Sustainable Harvesting Training for Sundarbans Nypa (golpata) Collectors

This initiative involved mainly interpersonal communication (IPC) to build the capacity of the bawalis through field trainings and mobilisation through different motivational activities (e.g., a "pot song" (accompanied by the painting of a pot, and a performance based on the pot, which was then documented in DVD form), a rally, group discussions, focus group discussions (FGDs), informal discussions, and publications of different awareness materials.

Trainings consisted of theoretical and practical sessions. Based on recommendations from FD personnel, the theoretical sessions were conducted either in FD premises or schools or open places surrounded by temporary decoration as a field training room. Practical sessions were conducted in the natural golpata groves in the Sundarbans accessible through short travel with country trawlers. The training programmes were designed in an interactive manner in an effort to trigger the exchange process between the trainees and trainers. Training materials were handed over to each trainee during the training. Representatives of the FD and local civil society members were present during the training sessions, which were recorded by video and still camera. The trainees were evaluated twice (pre-training assessment and post-training assessment) with the help of two sets of assessment questionnaires. Opinions of the illiterate bawalis for the correct answer of the questionnaire were recorded with the help of organisers. Training module and/or lecture notes were compiled in cooperation with the FD and Silviculture Division of Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI).

An addditional 150 participants such as money lenders, wholesalers, bawalis from 6 upazilas (subdistricts) adjacent to 4 FD Range Offices gathered for a dialogue on December 27 2012. The aim of this exercise was to generate synergies among stakeholders for ensuring that the golpata business can be sustainable without degrading the Sundarbans golpata ecosystem. Twenty-three recommendations were recorded; a supplement was published on January 10 2013 in the local newspaper.

Environment, Natural Resource Management, Economic Development

According to CCEC: "SRF comprises about 51% of the total forest area and 4.2% of the total land area of the country. Sundarbans is very important for Bangladesh both ecologically and economically. It provides employment opportunities to a large population. It acts as a shelterbelt and protects the south-west part of the country against cyclonic storms and tidal surges which occur frequently in the Bay of Bengal. The mangrove forest also protects agricultural land in the coast against salt intrusion from the sea. It is a biodiversity-wise rich habitat for a broad variety of fauna and flora."

CCEC claims that a key output of the project was the communication of sustainable harvesting methods to 3,000 (600 x 5) bawalis via 600 trained bawalis who went on to disseminate their gained knowledge and experiences to other bawali communities. "Moreover, this project has generated the understanding for the necessities of sustainable management of golpata stands and the ecological, economical and social aspects of the Sundarbans and its surroundings. The dialogue has pointed out several recommendations to support the bawalis in conducting their golpata harvesting and biodiversity conservation in the Sundarbans....Publishing the supplementary of the dialogue participated by the different stakeholders will draw the attentions of the concerned people and departments such as the banks, Insurance companies, Directorate of Cooperatives, Bangladesh Climate Resilience Fund to support the vulnerable Sundarbans stakeholders communities."