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Fighting poverty in Bangladesh – BBC Media Action

Published on Sunday 14 February 2016

VIDEO – Satkhira District is one of the poorest and most disaster vulnerable areas of Bangladesh, due to a combination of recurrent natural disasters and man-made actions. Between 25-34% of the population in Satkhira district lives below the poverty line. The most vulnerable population is mostly dependent on daily labor opportunities offered by the agricultural sector. However, the agriculture sector heavily relies on mono-crop rice cultivation, which is extremely vulnerable to the chronic, small scale and recurrent disasters affecting the region.

Watch the video (in Bangla, sub-titled in English)

The regular agricultural losses, combined with very limited alternative livelihood opportunities, have a harsh impact on food security and nutrition, particularly for the most vulnerable groups. Between 30-37% of children in Satkhira under-5 are underweight.

SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL works with local communities and local authorities to support the introduction of resilient agriculture techniques and livelihood diversification. During the monsoon season, rain water is used for filling the ponds dedicated to aquaculture and during the dry season a crop rotation system enables the cultivation of vegetables, stress resistant rice and high grass cash crop (mele), ensuring regular food production during the entire year.

Through its international charity BBC Media Action, the BBC produces content highlighting poverty reduction initiatives throughout the world. In this episode of the Bangladeshi series Amrai Pari, several people are interviewed, including a beneficiary of SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL programmes.

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