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Bangladesh Response in Cox’s Bazar, December 2018

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Bangladesh
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FAO
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Since 25 August 2017, more than 700 000 Rohingya refugees fled Myanmar to seek safety in Cox’s Bazar, which increased the total number of refugees to 908 000. The rapid population increase placed a heavy strain on local natural resources, service provision and infrastructure. In particular, forest and water resources were severely depleted, and agricultural land has been lost to continuously spreading camps. Due to massive deforestation the population is exposed to an increased risk of landslides and flash floods, in an area which already experiences one of the world’s highest rates of climate-related disasters.

In response, FAO is working with the Government of Bangladesh and humanitarian partners to support refugees and host communities in crop production, sustainable fisheries, alternative fuel provision and reforestation activities in Teknaf and Ukhiya Upazilas. FAO’s early work included distributing Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), along with fire-safety awareness training, to camps and host communities to reduce firewood demand and curb deforestation. This also frees women and children from harvesting firewood, avoiding gender-based violence in faraway forests.
This intervention supports FAO’s longer-term reforestation and land stabilization efforts to prevent landslides and flash floods.

FAO was present conducting forestry assessments when the influx began.
The resulting fast operational scale up, including being one of the first actors to support host communities as well as refugees. This was critical to mitigate growing tensions and support social cohesion between the communities.

To date, FAO has provided agricultural and food production support and food security assistance to more than 87 800 refugee and host community households (395 000 people).