Hazards, food insecurity and human displacement in rural riverine Bangladesh: Implications for policy

Abstract

This paper examines the impacts of climate-induced hazards, especially riverbank erosion, on livelihoods and food security, and the ways in which susceptible households respond. The study uses survey data collected from 380 riverbank erosion-prone rural households in Bangladesh, along with data from focus group discussions involving household heads from severe erosion-prone areas. A Food Security Index (FSI) has been developed to improve understanding of the extent of households' food insecurity where 3 indicates food security and 1 minimal security. Over the past 10 years, about a third of households have lost their homestead more than three times and 57% have lost at least once. The overall FSI value of 2.06 indicates households' difficulties in managing family food requirements throughout the year. Migration co-exists with vulnerable households' food security with households that have no or limited agricultural land, coupled with inadequate employment opportunities, are more inclined to migrate. Households that are struggling to make a living through farming are responding by coping and adaptation. Interventions such as access to institutions and credit facilities, human capital development and a package of technologies through agro-ecological based research for emerging char land (sandbars) are required to build resilience of the riparian households as well as improve their food security and livelihoods.