Support to Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management Project – Additional Financing

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Water resource management in ensuing project areas. The Ministry of Water Resources (MOWR) is the apex water resource management body directing water-related policy and strategy in the country, while the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) is its principal agency. BWDB is notable for technical capacities in planning and development of water-related infrastructure. However, further capacity augmentation of BWDB in decentralized water management and integrated planning that is flexible and adaptable to future development pathways is needed. This is particularly relevant for the low-lying areas of Tungipara and Kotalipara Upazilas where flooding and drainage congestion affects 23,169 hectares (ha) of cultivable area. While the project plans to address some of these challenges through FCD/I strengthening, these regions are fraught with complex interlinked hydrological, hydraulic, environmental, social and economic challenges that are further complicated by the rapid transformation of the hitherto predominantly agricultural rural economic landscapes. The project recognizes that structural transformations of the economy intrinsically benefit the skilled and educated to capitalize on emerging economic opportunities and marginalize the poor and vulnerable groups and women from the development narrative. Considering the high poverty and low adult literacy levels (59.5%) and disparities (0.160.19 Gini coefficient in 2010) prevalent in project areas and the predicted additional unemployment due to environmental vulnerabilities, a comprehensive study to map the nature and extent of causalities and determinants of the impact on livelihoods and develop the strategies to improve rural household incomes and strengthen their economic resilience is necessary.