Climate Adaptive Resilient Livelihood

Options in Coastal Bangladesh

October 31,2017

Presented By: Azman Ahmed Chowdhury

www.practicalaction.org

Rationale for the Study

• Changing climate patterns and disasters is forcing changes in the livelihoodpatterns of the communities in the coastal belt of Bangladesh

• The existing and practiced livelihoods carried on for generations may notbe adaptive with varying climate patterns, which needs to be reoriented.

• Women are the most vulnerable to the challenges enforced by climatechange

• The market linkage and the value chain connecting the communities of theexisting livelihood options have scopes of improvement

• Exploring opportunities of creating platforms to engage public and privatestakeholders

Study Phases and Methodology

Phase MethodsInception and

building knowledge

foundation

- Literature review

- Draft household survey, participatory rapid appraisal

(PRA), focus group discussions (FGD) and key informant

interviews (KII)

Data collection - PRA

- Household survey

- FGD

- KII

Data analysis and

vetting

- Analysis of Landsat satellite images

- Multi-criteria poverty index analysis

- GIS mapping

- Field level market assessment and value chain analysis

- Livelihood options screening and analysis

- Cost and budget estimations

- Stakeholder consultations (including communities, union

parishads, and MoWCA, local market actors)

Consultations-Government Projects

Government Projects 1. Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience

Fund

2. Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund

3. Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience,

4. Community Based Adaptation to Climate

Change through Coastal Afforestation

Consultations- International Development Partners

International Development

Partners

1. DFID

2. World Bank

3. IFC

4. EU

5. USAID

6. JICA

7. UNDP

Consultations- International NGOs

International NGOs 1. CARE Bangladesh

2. World Vision

3. World Fish Centre

4. Action Aid

5. Oxfam

6. Practical Action

Consultations- Local Development Partners and NGOs

Local Development Partners

and NGOs

1. PKSF

2. BRAC

3. Shushilon

4. PROSHIKA

5. Rupantor

6. ASA

Geographical Coverage of the study

Districts Upazila Unions

Khulna

Dacope Bajua, Banishanta, Dacope Sadar, Kaislashganj,

Kamarkhola, Laudub, Pankhali, Sutarkhali,

Tiladanga

Koyra Amadi, Bagali, Dakshin Bedkashi, Koyra Sadar,

Maharajpur, Moheswaripur, Uttar Bedkashi

Paikgacha Chandkhali, Deluti, Goroikhali, Lata, Soladana

Shatkhira

Assasuni Anulia, Assasuni Sadar, Bardal, Budhata,

Kadakathi, Khajra, Kulla, Protapnagar, Sreeula

Shyamnagar Atulia, Burigoalini, Gabura, Kashimari, Koikhali,

Munshigonj, Padma Pukur, Ramjan Nagar

Districts : 2 Upazila: 5 Unions: 39

Severity of Climate Change and its Impact

• Low elevation of the regions along with

increasing water level forces migration

• Increased salinity reduces soil fertility

which hampers agriculture production

and thus threatening food security and

nutrition intake

• Forced migration of the male members

of the households leaves very few

women wage earners, impeding IGA.

• Availability of fresh water for domestic

and agriculture use is very limited due to

increased salinity

• The eco-system around Sundarbans is

also threatened due to intensive

livelihood approaches which are not

adaptive and non-resilient.

