🌿 Shapla Gram Unnayan Sangstha’s Role in Combating Drought
Climate change poses an increasing threat to the lives and livelihoods of people in drought-prone areas of Bangladesh. As part of the national effort to build climate resilience, Shapla Gram Unnayan Sangstha is proud to serve as a partner organization in the Extended Community Climate Change Project – Drought (ECCCP-Drought), led by PKSF and supported by the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
🌍 About the ECCCP-Drought Project
The ECCCP-Drought project is a large-scale, multi-year initiative designed to help vulnerable communities in the Barind region adapt to the growing impacts of climate-induced droughts. Covering 14 upazilas across Rajshahi, Naogaon, and Chapainawabganj districts, the project directly benefits over 215,000 people and indirectly reaches more than 3.5 million residents.
It aims to:
- Increase availability of surface and groundwater,
- Promote drought-resilient agricultural practices, and
- Enhance institutional and technical capacity to manage climate risks at the community level.
📍 Our Working Area
Shapla Gram Unnayan Sangstha is actively implementing the ECCCP-Drought project in the following locations:
- Godagari
- Mohanpur
- Pakri Union
These areas are among the most drought-prone in the Rajshahi region, and our work here is focused on protecting natural water resources, improving agricultural resilience, and empowering local communities to adapt to climate change.
💧 Key Interventions by Shapla Gram Unnayan Sangstha
In partnership with PKSF, we are carrying out several important components of the ECCCP-Drought project:
1. Water Resource Management
- Re-excavation of local canals and ponds to enhance surface water storage.
- Installation of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) systems to replenish underground water tables.
- Promotion of rooftop rainwater harvesting systems in water-scarce households.
2. Climate-Resilient Agriculture
- Training local farmers in low-water-use techniques and climate-smart farming.
- Distribution of drought-tolerant crop varieties such as BRRI Dhan-56, BARI Gom-24, and mung beans.
- Encouraging crop diversification to reduce dependency on high-irrigation crops.
3. Community Mobilization and Awareness
- Organizing village-level meetings, workshops, and campaigns to raise awareness about water conservation and climate change.
- Involving women, youth, and marginal farmers in project activities for inclusive and sustainable impact.
🌱 The Impact So Far
Since implementation began, hundreds of families in Godagari, Mohanpur, and Pakri Union have already started experiencing the benefits of improved water access and sustainable farming. Farmers are seeing reduced irrigation costs, increased crop yields, and a stronger sense of community ownership in managing local natural resources.
🛤 Our Commitment
At Shapla Gram Unnayan Sangstha, we believe that climate action begins at the grassroots. Through ECCCP-Drought, we are not only helping to mitigate the effects of climate change but also building a path toward long-term resilience and sustainable development for the communities we serve.