Example of a Successful Community-Centered Adaptation Plan
Project: Floating Gardens (Baira) and Homestead Gardening in Flood-Prone Areas of BangladeshLocation: Wetland regions of Gopalganj, Barisal, and other flood-prone districtsImplementing Partners: Local NGOs (e.g., Practical Action, BBC Media Action), community-based organizations, and the Bangladesh Department of Agricultural Extension
How the Plan Was Designed and Implemented
This initiative revived and adapted the traditional baira (floating garden) practice, where crops are grown on rafts made of water hyacinth and other organic materials during monsoon floods. The plan was co-developed through:
Participatory Vulnerability Assessments (PVAs): Communities mapped flooding patterns, identified periods of food shortage, and highlighted the loss of arable land.
Local Innovation Labs: Farmers, especially women, experimented with raft designs, crop choices (e.g., spinach, okra, turmeric), and integrated homestead gardening on raised beds.
Training and Seed Distribution: NGOs provided training in organic fertilization, seed preservation, and small-scale irrigation for dry seasons.
Scaling Through Farmer Field Schools: Successful adopters became local trainers, spreading the technique across villages.
Reflection on Key Criteria
✅ Represents Community ValuesThe plan built on indigenous knowledge—floating gardens have been used for generations. It honored the community’s connection to seasonal water cycles and prioritized food sovereignty over external food aid.
✅ Addresses ChallengesIt directly tackled flood-induced crop loss and monsoon-season hunger. By using invasive water hyacinth (a nuisance plant) as the raft base, it also turned an environmental problem into a resource.
✅ Adequately Assesses VulnerabilityPVAs allowed communities to self-identify risks: not just flooding, but also soil erosion, loss of seed stocks, and gender-specific vulnerabilities (women’s nutritional stress during floods). This led to integrated solutions like seed banks and women-led gardening groups.
✅ Demonstrates Conflict ResolutionInitially, there were disputes over access to water channels for rafts. The project facilitated community agreements on raft placement and shared maintenance of waterways, mediated by local elders and NGO staff.
✅ Meets the Community’s Expectations and Needs
Immediate need: Year-round food supply → achieved through monsoon baira + dry-season homestead gardens.
Economic need: Extra income → surplus vegetables sold at local markets.
Social need: Women’s empowerment → women now control garden outputs and contribute to household decisions.
✅ Contributes to the Community’s Adaptive Capacity
Diversified livelihoods: Reduced dependence on single-season rice cultivation.
Knowledge sharing: Farmer-to-farmer training created a decentralized network of local experts.
Low-cost and replicable: Materials are locally available, allowing even the poorest households to participate.