Umma Habiba

Drought risk reduction through a Socio-economic, Institutional and Physical approach in the northwestern region of Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, drought is seasonal and can destroy crops, causing hardship to poor agricultural labourers and others who cannot find alternative sources of income. Droughts most commonly affect the northwestern region, which generally has less rainfall than the rest of the country. In this context, this study attempts to measure the existing level of drought resilience with indicators related to Socio-economic, Institutional and Physical (SIP) conditions in two of the most drought-prone districts, namely Rajshahi and Chapai-Nawabganj. The results of 14 sub-districts (upazilas) show a variation of 2.41 (lowest resilience) and 3.61 (highest resilience) in a scale of 1–5. Some of the critical areas that need improvement include education and awareness, conflict resolution on water usage, policy enhancement, coordination among different stakeholders and proper land-use pattern. SIP methodology can be used as a rapid planning tool at the district level, and as a micro-level planning and improvement tool at the sub-district level. The tool has potential application for a participatory and process-based approach of engaging local stakeholders in minimizing drought risks in future.

Chapter 10 Health: Impacts of Salinity, Arsenic and Drought in South-western Bangladesh

The southwest coastal region is part of an inactive delta of large Himalayan rivers and is protected from tidal surge by the Sundarbans mangrove forest. This area is the hub of all types of disasters such as cyclones, tidal surges, floods, drought, salinity intrusions, repeated waterlogging, and land subsidence. Cyclonic tidal surges and floods are the more common disasters, and their effects are frequently experienced at the local level. But silent and invisible disasters such as increased salinity, arsenic contamination, and drought affect local livelihoods, people, and environments in this region. The vulnerability of southwest region to increased salinity, arsenic contamination, and drought are the result of a complex interrelationship among biophysical, social, economical, and technological characteristics of the country. Moreover, in the current and foreseeable future, the country is likely to be affected by the biggest, most long-lasting, and global scale but silent disaster: increased salinity, natural arsenic contamination, and drought. Therefore, this region is thought to be the most disaster-prone region in Bangladesh because of natural disasters and highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Chapter 6 Bangladesh Experiences of Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction

According to the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) (2008), Bangladesh is the most vulnerable country to natural hazards and disasters due to its geography, high population density, and poverty. The country is exposed to a variety of recurring natural hazards such as floods, cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, and riverbank erosion (Ministry of Food and Disaster Management (MoFDM), 2007). Furthermore, Harmeling (2010) mentioned that Bangladesh heads the list of countries most at risk for floods. Bangladesh has suffered from 93 large-scale natural disasters in the period from 1991 to 2000 that killed 0.2 million people and caused loss of property valued at about 59 billion dollars in the agriculture and infrastructure sectors (Climate Change Cell, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Bangladesh, 2009). Fig. 1 represents different natural hazard-prone areas of Bangladesh.

Overview of drought risk reduction approaches in bangladesh

Many people as well as the government in Bangladesh perceive floods and cyclones as recurrent environmental hazards in the country. They also view that these two hazards are the main contributors to crop loss in the country. But, in reality, droughts afflict the country at least as frequently as do major floods and cyclones, averaging about once in 2.5 years (Adnan, 1993, p. 1; Erickson, 1993, p. 5; Hossain 1990, p. 33). In some years, droughts not only cause a greater damage to crops than floods or cyclones, but they also generally affect more farmers across a wider area (Paul, 1995). If not institutionally and economically tackled, the consequences tend to have a far-reaching effect on the given society, and the socioeconomic problems would assume a chronic pattern.

Community Perception and Adaptation to Safe Drinking Water Scarcity: Salinity, Arsenic, and Drought Risks in Coastal Bangladesh

One of the most serious resource and health issues in coastal communities of Bangladesh is the scarcity of safe drinking water, triggered by the combined effects of salinity, arsenic, and drought. This article explores community perception of vulnerabilities in daily life, livelihood, and environment, and investigates how communities and institutions cope with or adapt to drinking water scarcity. This study outlines community expectations for support from government and nongovernment organizations to overcome this problem. The findings reveal that nearly all respondents from the drinking water scarcity area perceive that salinity is the primary reason for the lack of safe drinking water compared to arsenic and drought hazards. Despite a number of socioeconomic factors and a geographical location that aggravates the coastal communities’ vulnerability, these communities have established their own adaptation mechanism to cope with this crisis. Government and nongovernment organizations have also supported community efforts to cope with the problem. By emphasizing both community adaptation methods and efforts of institutions, this article illustrates an integrated community-based approach, which would be effective for reducing drinking water scarcity in the southwestern coastal region of the country.

