The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $106 million loan to improve water resources management and agricultural productivity in rural Bangladesh.

The project builds on the success and lessons from three prior ADB-financed participatory small-scale water resources management projects in Bangladesh and scales up investment while intensifying climate and disaster resilience support and food security through new and improved water resources infrastructures and services for flood and drought risk management, drainage improvement, and irrigation systems modernization. It will significantly increase agricultural productivity and profitability through effective, participatory, and sustainable water resources management over more than 220,000 hectares in 42 districts, home to 77% of the rural poor.

To be implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department, it will establish 150 new water management cooperative associations and strengthen 230 existing ones; support emergency reconstruction and modernization of the Bakkhali rubber dam scheme; construct 110 kilometers of farm and village roads with all-weather features; and increase participation of women, youth, and small ethnic communities.