Inception Workshop (Khulna, 11-12 June, 2013)

On 11 and 12 June, 2013 a proposal-development workshop was organized in Khulna, Bangladesh, by Dhaka University, VU University, Utrecht University, and TU Delft, together with DPHE, and UNICEF. A diverse set of stakeholders, were invited to participate. The total of 24 participants consisted of nine academics (four from the Netherlands, five from Bangladesh), three representatives of local and national government agencies, and 11 representatives from local and national NGOs. UNICEF is an inter-governmental organization. During a fieldtrip, we interviewed a fair number of MAR end-users and operators.

The workshop had the following objectives:

1. Share the state-of-the art insights that the various participants possessed, with regard to the drinking water sector, MAR in particular;
2. Discuss (i) the project’s problem description, (ii) the possible contributions of MAR to solving this problem, (iii) the barriers to MAR implementations, (iv) desired project outcomes, and (v) stakeholder participation;
3. Co-determine (i) the central problem and possible solution routes; (ii) possibilities for collaboration, and; (iii) project activities.

The workshop resulted among other things in more detailed understanding of:

1. problems related with drinking water (e.g. the role of shrimp farming, gender issues, and the lack of local government capacity, etc.)
2. the potential of MAR (e.g. its cyclone-proof design; reduced risk of contamination, etc.)
3. the obstacles to implementation (e.g. opportunities attract local thugs; conflict with shrimp industry, etc.)
4. the demand of stakeholders regarding project outcomes (e.g. technical and social dissemination tools; environmental-friendly design, etc.), and;
5. supporting and opposing stakeholders (based on power x interest grid)

These insights were synthesized and translated into input for proposal development.