Gaia
Team information
Md Shahriar Sharif
fresh graduate
Khulna University of Engineering and Technology
Benthe Thielen
Master
Wageningen University and Research
Asif Adnan
Bachelor
Khulna University
Sholihah Rahmatunnisa Utami
fresh graduate
Institut Teknologi Bandung
Lynn van Boheemen
Master
Universidade do Algarve
Andrea Tribulato
Master
Wagenginen University
Alex Häuser
fresh graduate
University of Cambridge
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About the team
We are a multidisciplinary team with expertises in social sciences, environmental sciences, and economics. Our vision is reflected in our name. Gaia is the hypothesis of a self-sustaining planet, on which all of the components work together to form one big organism. Our aim is to use our sources of expertise to come up with a solution to the challenges of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta.
Our vision for nature-positive future for Bangladesh
Our vision for Bangladesh entails a future where communities thrive in harmony with nature, resilient to the impacts of climate change. By prioritizing nature-based solutions and sustainable development practices, we aim to restore ecological balance and enhance adaptive capacities. Through sustainable practices like jute farming and implementing the Forest Fruit Fish model we aim to restore soil quality as well as socio-economic development. With community based restoration projects, such as mangrove restoration and building living shorelines, flood-risk will decrease while biodiversity will increase. We aim to utilize the conditions in Bangladesh in favor of the inhabitants by looking at the opportunities and constantly asking how measures will impact families in the area. Not only short-term, but over generations. We incorporate local knowledge and expand on traditional sustainable practices to involve communities in education, restoration, and conservation. By engaging local stakeholders, leveraging traditional knowledge, and integrating innovative technologies, we aim to build resilience and ensure the sustainable management of water resources and agricultural systems in this vulnerable area. We envision higher quality of health and economic prospects in combination with a higher biodiversity and restored landscape, reduced flood-risk, and a higher freshwater availability.
Our choices for a specific region
In addressing salinity intrusion in Bangladesh's southwest coastal region, our approach focuses on holistic, community-centered solutions. In this region, we focus mainly on the zone between the central business district and the Sundarbans, we call this the buffer zone. For the inhabitants of this buffer zone, daily life revolves around activities such as fishing, agriculture and collecting forest resources. Many rely on traditional livelihoods such as honey collection, crab farming, and shrimp cultivation, which are intricately linked to the health of the mangrove forests. The constant threat of cyclones, tidal surges, and rising sea levels looms large, posing risks to both life and property. Access to basic amenities such as clean water, healthcare, and education can be limited, particularly in more remote areas. We identified five solutions, which will involve communities in the area in sustainable agriculture practices suited to the water-rich environment, and restoration and conservation practices. Furthermore, managed aquifer recharge systems can prevent saline spoilage of freshwater, ensuring a reliable freshwater supply.