Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh – For over two decades, since 2003, Zabarang has been a quiet yet formidable force, weaving a tapestry of resilience across the lush, often challenging, landscape of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). Through a multifaceted approach encompassing watershed management, climate action, and the revitalization of indigenous knowledge, Zabarang is empowering local communities to not only adapt to a changing climate but also thrive in harmony with their environment.
Innovations for Livelihood Security: Sustainable Hill Cultivation Program
In 2003, with support from Danida HRGG PSU, Zabarang launched the Sustainable Hill Cultivation Program (SHCP) in Dighinala Upazila. This pilot project introduced a successful model of hill farming that balances livelihood security with environmental sustainability.
Working with three jumia villages, the program encouraged farmers to categorize their crops into short-term (like rice and vegetables), mid-term (papaya and banana), and long-term (perennial fruit and timber trees). This innovative intercropping approach, rooted in indigenous knowledge, has not only provided a sustainable family income source for many jumia farmers but has also transformed jum fields into lush, green landscapes, contributing significantly to environmental health.
Amplifying Voices for Climate Action
Zabarang stands as a crucial voice for the people of the CHT, actively engaging in campaign and advocacy activities on climate change and environment. As a key member of various civil society networks, including the Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples’ Network on Climate Change and Biodiversity (BIPCCBDNET) and Bangladesh Climate Change 64 Network, Zabarang ensures that the unique environmental challenges and indigenous perspectives of the region are heard at national and global forums. They regularly publish vital information, education, and communication materials—from issue-based publications and position papers to posters and research documents—to raise awareness and influence policy.
Nurturing the Veins of the Earth: Watershed Management
A cornerstone of Zabarang’s work is its dedicated Watershed Management Initiatives under the Community Empowerment and Economic Development (CE&ED) project. Recognizing that small streams (chharas) are the lifeblood for drinking water, household use, and irrigation in the CHT, Zabarang has been instrumental in regenerating degraded lands.
Since 2011, they’ve led community-driven efforts to manage these crucial streams, many of which are drying up due to reduced upstream water flow and siltation. Through strategic plantation activities, Zabarang helps communities regenerate vegetation, providing shade to maintain low water temperatures, increasing soil stability, minimizing stream bank erosion, and enhancing water quality. This initiative also plays a vital role in conserving indigenous plant diversity, supporting a richer aquatic wildlife habitat, and ultimately ensuring year-round water availability for thousands. Their efforts have seen the planting of a diverse array of local and indigenous species like Chalta, Jarul, Telsur, and various bamboo species, transforming barren areas into thriving ecosystems. These initiatives engaged nearly 400 villages, bolstered by the participation of approximately 300 women’s groups who served as vital additional forces in this grassroots social movement.
Wisdom from the Ground: Promoting Indigenous Best Practices
Zabarang champions the invaluable traditional knowledge of the region through its Promoting Indigenous Peoples’ Best Practices to Combat Climate Change (PPCCC) initiative. Supported by UNDP, this action research project has meticulously identified and disseminated the sustainable practices of ‘jumias’ (shifting cultivators) for traditional ‘jum’ cultivation.
The research has not only enhanced the capacities of jumias to adapt to changing climatic conditions and resource scarcity but also documented and promoted innovative hill cultivation techniques. Engaging directly with five village communities and 175 participants, Zabarang conducted participatory strategic planning sessions to understand grassroots coping strategies. A key outcome was the development of a Position Paper, incorporating community recommendations and wishes, which was shared with policymakers, including Members of Parliament, government representatives, and traditional leaders, to influence policy on sustainable resource management.
New Warriors in Climate Action: People’s Empowerment for Climate and Environmental Justice
From 2014 to 2017, Zabarang spearheaded the People’s Empowerment for Addressing Climate Justice and Environmental Justice (PEACE) project, supported by ‘Bread For the World’. This initiative focused on increasing climate adaptability in targeted villages, with a specific emphasis on empowering women and youth.
The project aimed to significantly reduce climate risks by involving some 300 young people, equipping them to lead the charge against climate change impacts. These “new warriors” participate in community awareness campaigns, providing vital information on climate change trends and adaptation mechanisms to their villagers, fostering a more prepared and resilient community.
Building Bridges: Natural Resource Management and Indigenous Peoples Dialogue
From 2007 to 2009, Zabarang played an active role in a series of Community Dialogues on Natural Resource Management and Indigenous Peoples, as one of the partners of the interventions supported by UNDP. These dialogues spanned across Asia and the Asia Pacific, highlighting the crucial stewardship role indigenous peoples play in responding to climate change and preserving their cultural and traditional landscapes.
Zabarang, as a local partner, led field-based activities in Khagrachari, gathering information and facilitating crucial conversations between grassroots communities and policymakers. This initiative fostered a space for meaningful discussions on natural resource management and cultural sustainability, with findings shared at regional and global platforms, including the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Advocating for Shared Natural Health: Position Paper on Village Common Forests
Zabarang has been a key partner in the Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL), leading the mission to develop a Position Paper on Village Common Forest for CSRL’s Hill Tracts Campaign Group. This influential campaign focuses on agriculture, climate change, and fair trade, aiming to reduce rural poverty and vulnerability.
