Impact of Poverty Alleviation Programs on Environment : A Study of Jessore District

Abstract

The present study is on the impact of poverty alleviation programs on environment, a study of Jessore district in Bangladesh. The study is mainly analytical. The researcher has tried to investigate and observe the impact of poverty alleviation programs particularly micro-credit, non-formal primary education and sericulture program. The main objectives of the NGOs in Bangladesh arc to work in general poverty alleviation, women's empowennent and environmental development. Poverty alleviation and women's c111powcr111cnt arc related to c11viro11111c11t. lJuc to conducting these poverty alleviation programs environment is inlluence<l in every phase of the work. These effects may he short f erm, long term, <iI-sitc, on-site, positive and 11eg,ative. significant, insignificant or moderate. All physical and social enviro11111c11t developmental activities use and interact with diverse natural resources and components of the environment. Those programs are fonnulated and assessed according to technical, economical and political criteria without adequate attention to environmental and social impact have resulted in "fl. unlc.m;si.:en harmli.il consequencc\oniciating desired benefits and sustainability of the programs. The 1m~jor effects and impacts of poverty alleviation programs have been identi lied and classi lied into few general categories- social impact, socioeconomic impact. physico-chemical impact. health impact, ecological impact and so on. It has been observed in this study that poverty alleviation programs. 1111crocrcd it. non form a I primary education and scricu lturc have many sign i Ii cant positive impact on environment though a lew adverse impact have been identified. Impact is generally identified and predicted on the basis of living stand indicators such as loud intake, calorie intake, nutrient intake, clothing, housing, llledi ca l fa cil ities, waler and sanitation system, education, land and non-land asset accumulation etc. Economic impacts have been identified in the study by examining the effect of poverty alleviation programs on employment opportunities, monthly income and expenditure and, above all, social cmpowennent of' women. In most or the cases significant impacts have been identified. Insignificant and negative impacts have also been identified for a few irnli cnlors. For assessing purpose resenrcher hns classified the impnct of education in three categories - social impact, economic impact and health impact. In the case of hea lth seeking behavior, reproductive health, nsset accumulation, income increasing, employment opportunities, change of attitudes and life skill knowledge, positive impacts have been identified. The research reveals that education plays n catalytic role in socio-physical environment development. The major findings of the study on sericulture program have been categorized under health ef"fcct, socio-economic i111pact and environmental assessment. Elllployccs of different sections suffer from various health problems. These can be causc<l by direct or indirect exposure to environmental pollution and cu11talllinatio11. The most important concerns for environmental and public health issues are the di sposal or polluted waler and solid waste. The overall result or the study indicates that despite having some health and environmental problems many socio-economic benefits are achieved from poverty alleviation programs.