INTEGRATED PROTECTED AREA CO-MANAGEMENT (IPAC) - BIDS

studies largely generated national or district level data, again, largely related to aggregate
demographic and population issues allow no conclusions about the subset of population directly
dependent on the SRF.
Other surveys have explored the income and poverty levels in the buffer areas of the
Sundarbans, including a number of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) surveys. From these
surveys one can obtain a general estimate of the levels of poverty immediately adjacent to the
Sundarbans forests. But these were conducted with small samples within much larger national
surveys, aiming at providing reliable estimates of household dynamics aggregated to the national
level. Sample size and estimation from the BBS poverty surveys, for example, are not
conducive to drawing conclusions about the Districts immediately surrounding the Sundarbans,
and certainly not to drawing conclusions about the subset of persons using from the Sundarbans
directly.
While a number of available project documents include descriptive information about specific
products extracted from the Sundarbans (studies on NTFP’s, fisheries resources, honey and
tourism), none of those reports attempt to describe in detail the chain of value addition and
processing that occurs as these items are extracted from the SRF. Nor do any of these studies
examined or described the nature of relationships between different actors in the Sundarbans
value chains.
Haque, Shammin and Islam (2002) analyzed the dependence of the different users on the
ecology of Sundarbans and its impact of degradation on the stakeholders through using a cost
function approach. The study found a positive relationship between quality of mangroves and
cost of production. That is, higher the quality of mangroves higher the cost of extraction; this
was observed for fish, timber, honey and grass.
The Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project (SBCP) proposal (revised draft) prepared by
the Forest Department in 2003, identified a full range of user group stakeholder categories. The
document observed that although the resource users undertook over-extraction the poor users are
most exploited by the moneylenders, only to expedite the process of pauperization.
While a number of other project documents offered descriptive information about specific
products extracted from the Sundarbans, few of those reports addressed the chain of value. A
fisheries study being conducted by the World Fish Center and the Department of Fisheries is
expected to focus on an assessment of the condition and trends of fisheries resources including
changes in fish populations and habitats in the Sundarbans area.
The SBCP had the strategy to include infrastructure and associated livelihood investments in the
upazilas surrounding the Sundarbans. It is now argued that the livelihood interventions may
have a minimal impact on reducing forest loss. The strategy of forming forest user groups from
the SIZ was to provide those user groups with some alternative income opportunities.
The management of the Sundarbans has evolved over the years. The Forest Department
maintains statutory authority over the entire SRF including the water bodies within it.
Recognizing, however, the complexity of managing fisheries resources, the Forest Department
has held several consultations with the experts from the Fisheries Department as well as the
World Fish Center to provide advice on aspects relating to fisheries resources management.
Project resources have not proved adequate to meet the needs of all communities and individuals
now benefiting from the Protected Areas. The design of economic interventions therefore must
carefully target a clearly identified subset of stakeholders who can probably become active
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