I Am A Local People @Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

Whoever you are,

Whatever you are,

Where ever you are,

All of you,

All of yours,

All the places,

All the time flow,

You belongs to the locality.

Here you were borne and nurtured,

Here you had the childhood,

The locality devoted itself to transform the current you,

With all your capabilities,

With all your activities,

With all your responsibilities and liabilities,

You Are A Local People.

When You Are A Local People,

You are never alone.

When you are alone,

A lot of you emerges from you.

So you are never a person, but always a people.

When You Are A Local People,

You have to tackle the best obstacle first

From yourself,your family, your friends, community and your country.

But as you have the courage and wishes from rest the 99%,

So you must have to win,

Of course if you need it.

And we need it for the 100%.

Pseudo Development

When a development in a sector imposes destructive impact and/ or increase risk to other sector (s) may be termed as pseudo development to the perspective of impacted sector(s).

Example: a) There is a need to build a bridge on a small river of 70 meter wide. But “road and transport’ sector has the “development” plan (and budget as well) of constructing bridge on the river only up to 50 meter long. So how the situation was tackled? Simply, the river on construction point was squeezed to be fit with the proposed bridge length. During rainy season, both the river banks at upper stream of the bridge are over flowed and caused damage to crops, ecosystem, livelihood and assets. During heavy flood, huge water rushed through the squeezed channel, and the bridge collapsed- resulted into increased risk from flood hazard primarily. And eventually death of the river (at least downstream of the bridge location) is confirmed.

Here, the “development” of “road and transport” sector with 50 meter bridge on 70 meter wide river may be termed as “Pseudo development” to the perspective of several sectors, like disaster, water management, agriculture, ecology, poverty, livelihood and so on.

Example: b) Imagine a small homestead surrounded by dense local tree and plant species of different canopy size, shape and height with multipurpose use. The system protects the house and the inhabitants from cyclone, provide fruits, vegetables, fuel wood, timber, medicine, shelter and food for birds and even recreation to the children. But policy termed the trees as rubbish, because of slow growth. The owner has to be motivated as he obtained some saplings of quick growing exotic trees for free under “Tree plantation development program” and is promised to be included into “family nutrition from home gardening development project”. So all the existing trees are eliminated from the homestead (mostly found the way to brick kiln oven). New saplings were planted with recommended design, gaps and inputs. The trees are incapable of -providing protection against strong wind, fruits, vegetables, fuel wood, medicine, shelter and food for birds and even recreation to the children. In ten years, the few trees grows well around homestead. But during cyclone Sidr’ 2007, most of them were brought down, as the tree species have simple and weak root system. More over, the prime root of the saplings were chopped down to increase the growth rate of overground portion (i.e., timber) and for reducing transport hassle and cost. Unfortunately, one was planted very close to the house. It fell just on the house crushing it completely.

This Tree plantation (and nutrition) “Development program” can be termed as “Pseudo Development” to the perspective of DRR, ecosystem, food security (and nutrition itself!) etc.

Sensitizing any sectoral development with DRR issue is to be the foundation of addressing “pseudo development” in DRR.

[http://www.preventionweb.net/askexpert/session/39735]

Local People and The 6th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

For a Local tiny Farmers’ Research Institute- which evolved from the local community itself and being funded only by the same since long 15 years was not a easy task at all to secure a Ignite stage (IS5) and a side event (SE21) at the 6th Asian Ministerial Conference (6thAMCDRR), 22-26 June,2014. Bangkok,Thailand.

Md. Zakir Hossain (Shahin) begins the Journey alone to carry forward the voices, wishes and wisdom with Disaster Management of the local community with the aim of contributing to formulate Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and implement it successfully at the local level largely.

 At the conference, Krisoker Sor (Farmers’ Voice) have delivered two position papers (Read 1, Read 2), contributed to CSOs Statement, organised two sessions. One relates to how school children initiated to restore a water ecosystem (IS5). Other session (SE21) consists of:

 1) The importance of policy support to local tree species and local crop varieties, local wisdom for making local people in Bangladesh resilient to Disaster Risks, pictorial example of Sidr’ 2007.

2) How a development initiative destroys the harmonised and well managed ecosystem- which provided the livelihood to the locality.

3) Impact of Fukushima nuclear disaster on farming systems.

Following formal sessions were actively participated by Md. Zakir Hossain excludes non formal discussion with various stakeholders and participants.

