Climate-Resilient Ecosystems and Livelihoods (CREL)

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bangladesh is issuing this Request for Applications (RFA) for a five-year Cooperative Agreement titled Climate-Resilient Ecosystems and Livelihoods (CREL) to provide technical advisory and assistance services to a range of stakeholders, including existing community-based, co-management organizations as well as relevant Government of Bangladesh (GOB) ministries and technical agencies for sound natural resource management and biodiversity conservation in focus regions that results in improved social, ecological, and economic resilience. In many ways, CREL will be a continuation of three USAID co-management activities: Integrated Protected Area Co-Management (IPAC) project, the Nishorgo Support Project (NSP), and the Management of Aquatic Ecosystems through Community Husbandry (MACH) project, but with key differences and a focus on building resiliency to climate risks for enhanced adaptation to climate change impacts for improved livelihoods and successful management of critical ecosystems in priority regions of the country. The four components required for implementation of CREL are as follows: (1) Improved Governance of Natural Resources and Biodiversity; (2) Enhanced Knowledge and Capacity of Key Stakeholders; (3) Strengthened Planning and Implementation of Climate-Resilient Natural Resource Management and Adaptation; and (4) Improved and Diversified Livelihoods that are Environmentally Sustainable and Resilient to Climate Change.