DHAKA, May 20, 2025 (BSS) - The International Fund for Agricultural 
Development (IFAD) has approved a new US$70 million project to support 1.34 
million rural people in flood-prone and drought-prone regions in Bangladesh 
to adapt to environmental shocks and improve their livelihoods.

The Climate Resilient Agriculture and Livelihood Enhancement Project (CRALEP) 
received formal approval at IFAD's 144th Executive Board session in Rome 
recently, IFAD said in a press release here today.
 
It will be implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), 
under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, 
with oversight from the Economic Relations Division (ERD) of the Ministry of 
Finance.
 
With a target of reaching 1.34 million people across 33 upazilas in the Haor 
and High Barind regions, which are frequently affected by floods, flash 
floods, and droughts, CRALEP aims to improve climate-resilient 
infrastructure, expand income-generating opportunities, and strengthen the 
capacity of institutions to manage climate risks more effectively.

The project will channel investments into building 334 kilometres of climate-
resilient village roads and 58 rural markets, significantly improving 
connectivity and access to essential services for remote communities.

In 240 villages, it will also install key infrastructure such as walkways, 
tube wells, and sanitation facilities to enhance daily living conditions and 
improve public health.

To help rural populations better withstand climate-related shocks, CRALEP 
will develop 72 elevated platforms known as killas to provide shelter for 
livestock during floods.

It will also introduce nature-based protection systems in 280 villages to 
reduce environmental risks.

In addition, the project will strengthen early warning systems for flash 
floods and droughts through the Climate Resilient Local Infrastructure Centre 
(CReLIC) to support timely and community-based disaster response.

Youth empowerment is central to CRALEP's approach, said the release.
 
The project will provide vocational skills training to 34,000 young people 
and offer entrepreneurship support to another 10,000, helping them build 
sustainable livelihoods and contribute to the rural economy.
"This project builds on the strong and longstanding collaboration between 
IFAD and the government of Bangladesh," said Valantine Achancho, IFAD Country 
Director for Bangladesh on the occasion.
 
Through this initiative, IFAD will contribute to building a more secure and 
dignified future for the rural population in Bangladesh, Achancho added.