area and talk to the Govt. to formalize a policy.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Sarail:
He said that this project will be a successful and the administration will support the LGED and
the project staff through better coordination between upazila and the project to help the people.
The project management should look into the environmental issue and should take care if
anthing goes wrong during implementation of project activities. Irrigation is an issue. This needs
to be improved or the system should be developed. The project should see that production of
fish has increased with the development of pen fish culture, excavation of beel for water
reservation during dry season. He suggested that there should be strong liaison/cooperation
with the beneficiaries, administration, stakeholders and the line agencies. Jalmahals/beels
should be given to the Beel User Groups for its management with the project assistance. This is
the key area which can create employment opportunities, increased income for improvement of
livelihood.
.
Representative from a Non-Government Organization (NGO):
The NGO representative proposed that they are ready and can assist the project staff as and
when required, particularly to support in training. He said that he will be very happy if our
support is solicited.
President, Press Club, Brahmanbaria:
He said that he was happy to participate in the workshop and mentioned during his deliberation
that communication in haor area is very poor. Everything will be improved if communication is
improved. This can help the farmers to bring their produce very quick to their homes and can
take them to market for marketing. He also said that the poor fishermen should get the beel for
fishing and not for the well-off people. Ducklings and fishing are important areas for imcome and
employment. This can help improve their livelihood.
Start-up Workshop Session
Component-wise Presentation by Project Management Unit
1. Communications Infrastructure: Quality Control Engineer (QCE)
In poor rural communities of the haor area communication and community roads and other
infrastructure are severely inadequate. Rural infrastructure contributes significantly towards poverty
reduction by enabling increased connectivity to markets and local centers, improving local markets and
protecting the livelihoods of the population.
Under this component the project will build about 250 km of Upazila and union roads including
submersible roads and will also build bridges and culverts, and 50 boat landing stages. This
infrastructure is expected to be the key for the economic growth and development of the people.
The communications infrastructure component of HILIP also includes funding for the maintenance of
roads built by the project. This will follow LGED current practice for off-pavement maintenance using
the Labour Contracting Societies (LCS) to maintain road shoulders. To allow for possible extra
maintenance needs for submersible roads, HILIP costs allow for two women per km, plus 30% for
materials for minor repairs to concrete roads.
2. Community Infrastructure : Quality Control Engineer (QCE)
The main objective of this component is to enhance mobility, protect villages and markets from wave
erosion and encourage rural growth. To further improve access to markets and services in the haor
area, HILIP will work with communities to build 350 km of village roads, development of 78 small village
markets, protection works against wave erosion for about 78 villages and 52 markets.
These works will be mostly constructed by Labour Contracting Societies (LCS) which gives preferential
treatment to poor women and men to provide them with a source of additional income. The LCS will be
supported by project staff based in Upazila offices. LCS members will receive training prior to the start
of their work and each LCS will operate their own bank account.
HILIP will construct wave protection works for 78 villages. The choice of technology will be based on
what is best suited for specific locations and will be determined in a participatory manner with the
beneficiary communities. Village protection works will be implemented by LCS.
Project costs also include provision for protection of 52 village markets. Open sheds, platforms and
women’s market areas will be constructed. The markets will be primarily constructed by contractors
with the work being supervised by the regular LGED district XEN and Upazila Engineers. However,
where possible some LCS may also be used for construction of markets to provide poor women and
men an opportunity for additional wage employment.
It is expected that 150 small traders will be benefited from market improvement in each market
location. The project will also develop about 90 informal market collection centers. UPs will take the
lead role in forming LCS – publicizing that LCS are being formed, drawing up lists of applicants and
screening them against project targeting criteria as per LCS guidelines. UPs are responsible for
maintenance of community roads, & the project will provide funds for this work within the project period.
3. Community Resource Management: Community Resource Management/Fisheries
Specialist (CRM/FS)
The objective of this component is to improve the livelihood of poor rural households engaged in fishing
by improving their access to fish resources, increase in fish production and the fish species in the water
bodies or Jalmohals in the Haor region. The combined impact of beel development and improved
management of this resource will help increase fish production and fish species in the Beels. The
outcome of this component will be more secure access to poor fishing households and increased
productivity of these natural resources. The project will strengthen the 300 BUG formed under the
SCBRMP in Sunamganj to ensure their sustainability. HILIP will also seek to bring around 200
additional water bodies in the four new project districts - Habigonj, Netrokona, Kishoregonj and
Brahmanbaria. It is estimated that around 20,000 members of the BUGs will receive benefits from this
component of which a considerable number (about 20%) will be women.
