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Bangladesh
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LOAN: BAN 30032-01
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Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project
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Location
People's Republic of Bangladesh
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Sector
Agriculture & Natural Resources /Environment & Biodiversity
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Initial Listing
1 July 1996
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Most Recent Update
18 January 2000
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Executing Agency(ies)
Forest Department
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- Missions
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| TA Fact-Finding |
Loan Fact-Finding |
Pre-Appraisal |
Appraisal |
| 17-24 Jun 1996 |
24 Nov-12 Dec 1997 |
TBD |
6-20 Aug 1998 |
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Loan Approval Date
27 November 1998
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Estimated Completion Date
June 2006
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- Cost and Financing Plan (in US$ million)
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| Source |
Foreign Cost |
Local Cost |
Total |
| Bank |
15.60 |
21.40 |
37.00 |
| Cofinancing |
12.10 |
17.00 |
29.10 |
| Borrower |
0.00 |
16.10 |
16.10 |
| Beneficiaries |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Others |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Project/Program Cost |
27.70 |
54.50 |
82.20 |
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OCR |
ADF |
Total |
| Loan Amount |
0.00 |
37.00 |
37.00 |
- Description
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Comprising 6,000 square kilometers in the south-west of the country, the Sundarbans Reserve Forest (SRF) offers regional storm protection, and is a rich area of biodiversity and natural resources. It forms part of the world's largest contiguous mangrove forest, and is a globally significant resource which provides habitat for endangered species, including the Bengal tiger. It also offers subsistence to approximately 3.5 million people in the 17 thanas (subdistricts) of the impact zone bordering the SRF. The Project will introduce modern management systems which will involve stakeholders, and take a participatory approach to community development in the impact zone, to achieve long-term sustainable use and conservation of the SRF.
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| Strategic Development Objectives |
- Primary
- Sound Management of Environment
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- Secondary
- Poverty Reduction
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- Rationale
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The Sundarbans is the world's largest remaining contiguous mangrove area featuring habitats for fish, shrimp, birds, and other wildlife, including the Bengal tiger. Regional towns rely on the Sundarbans for both protection from adverse weather and tourism benefits. Urgent steps are necessary to stop and reverse the current trend of deforestation and loss of biodiversity in the Sundarbans Reserve Forest (SRF), which is under pressure from a growing number of users. SRF has to be managed by an institution capable of managing a multidimensional resource. In addition to increased financial resources, a significant improvement in the institutional capacity of the Forest Department (FD) and an improved management approach based on appropriate research, community participation, and scientific planning is necessary.
- Objectives and Scope
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The Project will achieve the development of a sustainable management and biodiversity conservation system for all Sundarbans Reserve Forest (SRF) resources, on the basis of rational plans and the participation of all key stakeholders. The Project site is located in the southwest region of Bangladesh, including the SRF and the five districts of Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Pirojpur and Barguna, where poverty levels and landlessness are high, and access to social services is very limited. In these districts, 17 thanas comprise the impact zone surrounding the SRF. The Project will consist of: (i) Part A - Effective Organization of SRF; (ii) Part B - Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Resource Management; (iii) Part C- Socioeconomic development of the impact zone; (iv) Part D - Ecotourism and Environmental Awareness; (v) Part E - Technical Advisory Group (TAG), Monitoring, and Research Studies; and (vi) Part F - Effluent Treatment.
- Policy Dialogue
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Policy dialogue will focus on the crucial issues surrounding the sustainable management of the SRF and its precious ecosystem. Exploitation to a level which is compatible with the biological needs of the ecosystem, is the first major challenge. The Forest Department and other stakeholders need to understand and accept the commitments that the Government has made to the long run sustainability of the SRF. The institutional changes proposed to reform the organizational structure and the management ethos will require continued policy discussions.
- Environment Category:
B
- Environment Impact and Mitigation
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An initial environmental examination was conducted during Project preparation, and a summary initial environmental examination (SIEE) has been prepared and was circulated to the Board on 1 June 1998. Project-related impacts are predominantly positive, with no major adverse environmental impacts. The SIEE indicates that only a small number of proposed activities could have potentially adverse environmental impacts. The net environmental benefits will outweigh any residual adverse impacts after mitigation measures are carried out.
