Project Background:
Following the negotiations with the ADB and approved by the Government of Bangladesh, the Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project-I (CHTRDP-I) was undertaken which was successfully completed in December 2009. ADB then once again approved a Project Preparatory Technical Assistance (PPTA) in January 2010 to help the ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MOCHTA) formulate CHTRDP-II. Following the report of PPTA and lesson learned under the CHTRDP-I, the second Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Project has been initiated with the assistance of ADB & GOB funding.

Basic Information:

Title of the Project: Second Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project (CHTRDP-II)

Duration of the Project:  20 August 2013- 19 August 2018

Funded By: ADB & GOB funding

Project status: Ongoing

Overall Objectives of the Project: 

  • To increase employment and income generating opportunities for the population through community participatory sub-project development.
  • To increase economic opportunities for rural poor, especially women, vulnerable groups, and indigenous communities through construction of feeder roads including appurtenant structures.
  • To improve watershed conditions, especially soil and water conservation that will underpin the investment made in water and land improvement.

Terms of condition of Social Mobilization NGO (GH): 

  • To provide implementation services for Project Management Office (PMO) and District Project Management Office (DPMO) for all aspects of implementation of Community Infrastructure (CI) and Watershed Management (WM).
  • To build capacity and strengthen beneficiary communities through community involvement in infrastructure development and watershed management.
  • To work in close coordination and with technical expertise of project implementation consultants (PIC).

Joint venture team/association:

Green Hill, as a lead organization in the team, has been working in partnership with 4 locally based NGOs viz. Shining Hill, Progressive, ASHIKA, and Jum Foundation.

Major Component:

Community Infrastructure (CI): There are three sub-components under CI which are as follows;

  1. Village Access Road: This includes the construction of feeder roads, footpath and stairs connecting the village with union or upazila roads.
  2. Watershed management and target: This is a pilot activity, and only two watersheds per district will be selected to introduce participatory watershed management activities.
  3. Small-scale water resources system & other community infrastructures: This includes, among others, gravity flow resources systems, tube well/ring well construction of potable water supply; small/micro gravity irrigation, landing station and other relevant community infrastructures. Target: 200 PDCs in Rangamati Hill District.

Implementation strategy:

The implementation strategy of the CI component is community driven. The proposed intervention shall be identified through a community participatory approach. Under the guidance and support from the SM-NGO, the PDC, in consultation with the residents of the village, women and men alike, will decide on the specific intervention(s) they would like to undertake. After confirmation of inclusion by the HDC and the CHTRC, the PDC will work out a detailed implementation plan for the realization of their specific intervention. A detailed step-by-step guide to this strategy are; a).Selection of beneficiary community, b) Community profiling, c) Formation of PDCs/CBOs (where required), d) Intervention(s) selection, e) Preparation of Project Proposal by the PDCs, f) Approval of the interventions, g) Orientation (to the PDCs, LCS and other relevant stakeholders) on project management and implementation.

Geographical Coverage:

The project covers 10 upazilas and 50 unions in Rangamati Hill District under Community Infrastructure (CI) component, and a total of 200 villages will be supported with small grants for community level infrastructure development.

Table: Geographical Coverage
SL District Upazila
1 Rangamati Rangamati Sadar, Kaptai,  Rajasthali, Bilaichari, Jurachari, Barkal, Naniarchar, Longadu, Baghaichari, Kaukhali
Total 1 10

Achievement:
Throughout the project life cycle, Green Hill produced a good number of achievements that is follows

  • Para/Village Profile: Village profile, the first step to implementation process, of 200 villages was completed. Followed by this initiative, 200 villages have got the opportunity to include in the mainstream development process by the project.
  • Para/Village mapping: Completed village mapping for 200 villages with assistance from the respective villagers. This intervention creates an opportunity to claim voice of villagers in the development activities as well have the ownership attitude over the project engagement.
  • PDC formation/re-constitution/activation: 200 PDCs were formed and 200 PDC were activated. The each PDC (Para Development Committee) comprises of 11 to 13 members. This intervention craft empowerment ownership to 200 PDC members to take part in the development process.
  • PVM training: 200 participatory village mapping training, as per the target, were concluded. These trainings arranged for 4 days long duration where 25 to 30 participants participated in each batch. This initiative nurtured village members from 200 villages to store capacity to brain storm their knowledge around their surrounding resource and accordingly their need.
  • FSR: 216 Draft Feasibility Study Report (including village access roads) were prepared and submitted to the office of the DPMO. For this formal intervention, 200 selected villages being embraced under the formal development process.
  • Operation and maintenance committee formation: 149 numbers of operation and maintenance committee have been formed for operationalizing 471 numbers of water supply technologies. For this intervention, all these water technologies have been 1reported as functional and villagers having facilities to enjoy water need with a reduced time and short distanced accessibility which is also ensuring to have reduced number of water borne diseases to be reported.  On the other hand, 152 numbers of operation and maintenance committee have been formed for operationalizing 983 numbers of agriculture equipment (377 power tiller, 606 pump machines), 8 numbers of Irrigation canal and 1 water dam for irrigation. For this intervention, all these facilities have been reported as in the operation and villagers having the facilities to use in their agricultural purposes.
  • LCS formation: 3 numbers of LCS (labor contracting society) has been formed for road construction intervention by engaging them during infrastructure work for village access road. The LCS also managed by an executive committee. Only eligible persons are involved during labor engagement from the village by the selected Executive Committee of LCS.
  • Bank account: 194 numbers of bank account has been opened by PDCs to operate of water supply and agriculture equipment maintenance cost by their group cost.

Learning Obtained:

Throughout the project life cycle, Green Hill gained a good number of learning that is follows

  • Villagers or PDCs in most cases struggle to mobilize funds for purchasing necessary agricultural equipment and installation of safe drinking water technologies. These limitations not only affect their livelihood but also hamper overall environment of development as well as poverty reduction. CHTRDP-II provided agricultural equipment and installed water technologies through PDCs which helped in changing the whole environment in the village by opening avenues for generating income source and reducing poverty.
  • Before CHTRDP-II started functioning, most PDCs were either inactive or non-functioning. Villagers were not organized and lacked unity. But with the CHTTDRP-II intervention some PDCs were re-constituted, capacity was built while some were activated. Meetings of PDCs become regular following regular monitoring by the project staffs. Most of the villagers were unaware, being illiterate, of their roles in the project. However, with activation of PDC, they are now more aware and capable to contribute to the development.
  • Delay in the approval of the Feasibility study Report hampers implementation of the sub-project in some cases.
  • Provision of agricultural equipment and water technologies through the project has significantly boosted the economic potential in the village. Moreover, they, after meeting their needs, and in order to raise fund, rent out the equipment to neighboring villages.