The project will strengthen the institutional arrangements for Beel management and invest resources in
developing water bodies to improve their productivity and biodiversity. In order to ensure the
sustainability of these community based institutions, HILP will develop a system of strengthening the
BUGs and then monitoring them to assess their capacity for graduation to the next level. BUGs that
have graduated will be supported and encouraged to register as cooperatives or under law that allows
them to undertake their functions effectively. It is expected that the registration of fishers’ groups as
legal bodies, along with the renewal of lease recommended by the LGED, will make the community
management of beel resources sustainable. Such an approach will help them in securing leases and
manage the water bodies on their own when the Project ends.
HILIP staff based in Upazila offices will form Beel User Groups (BUG) and strengthen their capacity
following the BUG guidelines prepared by HILIP. The project will also employ local people as
Community Development Facilitators (CDF) to assist and support BUGs, acting as a link between the
BUG and the project. MOU between LGED and the Ministry of Land is being initiated regarding the
transfer and lease of these as soon as possible so that project can take up the activities at the earliest.
Beel development will also include re-excavation work which will be taken over from the SCBRMP and
the 200 new beels. This will provide a significant injection of cash for poor families and for the local
economy. BUGs will also plant swamp forest trees on land around beels and households – these trees
help improve biodiversity and increase the fish catch. BUGs will establish fish sanctuaries and
demarcate beel boundaries with these trees. The project will also provide support for local Department
of Fisheries (DoF) offices to publicize and enforce fishery regulations. Project funds are available to
pay for the costs of training and workshops, including external facilitators of training from agencies
such as the Department of Fisheries (DoF). The project will also work with community groups to reexcavate 100 kms length of canals for facilitating proper land drainage, improve storage and delivery of
irrigation water, enhance chances of fish breeding, promote biodiversity and improve communication.
This re-excavation will also be carried out by LCS and create considerable employment.
4. Livelihood Protection: Livelihood & Training Specialist (LTS)
The project will assist in helping to protect existing sources of livelihood such as crop cultivation
particularly rice, horticulture, livestock, ducks, poultry, etc by adopting a value chain approach. The
greatest risk to farming households as far as rice cultivation is concerned, which is the threat from early
flooding that can reduce yields and cause significant crop losses. To improve the livelihood of the poor
farmers in the flood-prone ecosystem there is need for demonstration and delivery of new technologies
for increasing the productivity of flood-prone rice and introduction of new high value crops. Many suitable
technologies have been demonstrated by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) which have shorter maturing periods such as BR 28 and BR
45 & 50. However, these technologies have not been properly disseminated. There is need to enhance
farmer awareness about them. Farmers are also constrained by the availability of improved seeds,
introduction of high value crops such as vegetables and assistance in enhancing production and
diversification.
In case of livestock, there is limited access to vaccination and improved feed preparation technologies
which can help to build the resistance against disease as well as improve animal productivity. Poultry is
also vulnerable to disease because of limited knowledge about preventive disease measures. The
project can help to protect these valuable resources in the haor region in close coordination with the
Department of Livestock Services (DLS). The project will arrange training of local paravets, access to
improved inputs such as day old chicks, improved feed through links with private sector producers and
improvement of livestock feed.
The broad objective of this component is to enhance production, diversification and marketing of crop
and livestock produce. This component will develop the capacity of smallholder producers to participate
in selected market-based value chains and establish and support market-based institutions.
The approach for the crop and horticulture sector will be based around introducing new crops and
horticulture to help diversify the producers from rice, training on improved farm management for
improving productivity, and building capacity of farmers to interact with input sellers, buyers and
support service providers. For field crops and horticulture larger block demonstrations need to be
organized for maximum visual impact. This will be backed-up by field based training, field days and
exchange visits. Local seed producers and contract growing in collaboration with private seed
companies will be arranged by the project.
For livestock and poultry, the focus will be on developing the linked elements within a value chain. For
cattle, key opportunities for improvement are access to health services and breed-upgrading. To do
this requires the establishment of sustainable support services and the project will train, equip and
initially subsidize local para-vets and technicians. Similarly the project will support the introduction of
improved breeds of chicken and duck through breeding services, and vaccination services.
