Dynamics of climatic and anthropogenic stressors in risking island-char livelihoods: a case of northwestern Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

Livelihood in developing countries draws grave attention to the climatic and anthropogenic stressors that contribute to risk the livelihood despite diversification, and thus wane people’s adaptive capacity and capabilities to cope with unanticipated shocks. Following stratified purposive sampling techniques, a total of nine focus group sessions were performed at three island-chars of Mahishkhocha union in Lalmonirhat district, from February to May in 2013, and explores current livelihood practices and likely risks. The analysis explores evolving risks sprouted from climatic stressors including riverbank erosion, flooding, cold wave, erratic rainfalls and droughts that contribute to livelihood disturbances and slothful processes of sustainable livelihood renewal. The findings suggest that risks are compounded by anthropogenic stressors classifying into state and non-state engagements across manifold institutional scales and policy arrangements, providing insight for promoting rural livelihoods through different actors, formal and informal institutions. Despite challenges to addressing likely risks at different scales, this research demonstrates how public policies can elevate adverse conditions for the emergence of sustainable livelihood pathways.

KEYWORDS:

• Anthropogenic
• climate
• island-char
• livelihood
• risk

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I would like to thank Donggen Wang, the Editor-in-Chief, for comments and suggestions to develop the manuscript in its final form. I am also grateful to the reviewers for their time and support. My profound gratitude goes to the respondents who shared their experiences and insights about char livelihood options and evolving risks. This self-financed study was an independent effort of the author. Any shortcomings regarding the article are sole responsibility of the author.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 An umbrella term used in the Fifth Assessment Report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as “climate change, climate variability and extreme events, and also highlight subtle shifts in precipitation and localized weather events” (Olsson et al. 2014, 4).

2 Sandbars that emerge as islands within the river channels or as attached lands to the riverbanks in the dynamics of erosion and accretion of mighty rivers, such as Padma, Jamuna, Brahmaputra, Teesta and Dharla are created opportunities to establish human settlements and pursue farm and non-farm activities for the extreme poor and most vulnerable people in Bangladesh (Sarker et al. 2003; Islam 2012). It often seems to riverine dryland.

3 Local moneylenders who offer small personal loans at high rate of interest and receiver pays the loans through either direct cash and agro crops or physical labor.

4 Gathered through group discussions, dialogue and field observations from research sites, February–May 2013.

5 Gathered through group discussions, dialogue and field observations from research sites, February–May 2013.