Resilient Livelihoods and Disaster Preparedness in Coastal Areas

DHAKA, March 25 (NsNewsWire) — The World Bank has been supporting the Government of Bangladesh through the Emergency 2007 Cyclone Recovery and Restoration Project (ECRRP) to restore the livelihoods of people affected by the Cyclone Sidr (2007) and Cyclone Alia (2009), and to build long-term disaster preparedness. ECRRP has been constructing new cyclone shelters, repairing existing shelters and building shelter access roads in cyclone prone areas. ECRRP has also been repairing embankments, making peoples’ lives and livelihoods safer and more resilient. In addition, the project has provided agricultural support to farmers through the provision of improved seeds, agricultural tools, livestock, fish fingerlings, household silos and hands on training on the use of such technology. The project is also supporting the preparation of the first phase of a fifteen year government program for disaster risk reduction.

ECRRP has already constructed 136 new multipurpose disaster shelters that double up as primary schools during non-emergency situations. 65 more new shelters will be completed by June 2015. The target is to construct a total of 330 new shelters by the end of 2017. The project has completed the rehabilitation of 241 existing shelters, out of a target of 460 shelters to be repaired by 2017. Another 81 will be rehabilitated by June 2015. Repair works for 260 km coastal embankments have been completed out of a total target of 460 km.

A recent monitoring and evaluation report shows significant improvements in the socio-economic status of ECRRP beneficiaries. The 2014 Household Survey shows that 90% of the beneficiary households now have annual incomes of above BDT 60,000, placing them above the poverty line. This is an improvement compared to baseline and earlier surveys – 86%, 58% and 33% reported in 2013, 2012 and in the Baseline Survey of 2010 respectively.

The World Bank has so far supported ECRRP with US$324 million. In addition to World Bank financing, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (US$2.96 million), the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (US$25 million), and KfW (Euro 3.82 million) have contributed to the project.