For
fisheries, limited scale cage/pan fisheries will be pilot tested. In addition, quality of fish processing
(dried fish) will be improved through improving processing and packaging techniques and establish
linkage with buyers. Apart from these broad sectors, other value chains with growth potential such as
bamboo and mustaq (local aquatic plans). These plants can provide vegetative protection against wave
erosion, and also raw materials for mat and basket making. Improvements in cultivation methods,
quality of handicrafts and access to new markets may be implemented alongside other initiatives.
The Project will also assess the potential for undertaking some innovative income earning initiatives
such as potential for fish cage culture, floating vegetables gardens on water hyacinth beds, multilayered cultivation, etc. Some of these are well known technologies in the country although may not be
that well known in this part of the haor.
HILIP will also provide support for women who have completed LCS work and require training and
support to invest in income generating activities. It is envisaged that this support will cover the female
members of LCS involved in community infrastructure development. The number of women that are
likely to be supported is estimated to be around 25,000. The project will hire Social Organizers; who
will work closely in the areas of crop, livestock and fish resources with the smallholder producers and
other market actors along the value chain to identify the constraints. All project field team members will
be given training on value chain development.
5. Project management: Deputy Project Director (DPD)
This component will pay for all the incremental costs of Project Management incurred by LGED as well
as for equipment, vehicles and furniture, etc. This component will also pay for staff salaries as well as
short-term specialists and technical expertise. A Project Management Unit (PMU) has been set up at
the LGED headquarters in Dhaka including offices in all 5 districts and 14 Upazila offices to cover the
28 Upazilas in the Project area. The distribution of responsibilities for the different Project components
have been organized to ensure that the LGED District and Upazila staff can perform their routine
functions without being overburdened by the Project. After the Orientation Workshop that held in
LGED Head Quarter and these being the first District Start-up and planning Workshops held at the
district levels. Training courses will be organized for project staff in project management, a few
selected study tours and specific opportunities for capacity building of staff on financial management,
monitoring and evaluation and knowledge management.
The Project working in haor areas targeting to poverty alleviation would definitely be benefited
particularly by the improvement of the community and communication infrastructures.
The project activities have been designed to act responsively to protect and promote the environment
through structural and non-structural interventions such as constructing village protection wall and
awareness raising to maintain that; constructing submersible roads so that it causes no obstacle to
usual water flow of the haor area; promoting biodiversity through introduction of environment
protections acts, structural interventions such as establishing fish sanctuaries; introducing restriction on
destructive fishing gears and seasonal closing of fishing and so on. Those would improve the overall
environment and ecology of the haor.
Women and children’s well-beings are priority concern of the project to achieve the project goal.
Marginal and destitute women are major clients of the project particularly in LCS and livelihoods
support. Poverty alleviation is the ultimate goal of the project and that is to be largely realized by rural
employment generation through community based infrastructural development activities of the project
All project activities are incorporated with local government institutions and the approach chosen is
community based. Increasing productivity of agricultural and fisheries resources through disseminating
appropriate technologies and improved management are strongly embedded in project activities.
The haor area where the project is being implemented is largely deprived from development comparing
to other areas of Bangladesh. The project has further focused to include the most deprived upazilas of
the districts selected for the project implementation.
Project Planning & Implementation Specialist (PPIS)
Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWPB:)
The AWPB represents the key planning document for the Project. It will serve as the instrument for
identifying and integrating management priorities for implementation, forecasting procurement
requirements and it facilitates the mobilization of staff and resources when needed. It is primarily a
management tool to control costs and assess achievements. The AWPB for FY2013-2014 will be
prepared after the planning workshop of all five districts that will be ending on 28 June 2013 and
thereafter it will be consolidated using the schedules and format recommended by IFAD. HILIP will
adopt current government planning processes. Annual planning for projects implemented by LGED is
based on the Government’s process for its overall Annual Development Plan. The AWP, along with
the annual procurement plan, will be approved by the PSC prior to the start of the following financial
year.
Project Implementation:
HILIP is primarily an infrastructure and community resource management project in a vulnerable area
with a preponderance of poor households attempting to survive in very adverse circumstances in haor
basin.
The manner in which project activities will be identified and implementation arrangements structured
will promote these underlying approaches of HILIP. The participatory planning workshops, the
participation of Union Parishads and their commitment to provide maintenance funds from their block
grants and the combined use of professional contractors and Labour Contracting Societies are all
designed to promote these aspects during Project implementation. The use of labour-intensive
approaches to works, including beel and canal re-excavation, means the project will strengthen its local
employment-creation potential. The approach to the community resource management component is
that of community empowerment and management, while the underlying approach of the livelihood
protection component is value chain analysis through promoting partnerships with market
intermediaries along the value chain.
