NUTON JIBON LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT A NEW LIFE FOR THE RURAL POOR APPROVAL DATE: END DATE: TOTAL COMMITMENT: IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES: BASIC INFORMATION February 25 June 30 $220 million Social Development Foundation 2015 2021 OVERVIEW While Bangladesh had successfully reduced extreme poverty in rural areas from 37.9 percent in 2000 to 21.1 percent in 2010, – still rural poverty is almost three times that of urban areas. Extreme poverty continues to be a rural phenomenon with majority of the poor residing in rural areas, where agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood for the rural economy. The Nuton Jibon Livelihood Improvement Project aims to improve the livelihoods of the poor and extreme poor in selected rural areas. 12 CHALLENGE TOWARDS THE FUTURE Poverty rates in Bangladesh have declined at an impressive rate over the past decade with improved health The project substantiated that increased income leads outcomes, living conditions for the poor, lowered child mortality, and overall improved safety net coverage. In to change in overall food consumption and dietary spite of these achievements, a number of challenges remain. Poverty assessment reveals, increases in the share diversification as measured by increased diversity of the working population and rising labor incomes mainly contributed to the decline in poverty over the past in diets. Average household consumption increased decade. Almost half of the poverty decline was due to growth in farm incomes. The assessment also found that by 39 percent for milk and dairy products, and by poor households living in the poorest regions are less able to cope with shocks. Addressing rural poverty and food 49 percent for meat and egg. This evidence was fully security issues thus remain as the critical policy priorities to ensure inclusive and pro-poor growth. conceptualized in the next operation, “Nuton Jibon Livelihood Improvement Project 3” by linking livelihood angle with quality food APPROACH consumption. As a third phase of an ongoing program initiated over 10 years ago, the project continues to provide support to 3,200 villages supported under the Social Investment Program Project II through second generation institutions and producer group support. The Nuton Jibon Livelihood Improvement Project targets around 2,500 new villages covering 12 districts and is expected to benefit 500,000 poor and extreme poor households, comprising of about 2.25 million people. The project provides livelihood support and enables access to market through business partnerships to empower the rural communities. It helps mobilize the poor and extreme poor people, who often remain left out from micro credit schemes, by building and strengthening community institutions including Nuton Jibon Community Societies. In addition, the project shares nutrition and agricultural knowledge and focuses on enhancing youth skills. The project also funds small scale rural infrastructure. RESULTS 41,849 jobs 30% – 50% increase in income of 432,919 members 90,527 producers mobilized into 5,561 producer were created who took loans from village revolving loan fund groups accessing input and output markets 92% of village institutions met the criteria of Of the 3.4 million direct 99% of male and 98% of female unemployed youth were transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability beneficiaries, 94% were women gainfully self- employed after receiving skills training 92% of targeted households benefitted 89% of completed community 10 major business partnerships were from improved community infrastructure or infrastructure subprojects were operated established through public/private social services sub-projects and maintained by communities partnerships with communities THE WORLD BANK IN BANGLADESH | 13