Adaptation to Climate Change Risks: A Study on Changing Livelihood Strategies in Selected Coastal Areas in Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh is a disaster-prone and one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts. The country has already faced several climatic impacts and disasters such as cyclones, flood, river erosion, temperature rise, seasonal variation, rising water level and salt water intrusion. The country has a long coastal area which is frequently being affected by several types of natural disasters due to climate change. These have impacted the life and livelihood of different natural resource depending communities living in the coastal areas. The Malo is a Hindu religious traditional fishing community living in Sarafpur Union of Dumuria Upazila of Khulna District. The community is engaged in fisheries practices inherently and has been catching fishes in rivers, estuaries and sea since more than 300 years. Fishing is the only means of their livelihood. Their family members are totally dependent on this traditional occupation. But, in recent year’s climate change has negatively impacted on their only livelihood option. The study aims to examine the impacts of climate change on the livelihood of Malo fishing community in south-west coastal Bangladesh, to identify the adaptation strategies undertaken and practiced by Malo fishing community to cope with climate change and sustain their livelihood and to explore the changing adaptation strategies undertaken by Malo fishing community and others. The study was conducted from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives. Data has been collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data has been collected in participatory observation approach following both qualitative and quantitative method. The primary source of data includes village census, face-toface interview, in-depth case studies using structured questionnaire has been used

with responsible industry authority. In qualitative method; face-to-face interview, use

of key informants, case studies and a number of focus group discussions have been

done for the purposes of study. The household number, families and population of

Malo fishing community were counted following quantitative method. The secondary

source of the literature includes different national and international documents, policy

papers, books and articles; related websites and peer-viewed documents on climate change, vulnerability, adaptation, livelihood and fisheries. Besides, various national and international reports on climate change issues in Bangladesh; academic journals and books, newspaper accounts, non-government organizations publications and government records were also considered as secondary sources. The study has outlined the ethnographic profile of Malo fishing community considering their history and tradition. In this regard; the socio-economic condition, access to resources, social values, cultural practices, fisheries practices of Malo fishing people in rivers, estuaries and sea, lack of equipment to face the hazards and disasters, common problems and usual necessary needs for fishing of Malo fishing people have also been identified. Beside this, the vulnerability context of Malo fishing people has been assessed. The study has identified and analyzed the effects and impacts of climate change on the livelihood of Malo fishing community following the Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA). In this relation, the impacts of climate change on their natural, financial, physical, social and human capital have been analyzed. Although, it was found that there have been little dynamics in the livelihoods of Malo fishing community. The study has identified different practices of adaption to climate change by Malo fishing community and others in the selected area. Three types of adaption practice measures have been identified. Firstly, the indigenous adaptation practices by Malo fishing community to cope with climate change have been identified. These identified adaptation practices by Malo fishing community include; ensuring drinking water and sanitation facilities, planting trees to tackle impacts of cyclone, excavating dumps to preserve the valuable assets, growing vegetables and rearing domestic livestock to earn surplus money, taking loans for ensuring continuation of present livelihood and migrating to near city or towns for better livelihood options. Secondly, adaptation initiatives undertaken by government have provided limited facility to this vulnerable fishing community and made them benefited. And thirdly, some adaptation initiatives commenced by few non-government and community-based organizations have also made the Malo fishing community as beneficiaries. The study has suggested some academic and research, and policy and implementation recommendations for Malo fishing community for overcoming the challenges and facing the impacts of climate change and to sustain their traditional fishing livelihood. The accumulated recommendations would be very useful for the researchers, academicians, policy-makers of Government, non-government organizations and others to conduct more researches on Malo fishing people and to take some initiatives for them to make them more capable to sustain their fishing livelihood.