Friends in Village Development Bangladesh (FIVDB) are a national, non-governmental organization founded in 1979 under the registration of Ministry of Social Affairs, Bangladesh and NGO Affairs Bureau, Bangladesh.

Areas of work

FIVDB is implementing programs for the socio-economic development of disadvantaged sections of the population. It started its work in the North-Eastern Sylhet Division and over time has expanded its coverage to other parts namely Dhaka, Chittagong and Rangpur Divisions. FIVDB has extensive experience in implementing livelihood, food security, child and maternal health care and disaster risk reduction and management projects. At present, FIVDB is focusing on livelihood enhancement, agriculture, health, adult and lifelong learning, primary education and financial service programs.

 Programs and Projects

• FIVDB is presently implementing “Jonoshilon” (popular education) combining primary education, adult functional literacy and community mobilization programme with the financial support of the Netherlands government.
• FIVDB has successfully implemented ACCESS and is presently implementing Ma-Moni combining safe motherhood, newborn care and promotion of family planning activities with the support of Save the Children USA and USAID.
• FIVDB has implemented disaster risk reduction and response programme with the support Oxfam GB, Christian Aid UK, Save the Children UK, CARE Bangladesh, UNICEF and UNDP.
• FIVDB has developed a close working relationship with the national research institutes such as: Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Agriculture University, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) and the Soil Resources and Development Institute (SRDI).  This has enabled it to engage in collaborative research, access the latest research knowledge and promote products derived from such research which are suitable for the different areas of the country.  It is one of the pioneer organizations that initiated ‘integrated rice-duck farming practices” in collaboration with BRRI under the IRRI-PETRRA project.
• The livelihood enhancement project’s goal is to empower communities by enhancing access to and completion of food security, climate change and reduce poverty by enhancing economic activities in disadvantaged communities of Bangladesh.

FIVDB’s livelihoods program originally focused on agricultural extension services and gradually developing capacity in agricultural technologies, livestock, poultry, fisheries and cottage-based crafts production. FIVDB was a partner in piloting the rice and duck integrated farming system along with International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and Bangladesh Development Society. Across the country, 70 organizations have taken their staff for FIVDB’s training on Enterprise Development, Chinese Rice Husk Duck Incubation. The trained staffs have then gone on to apply the skills in their work with the beneficiaries. FIVDB is offering training in duck and poultry rearing, sewing and embroidery, paravet, watsan, mapping on disaster preparedness and management, smokeless burner, textile printing, diesel engine maintenance, cane and bamboo craft, organic farming and integrated pest management, amongst a few other activities. FIVDB is also working with the Community Learning Center (CLC) to find resources to provide the training.

Currently FIVDB is promoting some sustainable agricultural practices in rural areas such as organic vegetable production in sack, vegetable production in homestead areas using different models, commercial vegetable production, nursery, fruit gardening, rice-duck farming, alternate wetting and drying (AWD) method in rice production, vegetable and rice seed production and storage, improved technologies for turmeric, ginger, onion, chilli and pea production, potato-maize intercropping, pheromone-traps for insect control, amon-mustrad-boro cropping pattern, compost preparation (kitchen waste, vermin-compost etc.) and other potential technologies that cope with climate change and unfavorable ecosystem.

The organization is also providing necessary trainings for capacity develop in income generating activities and supporting inputs in this regard. The organization is giving high priority to organic farming technologies and developing marketing networks for ensuring soil, water, human and economic empowerment for the rural households. Different technologies are being adopted for increased soil health improvement, land care and related issues.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Baseline data is gathered when the program starts working in the community. The CLC appraisal data forms the basis of the baseline. PRA and mini surveys are used for data collection. Literate individuals in the community (CLC members of the same or an adjoining community – a first step to networking between CLCs) are carrying out the mini-surveys. If there are not sufficient literate individuals, Program Assistants and Program Organizers assist the CLC members in data collection. After validation, a copy of the data is kept at the CLCs for their own planning and monitoring purposes as well as being collected and entered into an overall program system. It is updating regularly by using monitoring data collected from the field. The data is regularly re-checked and validated by the Field Operation teams at least monthly during their visits to the areas. The findings are shared with the Programme Director and training teams through regular meetings. The Quality Assurance unit is leading the process of quality monitoring by analysing the effectiveness of training and materials used and help determine areas of improvement in training design, planning for staff training etc. The Policy, Planning, and Research unit carries out periodic internal studies to identify strengths and weaknesses, results and impact. The unit works with the Quality Assurance Units and Field Operations units in designing and carrying out the studies and the study results are shared with FIVDB’s management which then uses them for improvement of quality of FIVDB programs and their management. The unit also supports the programs to design and organize reflection and planning activities (including strategic planning) and to develop and review the monitoring and evaluation strategies and tools.

Story provided by Dr. Shaikh Tanveer Hossain,   Sustainable Agriculture Advisor & Chief Agricultural Coordinator, Friends In Village Development Bangladesh (FIVDB)

For more information please email: tanveer107@yahoo.com