INTEGRATED PROTECTED AREA CO-MANAGEMENT (IPAC) - BIDS

the problem as very high is more than 57 percent. The problem has been compounded in that it
has already resulted in severe shortage of fresh water in the SIZ area.
It is genially perceived that the Sundarbans mangrove, which is the country’s natural protection
against cyclone and tidal surge, will be threatened due to inundation 109 . The entire ecosystem
with their few hundred species is likely to be affected, as reported by 25 percent of the actors.
Both yield and quality of SRF are expected to decline as reported by 41 and 27 percent of the
SRF actors respectively. They have particularly mentioned about degradation of honey
extraction, in both quantity and quality.
Adaptation/Mitigations/Preparedness Taken/Suggested
As presently the dykes and embankments are in a terrible state of physical condition, these can
hardly provide defense against tidal surges due to the possible climate change and resulting sea
level rise. As suggested by the SRF actors, one of the top priorities would be to strengthen these
dykes, and construct much needed new ones, including cyclone shelters with basic facilities, in
order to reduce vulnerability to population. Homestead raising is generally practiced by higher
layer SRF actors.
Ensuring access to safe water supply would be one of the top priorities mentioned by the
respondent actors. While rainwater harvesting and pond-sand-filter (PSF) techniques are
currently practiced by them, it is important to re-excavate ponds and khals for conservation of
adequate water 110 . This will at the same time help reduce water logging, which is a major issue
in SIZ areas.
With regard to agriculture, specialized crops such as salt-tolerant and soil-less species should be
promoted according to SRF actors. Although planting more trees (especially coconut trees, and
even mangrove plantations) along embankments and roads is already practiced, further efforts
need to be stepped up in this respect. The soil-less cultivation system (i.e. hydroponics system)
is already practiced by some actors as an adaptation against potential sea level rise and climate
change but this has not yet gained much popularity.
As a large majority of population in SIZ areas, particularly women community, heavily depends
on livestock and poultry for their livelihood, it is important to widely cultivate livestock pasture
in newly developed char areas in a bid to improve on food security, instead of leasing them out
as a preparation to climate change and sea level rise in the future.
The actors suggested to undertaking further and massive social forestry program apart from what
have already been implemented. It is important to strengthen afforestation program by planting
salinity-tolerant and local species of trees in future to deal with climate change. The actors also
suggested that massive public awareness campaigns be undertaken including preparedness
training on potential sea-level rise and its impacts.
109 In contrast to what our survey findings revealed, the FGD participants generally did not think that the
Sundarbans will be going under the water due to sea level rise as lots of sedimentation process going on in the SRF
area.
110 Such observation was also made in Islam et al (2005).
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