Location:
Parbotipur Union of Gomastapur Upazila (sub-district) under Chapai Nawabganj District is in the Northwest part of Bangladesh. It is located about 90 km northwest from the Rajshahi Divisional Headquarter and about 400 km away from Dhaka (see location map).

Local host organization:
Caritas Bangladesh, a renowned national NGO working for human development and poverty reduction since 1972 graciously waiting to host the CBA workshop participants at Adda, Parbotipur in Chapai Nawabganj. Here, Caritas is implementing a Community Based Adaptation project with technical assistance from BCAS. The project aims to enhance adaptive capacity of the drought vulnerable community to address adverse impact of present and climate induced future drought on their lives and livelihoods. Caritas also implements other projects to promote socio-economic and cultural development of the poor and marginalized Adibashi community of the Barind Tract for the empowerment of the community members.

Climate and Environment related Problems of the Area:
The whole Northwest region of Bangladesh has been experiencing low rainfall, ground water depletion, drought and deforestation for the last 3-4 decades. Recent studies say that climate change and drought situation will be aggravated in the region in the years to come. The field visit site is situated in the severe drought-prone region of the country with high concentration of poverty. Agriculture and other main livelihood activities and human health are badly affected by the drought situation in the area.

A large number of people are ethnic minorities who are socio-culturally excluded (self-confined) as well as economically and politically marginalized. Higher levels of food insecurity, unemployment and seasonal migration are common as their livelihoods significantly depend on natural resource base. Common people lack awareness about current and future climate change impacts and they do not have much idea for necessary adaptation options to address these.
In 1985 the government of Bangladesh initiated an irrigation project and installed huge number of deep tube wells throughout the region to increase agricultural productivity. However, the project could not cover the whole area and a significant number of communities are left out. The NGOs working in the area concentrate on micro-credit, alternative income generating activities, promotion of agriculture with new crops, health, water and limited tree plantation without considering the Climate Change induced impacts.

List of activities by villages to visit:

• Community Level climate change impacts, agriculture and livelihood related Information Centre in Dharmapur Village.
• Community and Household Level Rain Water Harvesting to ensure safe drinking water in Dharmapur;
• Demonstration of drought tolerant crop (e.g., chickpea and linseed) cultivation in Dharmapur;
• Homestead based integrated farming activities, in Dharmapur;
• Re-excavation of pond to facilitate domestic use of water, irrigation in kitchen garden, fish culture, efficient use of water for irrigation in crops and vegetable fields in Krishnapur village;
• Increasing access to an effective use of water for irrigation (drip & others) in field crops , Jinarpur village; and
• Supply of safe drinking water to rural community through extraction of ground water by PV pump at Pukuria Eco village, Nachol.