WELCOME FROM BANGLADESH

Project Name : Resilient through Economic empowerment, climate adaptation, leadership and learning (REE-CALL)

Project goal: Women and Men most at risk of disaster and climate change in Bangladesh are able to thrive in spite of shocks and change

Objective of the project:1. To develop replicable model of resilient community in three agro-ecological zones and

linking with urban settings.2. To enhance and strengthen the livelihoods of targeted communities in changing climate.3. Develop community leadership specially of women ensuring access to and control over

resources, services and opportunities.

Context: Bangladesh is geographically prone to Flood, every year flood hit during monsoon, in catastrophe

flood people loss their livestock, houses, crops and some times lives River erosion, drought and cold wave Poor communication and infrastructure Inadequate employment and income opportunities in the area prompted members from 26% HH to

migrate seasonally to outside areas. Average annual income of HH was GBP 220 and average family size 5 Employment opportunity in River Island areas is very low (32%) Disparity in male and female employment 62% male 10% female. Inadequate employment and income opportunities Restricted women mobility ; only 20% women have freedom to go outside from home Only 13% HH produced any food that lasted on average for three months. Thus the HH were deficit in

food for nine months a year, indicating high vulnerability. .Average HH size 5 among them 28% are women –headed; average literacy rate 24, men-31.6 %,

women 16.5 In general women do 90% of household work; 50% of productive work done by women

Why community selected Chili value Chain?

90% women are involved in chili production and processing Scopes of engaging women in chili marketing functions More scope for employment and increase additional income for women Women have previous experiences on chili cultivation Strong market demand in local , regional, national and export market. Potential for value addition through grading, sorting and packaging Potential for increase in productivity Good opportunities for market linkage Scope of addressing gender roles in all level (HH and Community level) Scope of adapting climate changes and DRR

HOUSEHOLDS IN GAIBANDHA, BANGLADESH

HH productive works ( women 75% and men 25%)

Cash Market (men 90% and women 10%) - Cloths- Foods- Housing materials- Educational

Materials- Medicine- Ag. Inputs- Utensil- ornaments

Natural Resources

Social Networks

HH Carrying work (Women 90% men 10%)

- Taking care of children and older- Cooking food- Cleaning house- Washing of cloths- Entertainment- Cleaning utensils and furniture- Shift HH materials during

soil erosion and floods- Collecting water

State

- Participate in CBO meeting- Membership of local committee- Representation in local political

system- Membership of the market committee- Membership of change maker

network

- Rearing of livestock- Homestead gardening- Tree plantation- Sewing- Post harvest activities- Seed extraction and

preservation- Weeding and irrigation of land

- Foods- Housing materials- Water - Agriculture

inputs

- Education- Health- Sanitation- Safety net supports- Social security- Credit support- Extension services

New Opportunity- Using of improved cooking stove- Using of improved chili dryer, dust cleaner,

and tarpaulin sheet- Role sharing by men for taking care of

children, collecting water and washing cloths- Role sharing by men for rearing of

livestock and homestead gardening, tree plantation

- Private sector can introduce improve cooking stove and chili harvesting technologies

- Making awareness of women and men on family planning, women literacy

Income

Average annual income GBP 220/HHAverage income from chili GBP 750/ acre of land

- -

Where do these come from? How are these goods and services provided?

Purchase in the cash market

Natural Resources - the environment

The state

Exchange, barter, social/family networks (unpaid)

Household work (unpaid)

Hire - pay someone for servicesServices

Goods

Women’s work in the HH, community and the (new) business

Women ♀

Unpaid caring work in the household

Community work

Unpaid productive work for the cash

market

Unpaid productive work for household

consumption

Cooking food 3 hrs/day

Community work ¼ hrs/week

Water fetching and

Cleanliness 1.5 hrs/day

Taking care of children and older

2.5 hrs/day

Home gardening and

poultry rearing1.5 hrs

Purchase goods and services ½

hrs/day

Paid productive work for the chilli

cultivation

In production period 3 hrs/day

Total working hours per day 12.15

In harvesting period 5-6 hrs

Unpaid paid productive work for the chilli cultivation

-

- Foods- Housing materials- Water - Agriculture

inputs

HH carrying work

Making awareness of women and men on family planning that will reduce the time for carrying baby and taking care of more children, increasing women literacy

HH carrying work

Using of improved cooking stove that will reduce the time for cooking and will reduce the carbon emission

HH productive work

Role sharing by men for rearing of livestock and homestead gardening, tree plantation

HH Carrying work

Role sharing by men for taking care of children, older and prepare children for going to school, collecting water and washing cloths

HH productive work

Using of improved chili dryer, dust cleaner, and tarpaulin sheet that will reduce the time for chili drying and processing

Role of state and Private Sector

Public and Private sector can introduce improve cooking stove and chili harvesting technologies

Women want to re-negotiate

All throughout the chili harvesting period women are to do additional work 5-6 hours per day that increase their workload significantly but there are some opportunity to negotiate the work load:

Factors that enable women to have increased negotiation power at HH

level

Women ‘s control over income; relative contribution to family support

Minimizing wage discrimination between men and women

Recognize women’s as producers by the state

Women’s freedom of choices and movement

Participation in HH decision-making; ability to make childbearing decisions, use contraception, control over spouse selection and marriage timing

Knowledge of legal rights; HH support for exercising rights

Knowledge of political system and HH support for political engagement; exercising the right to vote

Access to and control of resources (land, catttle)

High self-esteem

Stories, please . . .A women agency of change- Hazera

She is well known to everyone as chili traders. And is leading the enterprise group as well as CBO. She is contributing a lot in her family to maintain the livelihoods and is influencing the decision making process in HH, community and society level.

Anna Knows How to Produce?

Anna said that her chili was very good quality and she got a higher price for it

(12.50 Tk. per kg) than the previous year

Women Leadership in Technology Dissemination

Gained knowledge and skills on chili cultivation and disseminate to 100 producers. Many producers came to her to know about chili cultivation techniques. Everybody knows her as a service provider.