Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh—home to the world’s largest refugee settlement—lost over 7,000 hectares of forest after the 2017 Rohingya influx, equal to three football fields of trees cleared daily, leading to landslides, drought, and wildlife conflict. To restore the degraded hills, FAO, BFD, and IFESCU launched the Dry Season Plantation (DSP) under the SAFE Plus Programme, combining biochar, cocopeat, and water-hyacinth compost with earthen cocoons and dense native planting. Pilots in Shilkhali and Camp 19 achieved 100% survival, reduced irrigation by 70%, engaged 150 workers (35% women), and now guide national and urban climate-resilient restoration.
Background
Cox’s Bazar, on Bangladesh’s southeastern coast, is one of the country’s most ecologically fragile yet socially vibrant regions. Its hilly terrain, once covered with evergreen forests, acted as a natural barrier between the Bay of Bengal and inland plains, supporting springs, biodiversity, and smallholder livelihoods. These forests provided fuelwood, construction material, and vital water regulation services for both wildlife and people.
This balance collapsed in 2017 when over 700,000 Rohingya refugees fled Myanmar and settled in Ukhiya and Teknaf. To build shelters, cook food, and open roads, vast tracts of forest were cleared. More than 7,000 hectares—about three football fields of trees lost each day—were deforested within a year. The result was a devastated landscape: erosion, slope failure, and water scarcity replaced fertile forest cover. Monsoons triggered landslides and floods; the dry season brought fires, dust, and heat. Elephant corridors were blocked, causing human–wildlife conflict, while host farmers faced poor yields and shrinking resources.
Deforestation deepened tension as refugees and hosts competed for fuelwood and land. “The forest became both a lifeline and a fault line,” a local leader said. Governance fragmentation worsened the crisis. The Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD) retained forest control, the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) managed camps, and humanitarian agencies under the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) prioritized lifesaving services. Environmental recovery remained secondary, and monsoon-only planting failed—seedling mortality in the dry season exceeded 80%.
To address this, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and BFD, through the SAFE Plus Programme with the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong (IFESCU), launched a field initiative in 2019 to enable year-round, drought-resilient restoration. The resulting Dry Season Plantation (DSP) Framework applied three core principles:
- Soil enrichment with biochar, cocopeat, and composted water hyacinth;
- Slow-release irrigation via earthen cocoons watering seedlings for weeks;
- Dense native planting to stabilize slopes and accelerate canopy growth.
DSP linked ecology with livelihoods: potters made cocoons, women managed nurseries, and youth composted waste—creating a green micro-economy. Pilots in Shilkhali (Teknaf) and Camp 19 (Ukhiya) launched in December–February, the driest months, to test resilience.
Gender inclusion, equal pay, and safety were ensured, while elephant paths and fire risks were managed. Aligned with Bangladesh’s Forest Policy (2016), National Adaptation Plan, and LDN targets under the UNCCD, DSP reframed restoration as a climate-smart, community-driven investment.
In essence, DSP marked a paradigm shift—from monsoon-dependent greening to year-round resilience, proving that even in crises, degraded hills can recover through science, innovation, and stewardship.
Actions taken
The Dry Season Plantation (DSP) Framework in Cox’s Bazar was developed as an evidence-based, community-led solution to restore degraded and drought-stressed hills through water-efficient, low-cost, and locally adaptable methods. Jointly implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD) under the SAFE Plus Programme, it linked science, governance, and livelihoods to rebuild resilience in one of Bangladesh’s most fragile ecosystems.
Decision and objectives.
In 2019, after repeated failures of post-monsoon reforestation, FAO and BFD reviewed field results showing off-season mortality above 80% from soil desiccation and moisture stress. Under SAFE Plus, five objectives were defined: extend planting into dry months; use low-cost, water-saving techniques; enrich soil with local organic inputs; engage refugee and host communities; and institutionalize DSP within national forest and drought-adaptation policy. These were validated through the Environment & Energy Technical Working Group (EETWG) under the ISCG to align with humanitarian coordination.
Leadership and partnerships.
FAO led design, technical oversight, and documentation, while BFD co-implemented, providing forest sites and institutional authority. The Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong (IFESCU) acted as scientific partner for soil testing and monitoring. The Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) and District Administration facilitated permissions; UN agencies (IOM, UNHCR, UNDP, WFP) supported coordination. SAFE Plus donors—Japan, Canada, and the Netherlands—financed and joined monitoring visits.
Design and innovation.
FAO screened global dryland restoration practices, rejecting costly, non-biodegradable options such as hydrogels, plastic cocoons, and drip irrigation. The final model integrated three scalable innovations:
- Soil enrichment using biochar, cocopeat, and composted water hyacinth;
- Slow-release irrigation via handmade earthen cocoons delivering ~2.5 L of water over 3–4 weeks;
- Dense mixed indigenous planting (Miyawaki-inspired) to stabilize slopes and accelerate canopy growth.
Pilot implementation.
Two sites were chosen—Shilkhali (Teknaf), a steep eroded forest block, and Camp 19 (Ukhiya), a compact, degraded camp slope. All inputs were locally produced: hyacinth composted with dung and soil, cocopeat from husk, and biochar from residues. Potters made cocoons, women managed nurseries, and youth handled composting. Seventeen native species, including Terminalia arjuna, Hopea odorata, and Syzygium cumini, were planted between December and February, the driest months, to test resilience.