Date	Event	Comments
22 June, 2014	PC2: Community practitioners platform for resilience : Pre-Conference Consultation
	SE37: Involvement of the private sector in disaster risk reduction through ensuring Index-Based Flood Insurance and Mobile Money Transfer as Humanitarian Assistance: A new experience in Bangladesh	Question was raised regarding increase of disaster risks at the locality due to development initiatives in Bangladesh. GoB representative has assured us about the changing of government strategy on the issue.
	PC7: Accessing Local Funds for Community Risk Reduction: A Success Story from Bangladesh.
	PC9: Local Level Actions in Asia Pacific Civil Societ Organisations
23 June, 2014	PC20: Stakeholder consultation: Civil Society Organizations
	PC12: Strengthening Community Resilience	The question was to be raised: A large number of ADB financed development initiatives in Bangladesh have increased disaster risks at the local people and ecosystem. How much is the possibility of making and inventory on the issue. The session was over crowded.
	HFA2 PL1: Multi-stakeholder Dialogue	The issue of partnering local people to Disaster Risk Management was raised before the Chair of the session and the Head of UNISDR. She assured to have advancement on the issue by 2015 at NewYork Sustainable Conference.
24 June, 2014	IS5: Story of ‘Shimulbhanga’- restoration and renovation of water ecosystem initiated by the local people to fight back disaster	Read the Concept Note See the Presentation Foto
	SE21: Freeing local people from top enforced pseudo development, Exploring their investable resources and checking the possibilities of partnering them to implementing Post- 2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction	Read the Concept Note Read the session report Download the presentations Presenters: Zakir, Ohashi, Marcus
	PL1: Enhancing Resilience at Local Levels
	IS1: Disaster and Climate Resilient Habitat: A Comprehensive Approach for Resilient Community
25 June, 2014	SS5: School Safety
	SE39: Reducing Underlying Risks:  Experiences from South Asia	The issue of making an inventory of disaster risks already been created in various sectors while performing development policy and actions. Formulation of proper strategic position for Humanitarian organisations was pointed to keep the integrity while partnering with private sectors.
	SE34: The Savar Project: a reference methodology to assess vulnerability in the aftermath of a human induced disaster in Bangladesh
	HFA2 PL-3: Developing an enhanced monitoring mechanism of the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction	Request for setting up the mechanism to   sharing monitored data among nations and local community, making free of cost the monitoring related softwares for the local people were forwarded to the chair
26 June, 2014	Plenary Summary: 6AMCDRR and Asia Pacific inputs for the Post-2015 Framework for DRR	Read the speech Foto See video
On 26th June, a brief meeting was held with Ms. Margareta Wahlström, Head of UNISDR and greetings from our tiny community was forwarded.

 

Local People and Global Disaster Management

As part of  Global consultation process to formulating a Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Management,

Margareta Wahlström, Special Representative of the Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNISDR organised a strategic dialogue with CSOs and community practitioners on 10-11 February, 2014 in Geneva.

On behalf of the local people from East Sujonkathi, Goila, Barisal, Bangladesh, Zakir Shahin from Krisoker Sor (Farmers’ Voice) placed the official statement at the dialogue.

Read below:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/208811712/KSFVbd-Statement-to-UNISDR

আমি দেশের মালিক (I am owner of Bangladesh)

আমি দেশের মালিক (I am owner of Bangladesh)

Double Grained Rice in Bangladesh

Updates of 10 March, 2012

Biram Sundori Seedlings

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Updates of 5 March, 2012:

Certainly you are among the few in Human history who is looking at the double shoots of a single rice seed. Rice Evolutionary history doesn’t say much about multiple grained rice. [Scroll down for more updates]

Double grained Biram Sundori has sprouted with two shoots and two seminal roots.

A small group of smart farmers in Bangladesh were secretly and sacredly nurturing in field the unique rice variety (or species!) that has two (sometime three) grains in a rice seed. It has not been so far noticed that this type of rice exists in any other country of the world.

“Biram Sundori” Of Bangladesh

We have the honor from the locality of providing us with few

seeds for research purpose.

Update:

Ruaraidh Sackville Hamilton of International Rice Genebank in the Philippines has just informed us that they have a variety collected from Nepal called Laila Majnu, sent here in 1981, and conserved in the genebank as accession IRGC 59101

Laila.Majnu of Nepal, Foto: Flora de Guzman, IRRI

Updates: 20 February, 2012

If you didn’t receive the grains yet, following fotos will give us some insight into the karnels design of Biram Sundori.

