A divisional consultation workshop on the “Country Investment Plan: Environment, Forest, and Climate Change”, was held in Rajshahi on 8 June 2015 as part of the USAID-funded project ‘Strengthening the Environment, Forestry and Climate Change Capabilities of the Ministry of the Environment and Forestry (MoEF) and agencies”. It involved around 120 officials from MoEF, the Forest Department and local officials, as well as academics from Rajshahi University, NGOs and other related stakeholders.

The Rajshahi workshop was attended by Helal Uddin Ahmed (Divisional Commissioner, Rajshahi), Mesbah Uddin Chowdhury (Deputy Commissioner, Rajshahi), Shamsur Rahman Khan (Deputy Chief, MoEF), Abdul Mabud (Conservator of Forests, Bogra Circle), and Mike Robson, FAO Representative in Bangladesh. Overall, the conclusions of the consultation were to place special emphasis on the issue of seasonal water shortages for the division, but participants also identified a range of other ecosystem challenges across the districts. The results will be incorporated in the forthcoming first draft of the CIP to be issued later this year.

This event was hosted as part of 4-day long scoping visit and community consultation using a novel ‘Picture Mapping Method for Rapid Review of Ecosystem Services’ in 6 upazillas (Manda, Neyamatpur, Tanore, Gabtoli, Bagura Sadar and Kazipur) in 3 districts (Naogaon, Bogra, and Sirajganj) in Rajshahi division. The purpose of the community consultation and the main workshop is to gather first-hand knowledge on local environmental challenges, and to engage in dialogue on more integrated ways to tackle them, through the Country Investment Plan (CIP). The CIP focuses on 4 pillars - biodiversity conservation and environmental protection, enhancement of adaptation capacity, execution of environmental laws, and enhanced participation of community in environment management.