DeltaCap: Contributing to Bangladesh’s capacity to deliver its Delta Plan
A NICHE project helping to develop capacity and skills for Bangladesh to implement its Delta Plan 2100
DeltaCAP training calendar
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Appointment with Prof Shah Alam/WMKIP
On 24 November Prof Shah Alam Khan met with Mr. William Oliemans of Deltares. A great opportunity for DeltaCap to learn more about the Water Management Knowledge Innovation Program (WMKIP) and vice versa! In this project, water management is enhanced through various ways. A common interest is e.g. information services: The WaterApp developments in DeltaCap/WaterApp project and the waterapp development in WMKIP can benefit a lot by further exchange and learning from each other. Overall collaboration between Deltares and BUET was also discussed.
Further, they talked about the linkage between DeltaCap and BDP2100 implementation foreseen: the Delta Centre that is currently being set up under the DeltaCap project has a role to coordinate capacity development for the implementation of the Bangladesh Delta Plan.
PARTICIPATORY PLANNING TOOLS FOR STRATEGIC DELTA PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT – Training Workshop
In joint effort between the DeltaCap project and the NWO-UDW project Strengthening strategic delta planning in Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Vietnam and beyond organized the training workshop Participatory Planning Tools for Strategic Delta Planning and Management in Khulna from 8 to 12 July at CSS Ava Centre.
In the training workshop 25 participants from the Khulna region were introduced to and applied participatory tools for delta planning, like participatory scenario development, delta envisioning support system, and MOTA-analysis. All this happened using a design charrette set-up, with Khulna and Shatkhira districts (the Southwestern coastal part of Bangladesh delta) as case study and for specific areas Tidal River Management (TRM) as a strategic option for development. On the first day the participants actively discussed the challenges and issues in the Southwestern delta of Bangladesh and were introduced to the concept of tidal river management (TRM), a possible strategic development option for the water logged areas in the delta.
The group visited on day 2 Beel Pakhimara in Tala, Shatkhira district, a beel were tidal river management (TRM) has been put in practice. The participants were able to ask local people about the impact of the project sofar and could observe what tidal river management means in practice. Although the project brings benefits like elevating and fertilizing the soil, issues in implementation remain: like continuous practice of shrimp culture unevenly distributes the silt in the beel, land owners are of the opinion that they do not receive sufficient compensation, people lost property and had to be relocated. The creation of tidal flood retention in the beel has also immediate impact on neighbouring beels and polder which due to the inlet of water in Beel Pakhimara have less issues of water logging and flooding. A strong message sent by the local water committee members was: tidal river management (TRM) is 20% technology and 80% socio-politics.
On day 3 the participants joined in the Tool sessions and developed scenarios, by downscaling the BDP2100 scenarios to the district level, and visions, and strategic plans for 2040. On day 4 we analysed the stakeholders in relation to the strategic choice in water and land management in beels: Tidal river management (TRM) Vs polder management. Using the MOTivations-Abilities analysis tool (MOTA) the participants assessed in a role play the motivations and abilities of various stakeholders towards both strategic options. The participants prepared a longer term plan for the Implementation of TRM and a voting session was arranged after the group presentation to identify which possible plan would get most support.
A final session was organized on day 5 and participants reflected on participation, the role of participatory tools, and implementing participatory planning activities. The participants shared experiences with each other on organizing and facilitating participatory planning activities and discussed together how one as a facilitator optimally support the planning activity. Besides Dr. Shah Alam also gave a briefing on DeltaCap project, Delta Centre and DeltaCap Apps to connect all trainees’s and follow up for in the future, building further capacity for implementation of Bangladesh Delta Plan.
Capacity needs assessment for BDP 2100
Under the umbrella of Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 a raft of projects ranging from building heavy infrastructure, improving community resilience to building institutional capacities and planning of land use will be implemented. These projects require diverse professional expertise at various stages of planning such as planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the projects in the coming 2 decades. DeltaCap has conducted a first needs assessment using a simple assessment tool to facilitate discussions among the stakeholders. Over the past 6 months discussions were held among various stakeholders of BDP2100 using the tool. In addition, specific inputs were sought from high level stakeholders such as General Economic division of Planning Commission (GED), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and Water Resources and Planning Organisation (WARPO) to complement this assessment. Specific inputs were obtained through one to one interviews.
In parallel with the activities mentioned above, DeltaCap has started discussions with the staff of the Dutch Delta Commissioner and the Director of the Dutch Flood Protection Program (as being one of the program which runs under the umbrella of the Dutch Delta Program), Mr. Richard Jorissen (see picture), on the capacity needs for the Dutch Delta Program. Questions which are central in the discussions are: What are the capacity needs? What tools/methods have been used to arrive at an assessment and how is capacity development being organized/who is responsible for capacity development within the program?
The ultimate aim of these discussions is to explore whether there are lessons to be learned for both countries and to identify opportunities for future collaboration in this specific area.
The findings of the above are currently being analyzed and will be captured in a report which will be discussed in the forthcoming DeltaCap management meeting to held in Dhaka in September 2018.
Photo: Meeting with ir. Richard Jorissen, Director Dutch Flood Protection Program and dr. Mohan Radhakrishnan (DeltaCap) and prof. Chris Zevenbergen (Deltacap)(29 June 2018)
News
Visit Chief Engineer, Mr. Mohammed Abul Kalam Azad, to IHE Delft
On August 31, a delegation of LGED spearheaded by Chief Engineer Mr. Md Abul Kalam Azad visited IHE Delft to discuss opportunities for collaboration on capacity development in water supply, sanitation and hydraulic engineering and flood resilience. LGED is a public...
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Meeting with Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury
On 5 th August 2018, DeltaCAP team members discussed the Delta Centre with Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury, VC of the University of Asia Pacific and Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee of BDP2100 in the midst of. other pressing issues (student protests). While...
read moreOnline course Delta Planning and Management
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UNESCO - IHE, Institute for water education
UNESCO-IHE envisions a world in which people manage their water and environmental resources in a sustainable manner, and in which all sectors of society, particularly the poor, can enjoy the benefits of basic services.
Delta Alliance, Bangladesh wing
