Transformative adaptations to climate change: Cases from the Jamuna river fishing communities of Bangladesh
2020
Md. Monirul Islam(University of Dhaka, Dhaka (Bangladesh). Department of Fisheries) E-mail:[email protected] | Farah Islam(University of Dhaka, Dhaka (Bangladesh). Department of Fisheries) E-mail:[email protected] | Mosammat Salma Akter(University of Dhaka, Dhaka (Bangladesh). Department of Fisheries) E-mail:[email protected] | Goutam Kumar Kundu(University of Dhaka, Dhaka (Bangladesh). Department of Fisheries) E-mail:[email protected] | Aparna Barman(Sustainability Services Limited, Dhaka (Bangladesh)) | Makidul Islam Khan(University of Dhaka, Dhaka (Bangladesh). Department of Fisheries) E-mail:[email protected]
Study on transformative adaptation to climate change is scarce despite its tremendous importance. This study assesses the transformative adaptation of fishery-based livelihoods of the Jamuna River in Bangladesh (a trans-boundary river called the Brahmaputra in India). Using interviews, focus group discussions and matrices data from two Jamuna River dependent fishing communities (Kalitola Ghat and Debdanga), this study found 80?91 percent fishers in both communities have been exposed to floods, storms and riverbank erosion affecting their livelihood capitals, activities, strategies and outcomes. This study identifies five transformative adaptations: migration, building concrete house, livelihood diversification, changes in fishing gear and techniques and tree plantation. In Kalitola Ghat, 57.3 percent and in Debdanga, 78 percent of fishers have migrated to safer places to minimise the adverse impacts of climatic hazards. To withstand the impacts of storms and floods, in Kalitola Ghat, 5 percent and in Debdanga, 6 percent of fishers have built concrete houses. More fishers of Kalitola Ghat (56 percent) have diversified their livelihoods than Debdanga counterparts (5 percent). Around 78 percent and 100 percent of fishers in Kalitola Ghat and Debdanga have changed their traditional fishing gear and techniques to overcome the impacts of climatic hazards. Traditionally, the fishing communities have coped with or adapted to the impacts of climate change which are not sufficient to maintain their sustainable livelihoods. The findings of this study allow identification of the measures that could help address the impacts of current and future climate change for the fishing communities
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