Coastal Livelihood Adaptation in Changing Climate: Bangladesh Experience of NAPA Priority Project Implementation

Abstract

Climate changes are increasing vulnerability of natural resource dependent livelihood practices of large population in Bangladesh. Extreme events such as cyclones, tidal surges, flood, river erosion and salinity stress have been severely affecting agriculture, fishing or fish cultivation and livestock rearing. Communities remain extremely vulnerable to disasters that impeded the key livelihoods in the coastal areas than any other place. The traditional agriculture cropping is decreasing in coastal areas due to variation of fresh water and salinity level and increasing abrupt weather events, tidal inundation and water logging. Large coastal population lacks of climatic information, improved crop varieties and diversified livelihoods to continue adaptation practices. In particular the marginalized and landless coastal people who have limited access to natural, social and institutional services of local govt. institutions are losing adaptive capacity in the long-run. The paper presents livelihood adaptation practices of coastal communities in Bangladesh. Particular emphasis is given on an innovative livelihood model-Forest, Fish and Fruit (Triple F) which shows integrated community based livelihood practices for short-, mid- and long-term adaptation. Drawing the discussion the paper highlights for improving the livelihood practices in a way that incorporates climatic risks in collective resource management and income generation enhance adaptive capacity of coastal community. Strengthening local institutional capacity to enabling collaboration between govt. departments and community effectively bring diversity of knowledge in climatic risk reduction measures, cost-effective implementation of the new adaptation technology and ensure social equity and empowerment in the access to livelihood resources. Collective livelihood practices can create pro-active attitudes, cross-learning opportunity and participatory decision-making which are important for claiming relevant govt. services, disseminating best experiences and facilitating adaptation practices across the community. Despite the fact, current adaptations will not supersede dynamic vulnerability of livelihoods in coastal areas to large extent due to multi-fetched threats and lack of sustainability in resource generation. The potential strength and weakness of adaptation innovations must be analyzed within immediate timeframe to address the short- to mid-term benefits for long-term policy making. More collaboration of local institutions and diverse stakeholders through enhancing the financial and technical capacity, and as a whole, inclusive governance are important for sustaining the livelihood resource benefits.