General Adaptation Goal
Frequent flooding in northern Bangladesh routinely destroys homes and crops. A broad adaptation goal for this community could be: “Improve flood resilience of the community to protect homes and livelihoods.” This goal focuses on strengthening village defenses and livelihood protection against flood damage.
SMART Adaptation Objective
To make this goal SMART, we specify concrete actions, targets, and a timeline. We will rely on low-cost community methods (raised platforms and floating gardens) that have proven effective, with NGO support to offset limited government funding. The objective is refined as follows:
Specific: Build flood-proof infrastructure and support livelihoods. For example, construct 30 raised earth platforms (home plinths) to elevate houses above flood level and install 50 floating garden beds for crops in the most vulnerable villages. These measures directly protect homes and farming plots.
Measurable: Track progress by counting the structures and beneficiaries. We will monitor the number of platforms built (30), floating beds installed (50), and households trained or assisted. Success can be measured by surveys showing a decrease in flood damage (e.g. a 25–30% reduction in crop loss and home damage after floods).
Achievable: Engage local communities and partners. Using community labor and NGO help makes this realistic despite scarce local budgets. The plan leverages familiar practices (raising plinths, floating gardens) and training sessions, all of which have succeeded in similar Bangladesh communities. This collaboration keeps costs low and builds local ownership.
Relevant: Directly tackles the key climate risk. Frequent river flooding is the main threat here, so elevating homes and using floating agriculture specifically address flood damage to houses and crops. This objective aligns with protecting livelihoods and infrastructure in the flood-prone area.
Time-bound: Set a clear deadline. We plan to complete construction and training by December 2026. This creates urgency and allows us to evaluate results after the next two monsoon seasons.