The project will be implemented over an eight year period. This period is needed to implement the
infrastructure schemes, provide time for Beel User Groups to mature and gain the strength needed for
some measures of long-term sustainability as well as identify and implement the value chain activities
envisaged under the livelihood protection component. Most project works will be implemented in
project years 2 to 7, with the first year being used for mobilisation, detailed planning and preparatory
activities. The last year will be mainly used for institutional strengthening, assessing project impact and
using the results for policy reform and knowledge dissemination and advocacy.
Monitoring & Evaluation and Knowledge Management Specialist (M&E and KMS)
Monitoring and evaluation (M&E):
The M&E system is a key management tool for the project and has the primary purpose of providing
data and feedback that improves the effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, relevance and impact of
project activities. The M&E Unit will produce a series of monthly, quarterly and annual reports for all
concerned offices as per format established by this unit. Apart from reporting progress against
physical and financial targets, these reports will provide evidence of outcomes for each component.
There will also be sections on targeting, gender, partnerships and knowledge management. The M&E
unit will produce an annual report with the results of outcome of the past year. Staff responsible for the
implementation of different activities will be responsible for reporting on the progress and outputs of
these activities to the M&E Unit.
HILIP will have a comprehensive M&E system to generate management information and provide LGED
and IFAD with evidence of results and impact against log-frame indicators and IFADs RIMS indicators.
This will involve output, outcome and impact monitoring. Indicators for the development objective will
relate to improved living standards and reduction in vulnerability and will be primarily obtained from
annual outcome surveys covering a sample of target households.
Some M&E activities would be contracted to external agencies. This includes the monitoring of the
RIMS anchor indicator which would be contracted to an agency experienced in collection of data.
The Monitoring & Evaluation and Knowledge Management Specialist will require data on all
components on a regular basis from the concerned field offices.
In the district planning workshops the project staff were asked to identify clusters of haor villages that
are densely populated and poor. The project staffs have been assigned to complete the identification
through a PRA to confirm that these clusters are relatively poor and the people will be the beneficiary
of HILIP.
Knowledge management:
Knowledge Management (KM) activities will use project data and results in order to draw lessons and
disseminate experiences. The M&E unit will be responsible for knowledge management and learning
The first of the uses of M&E data is for internal project review and planning workshops. KM activities
will aim to share project results and lessons within LGED and with other project related agencies. This
will involve contributions to LGED and IFAD newsletters, posting key information and reports on the
HILIP page of the LGED website, and experience sharing workshops both organized by the project and
by other agencies. The participation of agency in fish catch and biodiversity monitoring will be able to
participate in wider dissemination via conferences, academic papers and other publications. The
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is developing an alternate model of water body
development in 52 Beels in the Tangwar Haor using a more conservation oriented approach to Beel
management. The experience of this approach will be adopting a more livelihood oriented approach to
the water body development and helping the poor people for the economic growth in the haor areas.
These experiences will be part of the knowledge sharing mandate of HILIP. The project will make a
concerted effort to work with other agencies such as IUCN, MoL, Ministry of Environment and others to
inform policy on these issues. .
Closing Session:
The Project Director extended thanks to all participants for a successful Start-up Workshop and
thereafter declared the Workshop closed.
District Start-Up Workshop
Hoar Infrastructure & Livelihood Improvement Project (HILIP)
Local Government Engineering Department
Date – 23/06/2013 , Dist: Brahmanbaria
Participants List
A
District and PMU Level:
Opening
Session
Working Session
01
Deputy Commissioner
1
0
02.
Superintend of Police
1
0
03.