Food Security and Risk Reduction in Bangladesh

Both aquaculture and fi sheries have long been an integral part of life of the people of Bangladesh. The sector, second only to agriculture in the overall economy of Bangladesh, contribute nearly 4.5 % to the gross domestic product (GDP), 23 % of gross agriculture products and 2.46 % to the total export earnings. It accounts for about 60 % of animal protein intake in the diet of the people of Bangladesh with per capita fi sh consumption of 18.94 kg per annum. The people of Bangladesh largely depend on fi sh to meet their protein needs in both the rural and urban areas. In Bangladesh, to date about 20 fi nfi sh and a several crustacean species have been domesticated, their breeding and rearing protocols have been developed and now under nation-wide aquaculture. In addition to 1.32 million full time fi shers, 14.7 million people have been involved in aquaculture in Bangladesh including fi sh farmers and prawn/shrimp farmers. The value chain from pond/farm to plate/fork and beyond the chain includes hundreds of stakeholders, whose livelihood fully depends on aquaculture. The major stakeholders include fi sh farmer, prawn/shrimp farmer, hatchery owner, nurserer, farm/hatchery technicians/workers, input (feed ingredient, fertilizer, hormone, chemical, instrument etc.) importers/suppliers, feed mill owners, homestead feed producer, fi sher, fi sh processor, fi sh transporter, wholesaler, exporter, retailer, consumer, technology provider (government and nongovernment) and many more. Aquaculture has increasingly been playing a major role in total fi sh production (3.26 million tons) of the country and presently more than half of the total production (52.92 %) comes from aquaculture (1.73 million tons). The sector provides living and livelihood for more than 11 % people of the country. If the available resource are used sustainably with proper technological M. A. R. Hossain (*) Department of Fish Biology & Genetics , Bangladesh Agricultural University , Mymensingh , Bangladesh e-mail: marhossain@bau.edu.bd H. Kabir • A. M. O. Faruque Department of Fisheries , Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock , Matshya Bhaban, Ramna , Dhaka 1000 , Bangladesh M. Hossain PMTC (Bangladesh) Ltd. , Dhaka , Bangladesh marhossain@bau.edu.bd

Salinity-Induced Livelihood Stress in Coastal Region of Bangladesh

Abstract Salinity is one of the major problems in the coastal region of Bangladesh that contributes to 20% of the total land area. About 53% of the coastal region is affected by different degrees of salinity. Salinity intrusion in this area is mainly derived through climate change as well as anthropogenic factors that make this region more vulnerable. Hence, salinity intrusion has adverse effects on water, soils, agriculture, fisheries, ecosystem, and livelihoods of this region. To ensure the availability of food as well as drinking water, this chapter highlights how individual and community people have endeavored several adaptation measures to minimize salinity effects. Moreover, it further discloses governmental and other development organizations’ actions toward salinity to reduce its impacts.

Farmers’ adaptive practices for drought risk reduction in the northwest region of Bangladesh

Being an agrarian region, the northwest part of Bangladesh frequently experiences recurrent droughts over the last decade. To cope with this insidious disaster, the farmers in this region practice various adaptation measures through their own efforts with institutional support. But these efforts and support are not sufficient for farmers to survive droughts. In this light, this study assesses the adaptive capacity of farmers along with institutions to develop suitable drought adaptation policy in the context of this region. The drought adaptive practices developed in this study are mainly adopted from the unique approach called socioeconomic, institutional and physical. Results reveal that establishment of mango orchard, vegetable gardening and community health care service would be helpful in enhancing drought resilience at community level. Moreover, an important policy message from this study suggests that validation of these practices through government offices, research institutes and other relevant organizations can help to develop an appropriate drought adaptation policy for this region. Similarly, by performing these practices from national to local level, farmers as well as communities in this region will be able to effectively sustain their livelihoods against droughts.

Livelihood Adaptation in the Drought Prone Areas of Bangladesh

Droughts are very frequent in Bangladesh due to its geo-physical position and varying rainfall pattern. Drought is considered as devastating and causing substantial damage and loss to agriculture and allied sectors. Particularly the northwestern livelihood experiences its noteworthy impact on their daily because of the consequence of drought impacts. More specifically, agriculture, health and social life are badly affected by drought. Despite drought vulnerabilities, a large number of actors have been involved in developing and implementing adaptation strategies to reduce the vulnerabilities. However, to adapt with drought, livelihoods in this region have been developing and using various practices mainly through agronomic management, crop intensification, water resource exploitation, etc. Although, livelihood based adaptation is person centric solution based on both local-knowledge with scientific facilitation and it is dual-way process that builds on the adaptive capacity through a systematic process. Moreover, livelihood adaptations actions may not sufficient enough for reducing drought risk that caused by climatic variability and climate change considerably. It requires greater institutional capacity at all levels of government and more efficient coordination between different levels of government. With this regards, this chapter serves as a basis for understanding drought impacts and to scale up viable adaptation options in the drought-prone areas of Northwest Bangladesh. In conclusion, this chapter emphasizes on the development of successful drought adaptation actions that would be performed through national to local level and helps livelihoods to build resilience against drought in future.

Drought Risk and Reduction Approaches in Bangladesh

The insidious disaster drought is common in Bangladesh. Particularly the Northwestern part is severe drought-prone area in Bangladesh due to high rainfall variability along with high temperature. Agriculture as well as farmer’s livelihood is badly affected due to the effect of drought. Therefore, different levels such as institution, community and individuals are following a number of adaptation actions to cope with drought. However, to deal better with drought, it is imperative to take effective adaptive practices that will help them to minimize its consequences. In this context, an innovative approach named “SIP approach” has been carried out in two severe drought-prone districts in Northwestern region that helps to measure the socio-economic, institutional and physical aspect of drought-affected area. It also shows the comparison among different drought affected Upazila (sub-district) of these two districts, which is more or less resilient against it. Furthermore, this chapter highlights irrigated and non-irrigated farmer’s prioritized drought adaptive practices that derived from the indicators of SIP approach. To carry out these drought adaptive practices successfully, it also discloses various stakeholder’ role and mentions the timeframe for each drought adaptive practice. Based on the findings of SIP approach and drought adaptive practices, the drought risk management policy and action framework has developed. This framework brings together both community and national government in identifying timeframe and responsibilities, thus strengthening the link between the drought adaptive practices to national policy.