Unnayan Uddog works on food security and livelihood mainly through the fisheries sector, re-excavating derelict ponds, ox-bow lakes, canals and beels (water bodies) for fish cultivation.
Food Assisted Fisheries Sector RD Project
Implemented with the assistance of the Department of Fisheries and WFP. The main objectives were to increase fish production by re-excavating water bodies including ponds, and to generate employment opportunities for the rural poor, especially women. WFP provided resources to the Government of Bangladesh to generate income during the lean period; that support ended in 2001 and the Government ran the programme from its own resources in 2002. A total of 43 ponds were re-excavated between 1996 and 2002, where 325 beneficiaries — 70% of them women — cultivate fish. Unnayan Uddog provides them with skills development training and micro-credit support.
Development of Fish Drying System
Unnayan Uddog provides technical support to the fishermen of Chanda Beel, one of the largest water bodies in the country, to develop a fish drying system. It improved traditional fish drying techniques and introduced household based domestic driers under a project in 1995-96, financed by the Directorate of Fisheries. The project retained a micro-credit fund of Tk. 4.5 lac, which is now used to assist the fishermen.