Superintending Engineer (Sylhet)
1
1
04
Project Director(HILIP)
1
1
05
DPD(HILIP)
1
1
06
Sr.AE(HILIP)
1
1
07
XEN,LGED
1
1
08
Sr.AE, LGED
1
1
09
Representative from Haor Board
1
0
10
ADC Revenue
1
1
11
RDC (Revenue Deputy Collector)
1
1
12
DD, Agriculture Extension
1
1
13
DLO, Livestock
1
1
14
DFO, DOF
1
1
15
AE,HILLIP,LGED Districts
1
1
16
NGO Representatives
5
0
17
PMU,HILIP
7
7
18
DMU,HILIP
10
10
19
Journalist
5
0
42
29
Sub-Total
Remarks
B
Upazila Level :As per upazila
01
Upazila Chairman
6
6
02
UNO
6
6
03
Upazila Engineer
6
6
04
Agriculture Officer
6
6
05
Livestock Officer
6
6
06
Fisheries Officer
6
6
07
UMU,HILIP
19
19
08
Chairmen, Union Parishad
-
-
09
Male/Female Members (U. parishad)
5
5
60
60
102
89
Sub-Total
Grand Total
Haor Infrastructure & Livelihood Improvement Project
(HILIP)
Planning Workshop
Brahmanbaria District
Local Government Engineering Department (LGED)
Planning Workshop
Introduction:
Planning Workshop is one of the key tools for the people involved in the process of
implementing any programs in a timely manner to achieve results. It is mandatory to conduct a
Planning Workshop at the start of the program.
The purpose of the Planning Workshop is to undertake detailed planning for the project. In order
for this to occur, it needs to have a shared understanding of what the project involves and how
this will be achieved. A system approach has been used in the design of the project and all
project activities are closely related. All project activities need for planning to ensure the
coordination of the project components. Working with the poor farmers of the project, it is
important that it should have appropriate planning in place. The timeframe of the project is fairly
long to ensure that project commences quickly and activities are completed on a timely fashion.
The Planning Workshop considers all aspects of financial management, procurement of goods,
works and services, implementation methodologies, monitoring and evaluation requirements
including the way of preparing the AWPB.
Presentation by the Project Director at the Planning Workshop:
The Project Director in the Planning Workshop categorically mentioned about the need for
planning of the project for FY2013-2014 for implementation and management in a systematic
and timely fashion so that project objectives are achieved following the plan. He mentioned the
purpose and the process and asked all participants to adhere to the work plan, which is to be
finalized in the workshop. He also mentioned that planning should include but not limited to
AWPB, procurement of goods, works and services only.
A section of the participants in the
Presentation by individual consultant of Project Management Unit (PMU), Dhaka
Quality Control Engineer ((QCE)
The Quality Control Engineer (QCE) briefly presented in the workshop about the communication
and community infrastructure, their numbers, location to be constructed, way of completion,
quality of construction, procedures and involvement of LCS group and the contractor, their
management and the sustainability. He categorically mentioned that the LGED staff should be
involved in the process with the project staff for preparing the design and the estimates. He
asked the people involved in the process to make the reachable and workable number of
activities related to communication and community infrastructure without any bias and that
should be realistic. He mentioned that the schemes have already been approved for the project
to be constructed as mentioned by the Project Director and now the plan has to be finalized for
implementation.
Community Resource Management (CRM)/Fisheries Specialist (CRMS)
The CRM Specialist mentioned in the workshop that the transfer of 300 beels from SCBRMP to
HILIP is likely to take place before the end of the SCBBRMP. He advised the project staff to
prepare the inventory of 38 new beels in Brahmanbaria and each beel should be more than 20
acres that will encourage the Beel User Group (BUG) for participation. The participants were
asked to make a list that need to be re-excavated of previous beels to improve the habitats for
more production and more income keeping in mind that the canal to be re-excavated will
connect the main rivers for easy movement of mother fish for more production and fish biodiversity leading to improvement of livelihood since fish is the key source of income of the
fishermen living in the haor areas.
Livelihood and Training Specialist (LTS)
The Livelihood and Training Specialist delivered her presentation on livelihood and training and
abreast the participants to support facilities to enhance production, diversification & marketing of
crop/horticulture, Poultry & livestock and various species of fishes through capacity building of
smallholder producers to participate in selected market - based on value chains as well as by
establishing and supporting market based Institutions leading to improve their livelihood in Haor
areas on a sustainable basis..She also mentioned that the training on various new technologies
will be extended to enable them to apply those technologies for increased production and
income for better livelihood. In addition, few dynamic staff will be sent overseas for training on
modern technologies for various aspect of the project. The LTS asked the staff to select and
finalize the Common Interest Group (CIG) and Labor Contacting Society (LCS) including Beel
User Group (BUG) so that project can take up its momentum for achieving the project objectives
as quickly as possible.
Monitoring & Evaluation and Knowledge Management Specialist (M&E and KMS)
M&E and Knowledge Management Specialist briefed the participants in the workshop about the
monitoring and evaluation process and reasons for doing this. She also displayed the household
survey. The contents of the format were discussed in the planning season when it was decided
to make a format that should be standardized. It was then discussed at PMU, standardized and
distributed to the project staff. She requested the District Project Coordinators should provide
monthly, quarterly and annual reports of all M&E activities on a timely fashion to enable the
M&E and KMS for onward submission to the concerned offices.
