GOOD PRACTICE: Economic diversification for vulnerable populations in protected areas (Bangladesh)

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In some circumstances, the only option for enhancing the livelihoods of vulnerable populations dependent on the informal economy is the diversification of their income-generating activities. This is particularly important in rural areas where agricultural activities occupy the population for only a few months per year leaving them unemployed or underemployed for the rest of the year. The same applies to populations who lived and worked in areas that are now protected due to the depletion of natural resources and excessive pressure on fragile ecosystems. Populations whose economic life consisted of extracting natural resources often lack alternative skills to escape from poverty.

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The Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh has been declared an environmentally critical site due to the existing damage to its biodiversity. The traditional resource users of local communities of the national mangrove forest in Sundarbans have thus seen their primary income source endangered. The project that Relief International implemented provided such people with alternative skills. In addition, advocacy was conducted with local government to liberate the population from the corrupt practices they faced when obtaining official permits to access the forest and to strengthen environmental sustainability.

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People from the local communities are no longer forced to illegally enter the Sundarbans mangrove forest to earn a living. The new skill sets of the informal Sundarbans workers diverted their economic activity away from the natural resources of the forest They have either been directly given livelihood assets such as vans and sewing machines or assistance with setting up small businesses such as in the cloth trade, betel trade, or a furniture shop. Other activities include fish cultivation, homestead vegetable gardening, duck rearing, honey collection and preservation, small business development and maintenance and goat rearing. Such support has provided them with diverse sources of income for survival. The boosting of local trade was further achieved through an increase in the variety and quality of local products. The population is now able to regularly earn incomes and is no longer dependent on the Sundarbans mangrove forests.

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Identification of Innovative Approaches to Livelihood Enhancement, Equity and Inclusion of People Dependent on the Informal Economy

Volume 1: Good Practices and Lessons LearnedExtracted from 33 Projects Selected Under the 2009 EC call for Proposals:“Investing in People. Promoting social cohesion, employment and decent work. Support for social inclusion and social protection of workers in the informal economy and of vulnerable groups at community level”

March 2016

By Jacques Charmes, Mei Zegers