HARPA leverages Kitabisa.org's digital platform to connect multiple funding sources (public donors and corporate partners) with conservation NGOs. The system enables transparent fund distribution, real-time tracking, and impact reporting. This approach ensures sustainable funding for conservation programs while maintaining accountability to all stakeholders.

In this second Building Block, the Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) was applied to l to assess the risks and threats posed by climate impacts like wave action, sea level rise, erosion, and precipitation, informing the actions taken.

This Building Block involved the following environmental actions: 

• Constructing a protective wall to mitigate wave action and coastal erosion.
• Planting mangrove trees along the coast to stabilize the shoreline and protect against sea level rise, erosion, and storm surges.
• Rehabilitating stairs at Husuni Kubwa Palace which had been impacted by natural forces, specifically wave action.

Phase 3: The hydroponic fodder production facility was launched, supplying high-quality fodder to local farms and initiating monitoring and evaluation to track progress and impact. The flexibility of the hydroponic system allows for adaptation to farmers' needs, offering scalability depending on resource availability. Smaller, premanufactured systems can be used initially, reducing the financial burden for farmers, while locally sourced materials can further cut costs before larger setups are adopted. In many rural areas where men often migrate in search of employment, women have increasingly taken on significant agricultural roles. By learning smart farming techniques such as hydroponics, women gain critical skills in business and resource management. These new capabilities not only improve their self-reliance but also empower them to become leaders in their communities, inspiring other women to engage in sustainable farming and advocate for gender equality.

Phase 2: Training sessions were conducted for local farmers on hydroponic techniques and livestock management, emphasizing sustainable practices and resource efficiency. 

To bring this vision to life, a reputable Spanish supplier, known for its advanced hydroponic systems, was selected through a competitive tender process. This company, with decades of experience in developing hydroponic technologies, provided a full-service package, including business consultancy, system manufacturing, delivery, installation, and setup. Recently, the company’s expert visited Tajikistan to oversee the installation of the hydroponic system and provide hands-on training to local farmers. These sessions addressed common challenges in hydroponic farming, such as managing root rot and bacterial diseases, ensuring that farmers could effectively manage their new systems from the start.

Phase 1: The project commenced with a comprehensive planning phase involving requirement analysis, market research, and site preparation for the hydroponic systems. 

The concept of using hydroponics for fodder production was born out of the urgent need for sustainable and efficient farming practices to combat ongoing challenges such as changing weather patterns and limited agricultural infrastructure in Tajikistan. Traditional farming methods have struggled to meet the growing demand for fodder, especially as these environmental and structural constraints intensify. Extensive research into innovative agricultural methods led to the discovery of hydroponics—a solution that offers enhanced productivity while minimizing the use of vital resources like water and land.

Saint Martin Island has been selected by the Bangladeshi Department of Forest and  Department of Environment to go through the IUCN Green List process. A Bangladeshi expert in Marine Protected Area conducted the Green List self-assessment exercise with key stakeholders, and wrote the report, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the young marine conserved area. Coral reef protection and turtle conservation are both key management objectives in Saint Martin Island management plan. 

The site visit to Tioman was instrumental in bringing and reinforcing technical knowledge on both topics, to eventually improve conservation outcomes. The Green List engagement provides a strategic framework, encompassing these specific activities and ensuring they are sustained in the future, because they serve a higher ambition: inscribe Saint-Martin Island Marine Protected Area on the IUCN Green List. 

The expert also developed the site action plan, to guide improvement towards the Green List Standard. Turtle conservation and coral reef monitoring are included, which will help secure that the knowledge gained through the site visit in Tioman will be kept and put into practice.

When selecting the delegation from Saint-Martin Island to Tioman Island, we made sure to have representatives from local government and community. Local government representatives build ownership of the project activity and are then keen to support and guide the work in their area of jurisdiction. It also helps to formalize the adoption of new protocols. 

Regarding coral reef conservation, a local champion from Saint Martin Island community was trained in the reef check methodology. He successfully completed the certification in only 2 days, because he was already an excellent diver, - he is an underwater photographer -, and already knows coral and fish species identification. This training was for him a way to validate his existing competences, and gain access to a clear methodology that makes knowledge transfer to others easier.

Turtle hatchery management was not entirely new for local community members and authorities. Previous projects on Saint Martin Island had supported successful turtle conservation activities funded by UNDP. The Department of Environment also implements turtle hatchery initiatives during the breeding season. 

In Tioman, Juara Turtle Project, the host organization who trained the Bangladeshi delegation, formed by government officials and a local community champion, shared their turtle hatchery protocol. This protocol was discussed with Saint-Martin Island turtle conservation group members and adopted to upgrade their practices. 

The learnings from the site visit were easily transferrable, even if the learning exchange only lasted for a week, because Saint Martin Island’s stakeholders had already a good knowledge and practice of turtle hatchery. It was only a matter of adding some structure and process to their current practice. Even though, compared to Tioman, there are species-level differences; in Bangladesh, the Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) is predominant, whereas in Tioman, the Green (Chelonia mydas) and Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) turtles are more common. And there is a difference in the average temperature range. 

Besides, they also learned how to protect turtle eggs from predation, especially by feral dogs, the biggest threat for turtle conservation on the island. This latter aspect came as a bonus, as it was not expected to be part of the learnings.