Biram Subdori

Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Single grain in Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Biram Sundori

Few Biram Sundori does have Awn

Biram Sundori under lights

Biram Sundori under lights

Biram Sundori under lights

Tripple grain in Biram Sundori is not uncommon

Updates: 26 February, 2012

First Biram Sundari has been germinated in 6 days.

Biram Sundori examined

Biram Sundori Tag!

Biram Sundori in Banana stalk to germinate

Biram Sundori germinated

Biram Sundori Tag!

Updates: 05 March, 2012

Double sprouted Biram Sundori has emerged and been sowed

Single sprouted Biram Sundori sowed earlier produced a unique seedling

Seedling from single sprouted Biram Sundori

The first Biram Sundori has germinated with two sprouts.

Double sprouted Biram Sundori

Double sprouted Biram Sundori

Double sprouted Biram Sundori

Probably single sprouted Biram Sundori

Double sprouted Biram Sundori

Double sprouted Biram Sundori

Double sprouted Biram Sundori

Double sprouted Biram Sundori has two Seminal Roots

Double sprouted Biram Sundori

Double sprouted Biram Sundori on seed bed

Comments of Agriculturist Shah Alom , Agricultural Officer of Birampur- who initiated of

Agricultural officer of Birampur

exploring the discovery for National audience and honored us with some seeds: “The grain has two ovule to produce two kernel”.

 

 

 

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Foto Based Video on Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh

Smile

OPORAJITA

Another smile from KSFVbd Dhaka Center

As the ending  days of Srabon, Here in Bangladesh did not had enough monsoon rain (unusual…may be the impact of Climate Change).  Agricultural practices (like Jute processing, Aman saplings plantation…) were being delaying. Since days.. we had some rain.

We would like to share the Kathgolap (…..) bloomed in our Dhaka Center gene pool collection.

School Networking

 

On the Picnic day

East Sujankathi Govt. Primary School is located at Goil of Barisal District that is enlightened with proper education and culture historically. Our Primary School is one of the aged educational Institutes around the locality.

Voices of the rural children are awaiting to be heard at the global arena. They are doing some excellent jobs beyond there curriculum. They are being integrated themselves to be involved to the locality development, Good agricultural practice, local natural resources, seeds and seedlings, homestead gardening, nutritional knowledge in a play mode. The initiative is a part of Krisoker Sor (Farmers’ Voice) ‘s research of  “Integrating Nature as an Educator to Primary Curriculum” . As a component of the initiative, School to School Partnership plays a vital role of letting the children touch the international flavour.

The School was registered at Global Gateway in 2007 (Reg. Code: EMIS 501010108) with the aim of building partnership with schools around the world. Among huge communication and efforts, networking with Hartley Primary School, Hartley Avenue, London has been established and sustained  in teacher-teacher, student- student communication level. Initially students of class five from both the school participated in a water project. They have exchanged fotos, thoughts, questions, drawings, feelings. Email exchange among them and even the initiative is to support for the former students who wish to keep going the communication.

The Partnership has been registered by DFID Global School Partnerships on 15 January, 2010

Krisoker Saar (Farmers’ Voice) is funding and coordinating.

To see some works, Visit

Children of Class IV are participating in a weather project managed by St Albans Road Infant School in Dartford, England. The network consists of Schools from Lithuania, Russia, Norway, Turkey and England includes Bangladesh. There is an arrangement of video conferencing. Our children looking forward to join the conference with their monthly weather report in February hopefully.

Weather Reporting

Earlier to the Partnership registered by DFID GSP Team, we applied under the GSP call from The British Council at Dhaka. They selected our school as well for the programme. Two personnel attended a resourceful and knowledge enriched workshop on 20 July 2010.

During Bangladesh Week at Hartley School

Hartley Primary School organised a Bangladesh week in November. Our Children feels happy that are able to share the events.

 

At these times, Children from the School are participating link programmes (excluding above two) with three Schools:

1. Springfield Primary School on “School foto diary”

2. Kentish Town Primary School on “Introducing”

3. Highland Primary School ” English New Year Card sending to 50 students   around the World”

 

Tigers at Hartley Bangladesh week

Announcement: There will be a “Hartley Day” in December