- Social Aspects and Remedies
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Gender issues will require attention in the impact zone strategy. Gender issues arise from a division of labor where women are wholly responsible for raising families, but have only a limited role in the monetary economy. Approximately 50 percent of the direct beneficiaries in the impact zone will be women, including access to microcredit for alternative income earning activities. Women will have considerable control over the earnings from their production enterprises, leading to higher household expenditures on social priorities, such as food and education for children.
- Benefits and Beneficiaries
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The Project includes the SRF itself and the surrounding 17 thanas (approximately 0-20 km outside the SRF border), referred to as the impact zone with 3.5 million people. The proposed benefits include (i) reduction of poverty by expanding economic opportunities, (ii) improving social infrastructure, (iii) improving organization for resource users, and (iv) facilitating stakeholder participation in resource management, and adopt a support set of policies, especially regarding charging economic prices for access to SRF resources.
- Public Consultation
- Arranged by Bank
- Date for Consultation : 03 Feb 1998
- Groups Consulted : Stakeholders, NGOs, traditional resource users, microcredit organizations (PKSF)
- Beneficiary Participation in Formulation
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Through the use of participatory rural appraisal carried out during Project preparation and also during loan processing, issues related to specific groups of resource users and extractors from the SRF have been identified. During participatory meetings and workshops, the issues faced by stakeholders have been analyzed.
- Beneficiary Participation in Implementation
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The Project will provide alternative income-earning opportunities for approximately 170,000 households in the impact zone. This will include microenterprise development such as integrated poultry production systems, social forestry, charcoal making on a pilot basis, and support for sustainable resource extraction activities such as fishing, honey production, ecotourism-related activities, and firewood gathering. The Project includes institutional reform measures to enable all stakeholders to formally participate and be heard, so that they can perceive the long-term benefits of wise management and conservation. Broader public participation and better communication of scientific information to the people of Bangladesh will assist the FD to successfully undertake in the future its constitutional role as the administrator of the SRF. The Project follows a strategy which will require a close partnership between local SRF dependent communities, SRF resource users/extractors, and NGOs who will assist them in organization, representation and socioeconomic development. The Project includes specific institutional structures which bring all stakeholders together to discuss how to resolve such issues.
- Consulting Services
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A total of 381 person-months of international and domestic consulting services are required to establish a technical advisory group (TAG). Of the consultants' inputs, 177 person-months (comprising 157 international and 20 domestic) will be funded under the Global Environmental Facility to be selected and engaged by the Bank, and 204 person-months (comprising 83 international and 121 domestic) will be funded under the Bank loan to be selected by the Bank in consultation with the Government. The TAG will (i) establish baseline information and sustainable practices, draft integrated conservation and management plans, establish a single revenue system for the SRF, and assist in developing a self-sustaining management system; (ii) assist FD to retrain its staff and help refocus its activities to more effectively conserve the SRF; and (iii) train communities to engage in ecotourism and other related activities. About 50 person-months of regional fellowships will be provided to train and develop a cadre of experienced personnel to improve the capacity to manage SRF and promote community development. Expressions of interest should be sent directly to the Manager of Consulting Services Division of the Bank with a copy to the Executing Agency.
- Procurement
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Supply contract materials, equipment, and vehicles required for the Project will be procured either through international competitive bidding, international shopping or direct purchase depending on the cost involved. Minor civil work contracts may be awarded by the Forest Department through local competitive bidding. Supply of inputs to small-scale village enterprise programs for the impact zone, may be procured through local suppliers.
- Contacts
- Bank
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Darius F. Teter
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Senior Advisor to the Vice President
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SLWP
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Tel. No.:
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E-mail:
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dfteter@adb.org
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- Executing Agency
- Forest Department
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Contact Person
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Mr. M. A. Sattar, Chief Conservator of Forest
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Tel. No.
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Fax. No.
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880 2 870704
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E-mail
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Contact Person
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Tel. No.
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Fax. No.
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E-mail
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- Remarks
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It is important and necessary for the Government to enhance the capacity of the Forest Department so that it can deliver its mandate to manage and conserve the country's forest resources, and deliver the services needed for social forestry. As a globally important, multi dimensional resource, the Sundarbans Reserve Forest requires management systems which are more sophisticated and more expensive than traditional forest management methods. Creating conditions where people will benefit directly by participating actively in sustainable forest management is considered a main challenge of the Government.
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