The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Bangladesh has received $ 584,369 from the Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund to implement urgent, life-saving interventions aimed at slope stabilization and strengthening community preparedness.
The initiative is designed to help vulnerable Rohingya households reduce the life-threatening risks of landslides and protect shelters ahead of the approaching monsoon season, according to a press release.
The funding will enable the FAO to stabilize approximately 170 hectares of high-risk slopes across 85 sites in 15 Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhia and Teknaf.
Key activities include the planting of deep-rooted native vegetation, the application of bioengineering techniques such as bamboo crib walls and contour trenching, and providing emergency Cash-for-Work (CfW) opportunities to 800 direct beneficiaries.
These interventions are expected to significantly reduce the immediate risk of deadly landslides during the monsoon season, directly protecting more than 45,000 Rohingya refugees living in vulnerable areas. The measures will help safeguard shelters, maintain evacuation routes, and ensure continued access to essential services.
FAO Representative in Bangladesh Jiaoqun Shi stated,“In Cox’s Bazar, fragile and deforested slopes combined with extreme monsoon rainfall are increasing the risk of life-threatening landslides putting thousands of vulnerable people and shelters at immediate risk. Sustainable, cost-effective prevention measures are urgently needed to avert avoidable loss of life and secondary displacement.
I am grateful to the Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund as this support will fill a critical gap of the 2025–2026 Hyper-prioritized Rohingya Joint Response Plan (JRP), where slope stabilization is prioritized as a high-impact, life-saving intervention in the most vulnerable camps.”
He added, “Nature-based solutions are highly cost-efficient, delivering between $ 7 and USD 30 in returns for every $ 1 invested, while simultaneously reducing disaster risks and generating life-saving income.”
FAO is uniquely positioned to deliver this critical support building on its strong technical expertise in nature-based bioengineering, with a strong operational presence in Cox's Bazar.
Through the Safe Access to Fuel and Energy Plus (SAFE+) programme, FAO has already stabilized more than 3,500 hectares of degraded slopes since 2018. In humanitarian emergencies, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) support is life-saving. By utilizing nature-based soil binding and erosion control techniques, FAO ensures that assistance translates rapidly into physical safety for families living on the front lines of climate vulnerability.
Since the Rohingya influx in 2017, FAO has maintained a strong field presence in Cox’s Bazar, working through the Rohingya Coordination Platform (RCP) to align its interventions with site management, shelter, and protection responses. These efforts aim to ensure that assistance reaches communities most exposed to environmental and other hazards.
Project activities are being implemented through local community structures, including majhis (community leaders), imams (Muslim spiritual leaders), and youth networks. This approach is designed to strengthen local engagement, foster long-term ownership, and promote greater self-reliance among affected populations.
The Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund enables rapid and flexible financing for the most urgent life-saving priorities. In Bangladesh, this timely support allows partners such as FAO to act ahead of predictable hazards, including landslides that can cause loss of life and secondary displacement.
As climate-induced hazards and acute food insecurity rise globally, FAO is scaling up nature-based slope stabilization and bioengineering to protect vulnerable communities and safeguard their livelihoods. FAO’s 2026 Global Emergency and Resilience Appeal seeks USD 2.5 billion to support over 100 million people in 54 countries. By investing in ecosystem-based early action, FAO helps reduce future humanitarian needs and costs.
This new contribution from Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund underscores the importance of timely, flexible humanitarian funding in saving lives and livelihoods, and highlights the critical role of nature-based solutions as an effective frontline response to climate-driven emergencies.