Monitoring and adaptation.
IFESCU monitored plant growth and soil moisture biweekly. FAO–BFD reviews refined irrigation intervals (4–25 days), amendment ratios, and mulch thickness to improve performance and survival.
Community engagement.
Over 150 refugees and host residents—35% women—were engaged under cash-for-work, trained in nursery management, composting, and kiln operation. Waste-to-resource production built skills, income, and community ownership beyond project funding.
Institutionalization.
Findings were consolidated in the Dry Season Plantation Framework and Training Manual (2021), shared through BFD and EETWG networks. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) endorsed DSP as a national adaptation model. Replication has begun: Chittagong University applies DSP on campus, and Dhaka North City Corporation is adapting it for urban greening to reduce irrigation demand.
Action pathway:
Problem identification (2019) → design (2020) → pilot (2020–2021) → refinement (2021–2022) → endorsement & replication (2022 onward).
Outcomes
Implementation of the Dry Season Plantation (DSP) Framework in Cox’s Bazar proved that drought-resilient, year-round restoration is both technically and economically feasible in landscapes once deemed too dry and degraded. The model reversed localized deforestation, stabilized slopes, improved soil function, and redefined restoration as a sustainable investment in natural infrastructure and climate resilience rather than a seasonal expense.
Ecological performance:
Plantations established during the driest months in Shilkhali (Teknaf) and Camp 19 (Ukhiya) achieved 100% survival and full canopy in less than four months—contrasting sharply with the <20% typical off-season survival in the region. Soil monitoring by FAO and IFESCU recorded significant gains: +0.8% organic carbon, 15% lower bulk density, and doubled infiltration rates within three months. Surface temperatures dropped by ~2.3 °C, visibly cooling camp microclimates and reducing dust exposure. Early biodiversity recovery was observed, with pollinators and native birds returning to restored slopes.
Hydrological and slope stability gains:
Dense vegetation and mulch layers reduced erosion and transformed rainfall from surface runoff to infiltration, recharging shallow soils. These site-level hydrological improvements—though localized—represent the building blocks of watershed-scale drought resilience for southern Bangladesh.
Durability and sustainability:
After maintenance ended in 2023, both pilot sites continued improving. At Camp 19, revegetated slopes remained stable for new shelter construction, reducing landslide risk. At Shilkhali, plantations naturally transitioned into dense forest through regeneration and litter cycling—demonstrating ecological self-reinforcement even without external care.
Economic and social efficiency:
DSP matched monsoon plantation costs (USD 1,250–1,400/ha) but reduced irrigation needs by 60–70% and replanting by >25%, cutting labour and logistics costs on steep terrain. Each USD 1 invested produced ~USD 1.8 in ecosystem and livelihood benefits. Over 150 refugees and host residents—35% women—earned income through nursery management, composting, biochar and cocoon production, planting, and monitoring. Using locally made inputs kept funds within communities and built self-sustaining micro-enterprises beyond project life.
Social cohesion and wellbeing:
Joint environmental work reduced host–refugee tension and created a shared asset—greened, cooler, and safer hills. Surveys found 86% of participants felt restoration improved environmental awareness and community relations. Women gained visibility and confidence through equal pay and technical roles. The greening also delivered psychosocial benefits, with residents calling the regrown slopes a “sign of life returning.”
Institutional uptake and replication:
The BFD integrated dry season planting into its operations, recognized it as an official climate adaptation practice. Replication began at the University of Chittagong, which implemented DSP on campus as a living laboratory, and the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is now adapting the approach for urban parks and roadside corridors to improve survival during dry months.
Challenges and next steps:
Scaling up the project requires initial stable finance, fostering longer term benefits, tenure clarity, decentralized input hubs, and stronger safeguards against extreme weather. Integrating DSP into the annual plan and exploring REDD+ incentives could secure long-term funding.
DSP worked because it fused science, simplicity, and systems thinking including locally sourced, biodegradable materials and integrated livelihoods made the system self-sustaining. By converting degraded slopes into resilient green infrastructure widening the plantation window, it provides Bangladesh with a replicable model for drought adaptation ensure sustainable forests and livelihoods.
Lessons Learned
Lesson 1 – Self-sustaining resilience:
The Shilkhali plantation regenerated naturally into dense forest without maintenance after 2023, proving that the DSP model creates ecologically self-reinforcing systems suitable for long-term climate resilience.
Lesson 2 – Site stability and safety:
Camp 19’s revegetated slopes remained stable for shelter construction, showing that early green cover from DSP effectively restores slope integrity and reduces landslide risk in fragile terrains.
Lesson 3 – Water and cost efficiency:
Dry-season planting achieved monsoon-equivalent costs while cutting irrigation needs by over 60%, confirming DSP as a low-input, scalable approach for drought- and resource-stressed regions.
Lesson 4 – Local circular value chains:
Transforming local waste—biochar, cocopeat, and water-hyacinth compost—into restoration inputs created lasting green enterprises, building community ownership and sustaining adoption beyond project funding.
Lesson 5 – Scalability and policy impact:
DSP’s low-cost, community-based design and proven outcomes prompted replication at the University of Chittagong and interest from Dhaka North City Corporation, demonstrating its national and regional scale-up potential.