Project Planning and Implementation Specialist (PPIS)
The Project Planning and Implementation Specialist presented the project planning
methodology of all five components of the project and requested the project staff for
implementation of the project activities as per Annual Work Plan and budget. He also
mentioned that if the project is implemented on a timely fashion, the income of the poor haor
people will be increased and thereby it will contribute in the reduction of poverty. It is needless
to say that project planning is the key element in the process of achieving the project goad and
without which the components can never be maintained and the project will move without
aiming its target. In this case management tools are to be used and practiced for better results,
which will lead for achieving the goal as set in the project.
Short brief by the Deputy Project Director
In a short brief the Deputy Project Director mentioned the following points:
 The Annual Budget for the FY2013-2014 has been made at Tk. 90.00 crore.
 Common Interest Group (CIG) should be formed and they should be given training as early
as possible.
 Beel User Group is to be formed immediately and training has to be given,
 Plantation of vatiber grass and hizol/koros trees should be done in or around the edges of
the haor, on the embankment, around the homesteads as soon as possible to protect the
homesteads, markets and other facilities from strong wind and wave erosion. The hizol/koroi
trees can also be planted in the haor for beel demarcation.
 Training should be given on new technology for poultry/livestock rearing, crop/horticulture
and fish production.
 Establishment of liaison/cooperation with the line departments, beneficiaries and others is
required for successful implementation of the project.
While talking on AWPB (annual Work Plan & Budget), he said that it represents the key
planning document for the project. It serves as an instrument for identifying and integrating
management priorities for implementation, forecasting procurement requirements and it
facilitates the mobilization of staff and resources when needed. It is primarily a management
tool to control costs and assess achievements.
Closing Session:
The Project Director expressed his thanks and gratitude to the Executive Engineer, LGED,
Brahmanbaria for his full support to make the workshop a success.
Mr. A.K.M Harun-ur-Rashid, Project Director of HILIP expressed his satisfaction and thanked all
participants for making a beautiful Start-up Workshop and Planning workshop in a very befitting
manner. He wished effective implementation of the objectives of HILIP with the participation of
all concerned agencies and thereafter declared the workshop closed.
List of participants, Planning Workshop, Brahmanbaria
Sl. No.
Designation
Number
Remark
1
Project Director, HILIP
1
2
Executive Engineer, HILIP
1
3
Deputy Project Director, HILIP
1
4
Sr. AE, HILIP
1
5
Project Planning & Implementation Specialist
1
6
Quality Control Engineer
1
7
Livelihood & Training Specialist
1
8
Monitoring & Evaluation and KMS
1
9
Community Resource Management Specialist
1
10
Gender Adviser
1 Absent
11
Sr.AE (Dist)
1
12
Assistant (Dist)
1
13
Account Officer
1
14
Upazila Engineer
1
15
District Project Coordinator (DPC), HILIP
1
16
SAE, HILIP
1
17
SO (Crop), HILIP
1
18
SO (Fish), HILIP
2
Nasirnagar
19
Work Assistant, HILIP
2
20
LCS Organizer, HILIP
2
21
Finance Assistant /Computer Operator
1
22
Upazila Engineer
1
23
UPC, HILIP
6
24
SAE, HILIP
1
25
SO (Crop),HILIP
4
26
SO( Fish), HILIP
4
27
Work Assistant, HILIP
1
28
LCS Organizer, HILIP
1
29
FA/CO
1
30
UE, Bancharampur
1
31
UE, Sarail
1
32
UE, Ashugon
1
33
UE, Sadar
1
34
UE, Bijoy Nagor
1
35
DMU Officers
1
36
Staff
6
37
Support staff
4
Total
59
Nabinagar
A challenge
“Haor Infrastructure and Livelihood Improvement Project (HILIP)
WILL
be
implemented
by
Local
Government
Engineering
Department (LGED) funded by the International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), Spanish TRUST FUND (STF) and
Government
of
Bangladesh
leading
to
improvement
OF
LIVELLIHooD of poor pEopLE In Haor BaSIn”.
Prepared by: 1. Md. Habibur Rahman; Project Planning & Implementation Specialist, HILIP
2. Hashibun Nahar Khanam; Monitoring & Evaluation and Knowledge
Management Specialist, HILIP