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People’s Participation in Alternative Livelihood Activities Towards Sustainable Management of Coastal Environment and Biodiversity in Teknaf Peninsula

H.M.K. Haque
Dept. of Agricultural Extension Education, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

M.H. Rahman
Dept. of Agricultural Extension Education, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

A.B.M.A. Haque

M.Z. Rahman
Dept. of Agricultural Extension Education, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The paper attempts to make a preliminary evaluation of the Coastal and Wetland Biodiversity Management Project (CWBMP) in terms of coastal fishermen’s participation in alternative livelihood activities towards environmental and biodiversity conservation. The study was conducted in Teknaf Peninsula under Cox’s Bazar district where 112 randomly selected coastal fishermen from a population of 455 were interviewed by using a structured personal interview schedule during April 2008. A 4-point rated scale was used to measure the extent of participation of the respondents in eight alternative livelihoods activities which included cultivation of field crops, cultivation of vegetables in homestead, cultivation of vegetables in field, cultivation of fruits in homestead, cultivation of fruits in fields, plantation of timber plants in hilly areas, plantation of other plants in hills and homestead, and other livelihood activities. The result showed that the coastal fishermen had highest participation in cultivation of vegetables in fields followed by fruits in homestead, cultivation of field crops, and other livelihoods activities. The remaining alternative livelihood activities were not significantly practiced by the respondent fishermen. Majority (56.3%) of the fishermen had moderate level participation while 33.9% had low level participation in different livelihoods activities. Among the ten selected characteristics of the respondents, education, farm size, family size, annual income, extension media exposure, and social participation were positively and significantly related to their level of participation in alternative livelihood activities. On the other hand, age, cosmopoliteness, organizational participation, and training exposure did not show any significant relationship with the respondents’ participation in alternative livelihood activities.

Keywords: Coastal fishermen, Biodiversity, Alternative Livelihood Activity, CWBMP, Teknaf

Location: Teknaf upazila under Cox’s Bazar district

Start Date: 00-03-2008

End Date: 00-04-2008

Program Area: Conservation and Biodiversity

Non-commodity: Adoption of technology

Objectives:

1. To determine and describe the participation of coastal fishermen in alternative livelihood activities.

Methodology:

Study locale, population and sample: The study was conducted in Teknaf upazila under Cox’s Bazar district where NACOM (Nature Conservation and Management), a partner NGO of CWBMP, had been involved alternative livelihood activities for the local fishermen since 2006. The NGO organizes local fishermen under a community based organization named Village Conservation Group (VCG). Among the 455 members in Teknaf upazila, 112 (i.e., approximately 25%) were randomly selected as the sample of the study. Instrument for Data Collection: An interview schedule was prepared, where the items were arranged in order of objectives of the research and following the procedures of measurement of different variables. Data were collected from the selected fishermen by face to face interview during March-April, 2008. The Variables and their Measurement: Selected characteristics: Eleven selected characteristics of the fishermen were selected as the independent variables of the study. These characteristics were: age, education, family size, farm size, annual family income, cosmopoliteness, extension media exposure, experience in alternative livelihood activities, organizational participation, social participation and training exposure. The variables were measured by following standard procedures. Participation in alternative livelihood activities: Participation of fishermen in alternative livelihood activities was the focus variable of the study. This was measured on the basis of coastal fishermen’s participation in eight selected alternative livelihood activities. A 4-point rated scale was used for the measurement, where a respondent was asked to indicate his level of participation in eight livelihood activities by choosing one of four possible responses. The possible responses in the scale representing levels of participation were “never”, “rare”, “occasional”, and “regular” while the assigned scores for the responses were 0, 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Thus, the overall participation scores, obtained by summarizing the scores of all eight alternative livelihood activities, could be ranged from 0 to 24, 0 indicating no participation and 24 indicating highest level of participation.

Source of Information: J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 2(1): 131-135, 2009; ISSN 1999-7361

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Although the CWBMP activities in the study area had been in action for less then two years, which is not enough time to assess impact of a development intervention, it could be concluded that the coastal fishermen were positively adopting suitable alternative livelihood activities. This might be considered as a good sign of achieving project objective of sustainable coastal biodiversity management. On the other hand, it was found that the fishermen, if necessary incentives provided, preferred agriculture related livelihoods activities as their alternative occupation. Proper opportunity and support in this area in the forms of input, training and financial support will definitely increase their future involvement in agricultural activities. Appropriate motivational campaign, extension support and involvement in community based organization, along with educational programme, might be instrumental to further success of any resource management and biodiversity programme like CWBMP.

Knowledge Management: Journal