Floating food

In Bangladesh, one of the biggest problems people face is increasingly frequent and severe flooding. This affects access to food and clean water, as well as people’s ability to earn a living.

CARE worked with community leaders to find solutions. Sometimes, the simplest ideas are the best.

Raising poultry is a common livelihood strategy in the Hoar region of Bangladesh – especially for women. Unfortunately, chickens often drown during protracted floods; this can be a major blow to household economies.

In response, CARE and our local partners struck upon the idea of helping women in flood-prone areas switch from rearing chickens to ducks. Duck rearing is perfect for the climatic conditions of the Hoar region: ducks can survive the wet seasons and flooding, provide fat and protein-rich eggs and meat, and are also a good income source.

Women displaying duck eggs collected from the ducks they are rearing