Nobo Jatra improves living conditions of 8.5 lakh people

Implementation of the Nobo Jatra project has played a role in improving the living standards of around 8.5 lakh people from four upazilas in Khulna and Satkhira.

The Tk710.12 crore project is being implemented to increase availability of safe drinking water, sanitation, and nutrition as well as to improve farmer productivity. The project is also providing cash assistance to pregnant women, creating a way of income and assisting them to cope with disasters through climate smart agriculture practice.

This information was given by the organisers at a workshop organised by USAID and World Vision in the capital on Monday. 

The organisers said with the funding of USAID, Disaster Management and Relief Ministry and World Vision are jointly implementing the project at Koira and Dakop upazilas of Khulna and Shyamnagar and Kaliganj upazilas of Satkhira. The project started in 2015 and is scheduled to end in 2022.

Officials involved in the project said several safe drinking water plants have been set up under the project for the people of those coastal areas. Locals can buy water at a cost of 40 paisa per litre from those plants. Apart from this, in collaboration with the private sector, farmers are supplied with good quality seeds. Farmers have been encouraged to climate-friendly farming. As a result, many farmers are now producing a variety of crops outside of the season. A process of marketing through some farmer groups has been developed to sell the produced crops.

In addition, funds have been provided for changes in nutrition behaviour, income-enhancing work plans for family members, women's income-generating activities, and behavioural changes in men and women of the family. Under the project, Tk2,200 financial support has also been provided for pregnant women and lactating mothers for 15 months.

At the event, Suresh Bartlett, national director of World Vision Bangladesh, said, Nobo Jatra has been designed to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs). For the past 50 years, World Vision has been working in partnership with USAID and the Bangladesh government to create food security for families and children in Bangladesh.

Speaking as the special guest at the event, Secretary to Disaster Management and Relief Ministry Md Mohsin said, "We want to continue the activities even after the completion of this project."

Speaking as the chief guest, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Dr Md Enamur Rahman said, "The experience of Nobo Jatra project implementation and its activities need to be implemented on a larger scale in coastal and inaccessible areas. The government will continue to support such projects."