The position paper, developed with input from local communities, advocates for the preservation and promotion of the Village Common Forest (VCF) system, raising awareness among policymakers about the critical link between VCFs, food security, and climate change in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Promoting and Strengthening the VCF Network: a Unified Front to Combat Climate Challenges
Proclamation of “VCF Declaration 2017” through the CHTs VCF Conference in presence of traditional leaders, community leaders and civic actors
In a significant stride towards collective conservation, Zabarang spearheaded the project “Promoting a Network of Village Common Forests (VCFs) and Increasing the Network Members’ Capacity” from 2016 to 2017. This initiative, spanning Rangamati, Khagrachari, and Bandarban districts, aimed to establish a robust VCF network to guide communities in safeguarding their forests.
Zabarang facilitated the establishment of central, district-level, and sub-district level VCF committees, developing bylaws to provide a clear framework for VCF activities. Extensive capacity-building training covered rights, advocacy, leadership, gender equality, and dispute resolution, empowering 92 VCF community leaders, including a focus on women’s involvement. The project’s success is evident in the formalization of VCF governance, increased awareness, enhanced leadership, and the creation of a sustainable future plan for the network.
On-the-Ground Guardianship: Community Initiatives for Protecting VCFs in Khagrachhari
Signboard of Bornail Para Reserve (VCF), which was a part Zabarang’s interventions
Building on the network’s strength, Zabarang launched Community Initiatives for Protecting VCFs in Khagrachhari District from 2017 to 2019. With funding from SID-CHT and UNDP, this project directly protected 15 VCFs across six Upazilas, benefiting 1,345 households and a total population of 6,725 individuals.
The initiative involved comprehensive activities, from situation analysis and resource mapping to forming VCF management committees, demarcating boundaries with pillars and display boards, and training field staff on GPS for precise VCF mapping. Capacity building was extensive, covering climate change and disaster management preparedness, financial management, women’s participation in decision-making, and VCF management plan formulation. The project successfully completed all its targets, demonstrating significant progress in VCF protection and community empowerment, with a notable reach in awareness-raising sessions and training programs.
Sowing Seeds for Future Resilience: Revival of Traditional Crops and Sustainable Technologies
Looking to the future, Zabarang has embarked on the Revival of Traditional Crops and Sustainable Technologies for a Resilient Food System and Sustainable Natural Resources Management project, running from June 2024 to September 2026. Supported by the Tebtebba Foundation and IFAD, this initiative directly benefits 262 Tripura community members, with significant participation from women and youth, and indirectly reaches over 1,500 individuals.
The project’s goal is to enhance food security, improve nutrition, and strengthen climate change resilience. It focuses on restoring indigenous crops through ancestral knowledge and agro-ecological farming systems, improving access to technical services from government departments, and enhancing the capacity of community leaders on Indigenous Peoples’ rights, gender, and climate change. Activities include promoting ‘Jhum’ cultivation and seasonal farming, documenting indigenous crops and wild food species, establishing connections with agricultural and forest departments, and providing training on local and forest crops, gender sensitivity, and participatory monitoring.
Inventorying Knowledge, Inspiring Actions: Publications on Climate Change and Environment
A testament to Zabarang’s commitment to knowledge dissemination is its consistent output of Publications on climate change and environmental issues. These journals, reports, and annual publications serve as invaluable resources, documenting successes, sharing insights, and informing broader audiences about ground realities and effective ways to nurture the environment.
Their publications cover a range of critical topics, including “Good Practices to Combat Climate Change – experiences from the Chittagong Hill Tracts,” “Sustainable Hill Cultivation,” and “VCF – The Home of Environment and Ecology,” providing a vital inventory of local wisdom and inspiring further action.
Booklet on Sustainable Hill Cultivation Program
Pictorial Booklet on VCF
Process Documentation on the VCF Network Development project
ABCD of Environment- chronological alphabetic rhymes on climate and environment
Prokriti- anthology of articles on environment, natural resources and climate change
Building a Resilient Future in the CHT
VCF Demarcation through installation of pillars
Zabarang’s comprehensive approach, spanning over two decades, clearly demonstrates a powerful model for sustainable development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. By seamlessly integrating local action with invaluable indigenous wisdom and fostering strategic partnerships, the organization has cultivated a unique pathway to resilience. These diverse interventions, from watershed management to promoting traditional agricultural practices and empowering communities, collectively strengthen the region’s ability to adapt to environmental challenges. Ultimately, Zabarang’s work showcases how deep understanding of local contexts, combined with collaborative efforts, can forge a healthier and more sustainable future for both the people of the CHT and the planet. Their efforts are a testament to the transformative power of community-led initiatives in the face of global challenges like climate change.