Bangladesh will receive a $9.2 million boost to protect and restore nature after the Global Environment Facility approved a Food and Agriculture Organization-led project that targets three vital ecological areas. The initiative will work in Jaflong-Dawki, the Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf Peninsula and Sonadia to strengthen how protected areas are managed, restore damaged habitats and help local people use natural resources in ways that keep wildlife and livelihoods healthy. Built around three clear components, the project will focus on improving institutions and planning for conservation and climate adaptation, carrying out nature-based restoration while supporting climate-smart livelihoods, and sharing knowledge and lessons so proven approaches can spread. Local communities, village conservation groups and government agencies are planned partners and will take part in practical activities such as planting native trees, restoring coastal vegetation, improving fish and forest management, and testing small income projects that do not harm the environment. By linking science, local knowledge and simple training, the programme aims to create jobs, improve food supplies and reduce risks from floods, storms and erosion while making landscapes more resilient. The project is part of a wider package of FAO-led projects recently approved by the GEF that together aim to manage and restore hundreds of thousands of hectares, cut greenhouse gas emissions and support farmers, fishers and pastoralists across several regions. In Bangladesh, the new support is expected to bring more training for rangers, community monitors and local leaders, stronger rules for protected area management, and tools to measure progress in simple, practical ways. Awareness campaigns, community workshops and clear guidance materials will help farmers, fishers, school groups and small businesses learn methods that improve soils, protect nursery areas for fish and make small enterprises such as ecotourism or sustainable aquaculture more viable. The project also seeks to improve data collection and reporting so lessons from pilots can be turned into wider plans that reach more villages and coastal communities. Organizers expect that small pilot investments and joint work between government, civil society and local people will open doors for new partnerships, internships and skills training that benefit students and young workers as well as household incomes. In the long run, stronger plans and better community links should help reduce damage from climate impacts while giving people more ways to earn from the land and sea without harming birds, fish or forests. With careful planning and local leadership, the initiative hopes to show how working with nature can deliver steady benefits for people and wildlife, making ecosystems healthier and communities more resilient for years to come. The project will also encourage youth involvement, local entrepreneurship, and simple monitoring that helps communities track recovery and celebrate small wins as habitats heal and share successes widely.