Proven Best Practices on Adaptation from Ongoing and

Implemented Projects

Agriculture Adaptation

Practices

- Saline resistant rice

variety

- Sorjan System

cultivation practices

- Raised bed mulching

cultivation,

- Multi-crop production

cycles,

- Hydroponics

Aquaculture Adaptation

Practices

- Aquageoponics

- Crab fattening

- Crab nursery

Other Adaptation

Practices

- Women's economic

empowerment

through a private

sector-led approach

- Community-based

approaches and

livelihood

diversification

- Ensuring access to

finance

Existing and practiced livelihoods

Agriculture 1. Rice Cultivation

2. Maize

3. Sesame Seed Oil

4. Fruit orchard (Tamarind and watermelon)

5. Plant Nursery

6. Vermicompost production

7. Aqua-geoponics

8. Hydroponics

9. Homestead Gardening

Aquaculture 1. Shrimp farming

2. Crab Farming

3. Brackish Water Fish farming

4. Tilapia Farming

5. Crab hatchery

6. Crablet collection from natural sources

7. Crab and fish processing & trading

8. Fishing from rivers and sea

9. Fish feed production

Existing and practiced livelihoods

Livestock 1. Native Chicken rearing in homestead

2. Poultry farms

3. Duck rearing

4. Egg trading

5. Sheep rearing

6. Goat rearing

7. Small dairy farm

Non-farm

Activities

1. Mat Making

2. Handicrafts production

3. Small business

4. Water purification and vending

5. Wage laborer in Brick fields

6. Carpentry

7. Timber Trading

8. Tailoring

9. Domestic Help

Constraints to Promoting a Shift to Climate Change

Resilient Livelihoods

Constraint 1: Limited available information (especially among women) to make climate-risk

informed livelihood decisions

Constraint 2: Limited access and understanding of climate compatible technology and

techniques

Constraint 3: Subdued access to climate-resilient value chains and agricultural markets, and

limited available value-addition activities for alternative, climate change resilient livelihoods

Constraint 4: Inadequate access to additional finance to shift towards climate change resilient

livelihoods (micro-finance, BRDB, banks)

Constraint 5: Narrow understanding among coastal communities of local financial institutions

apart from MFIs

Constraint 6: Limited institutional capacities to plan, foster and facilitate climate resilient

livelihood development

Constraint 7: Weak vertical and horizontal coordination and knowledge management between

government institutions on climate risk management

First Step Filtering best fit livelihood options

Filter 1 Criterion 1. Saline Tolerance

2. Cyclone Risk Tolerance

Livelihood Options after Initial Filtering:

1. Hydroponics

2. Aqua-Geoponics

3. Homestead Gardening

4. Plant Nursery

5. Vermicompost production

6. Sesame Cultivation

7. Crab Farming

8. Crab Nursery

9. Tilapia Farming

10. Sheep Rearing

11. Brackish Water Fish farming

12. T-Amon Rice Cultivation

13. Crab and Fish Feed Production

Second Step Filtering best fit livelihood options

Filter 2 Criterion 1. Profitability and Market Access

2. Gender Responsiveness

3. Community Acceptance

4. Environmental Impacts (Considering

Scalability)

Livelihood Options after Second Filtering:

1. Hydroponics

2. Aqua-geoponics

3. Homestead Gardening

4. Plant Nursery

5. Sesame Cultivation

6. Crab Farming

7. Crab Nursery

8. Crab and Fish Feed Processing

Why are these livelihoods proposed?

1. Resilience and adaptive to changing climate pattern and salinity

2. Availability of existing resources to sustain these livelihoods

3. Existing market readiness and market linkage for the proposed

livelihoods

4. An emerging value chain for sustaining the livelihoods (including rising

interest of the private sector)

5. Willingness of the community to adopt the livelihoods

Proposed Implementation Modalities and Exit Strategies

1. Development and supporting Women Livelihood Groups

2. Value Chain development and market linkage for new products

3. Support government agencies to facilitate climate change resilient livelihood

development processes

4. Encouraging Gender Responsive Decision Making

5. Public Private Initiative Platforms

6. Improved Capacity in Financial Planning both at community, institutional and

individual level

7. Promoting and sustaining climate adaptive technologies for farming and related

livelihood practices.

1. Ecosystem-based adaptation and community-based adaptation overlap and

complement each other

2. Adaptation can be integrated into existing development and conservation

activities.

3. Systemic barriers and challenges exist which limits the progress of an

inclusive enabling environment

4. Methods to overcome systemic barriers are widespread and replicable

5. Education, capacity building and training can strengthen the success of

adaptation

6. Showcasing results and cultivating local leaders can foster continued

behaviour change

7. Including political leaders and government agencies enhances stakeholder

engagement

8. Market-driven solutions demonstrate good potential to increase community

resilience

Key Lessons Learnt

Thank You for Your Time

&

Questions are Welcome