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Impact of Livelihood Practices on the Char Dwellers Economic Condition in Riverine Chars: Case Studies in Bangladesh

Mohammad Arifur Rahman
Institute of Water and Flood Management, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh.

Md. Munsur Rahman
Institute of Water and Flood Management, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The present study tries to identify the livelihood practices of the char dwellers. It also focus to assess their economic condition in relation to livelihood practices. The research has been conducted through interdisciplinary approach. Different socio technical tools are used to analyze the problem. Local people’s participation in the research process has ensured by using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools. The total population is 969 among them 478 are male and 481 are female and about 215 households live in the Char Konabari of which about 60 percent people are engaged in handloom activities as labor as their main source of livelihood. Agriculture is the second highest and about 20 percent people are engaged in such practice; about four percent people are engaged in small business (broker, small retailer) and rests others are engaged in day labor activities and others like van driver etc. The total numbers of employed people of Char Konabari is 267. Out of them only 54 people engaged with farming activities and others are involved with non-farming activities. One-fourth of the total employed person earned the two-third of the total yearly income of the village and remaining four-fifth employed person earned only one-third of the total yearly income. On the other hand about 586 households live in Dakshin Boro-char of which about 60% and 30% people are agricultural farmer and fishermen. On-farm activities are dominant in Dakshin Borochar. Most of the farmers have their own land as well as they also cultivate khas (public) land. The rest of the people are engaged in day labor activities, petty business and others (boatsmen). Cultivated land, Domestic animal, grazing land and wet land are the major natural resources of Dakshin Boro-char. The total numbers of employed people of Dakshin Boro-char are 598 and most of them are engaged in agricultural and fisheries activities.The daily per capita income of the Char Konabari and Dakshin Boro-char is about US$0.54 and US$0.87 respectively. Although women are involved in livestock rearing, their contribution did not recognize socially and economically.

Keywords: Livelihood, Resource, Char dwellers, Char Stability, Inter disciplinary.

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Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Income generation

Objectives:

The present study tries to identify the livelihood practices of the char dwellers.

Methodology:

The research has been conducted through interdisciplinary approach. Different socio technical tools are used to analyze the problem. Local people’s participation in the research process has ensured by using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools like Discussion tools (Focus Group Discussion - FGD, Semi Structure Interview), Mapping Tools (Resource mapping, Transect walk), Diagramming tools (Seasonal Calendar). This interdisciplinary approach enables the researcher to gain in-depth understanding of the issues raised through the PRA practices. PRA enables rural people to share, enhance and analyze their knowledge of life and conditions, to plan and to act (Chambers, 2002). For the study several FGD is conducted with agricultural farmer, fishermen and handloam worker of different age group (Group 1: Age 18-30 years, Group 2: Age 31-45 years, Group 3: Age 46-60 years). In addition to this, a formal semi-structure questionnaire is designed in an easy way that is relevant to the resource and livelihoods practices of the char dwellers for questionnaire survey. Simple random technique has been applied as sampling procedure. Simple Random Sampling from a finite population refers to that method of sample selection, which gives each possible sample combination an equal probability of being picked up and each item in the entire population to have an equal chance of being included in the sample (Kothari, 1996). The study also considers the special gender needs in the respective area. Soil texture and soil organic content are prominent factors for soil fertility. In the present research sieve analysis is used for soil classification. The per capita income noted that the total income divided the total population of the specific region. Hence, the per capita income of a char is calculated the following equation: Per capita Income=Total Income from different occupation / Total Population of the specific char. The Study Area The study area is selected on the basis of stability of the char (less stable char, stable char) as well as location of the char (attached char and within the river char). Some additional selection criteria also considered; such as local livelihood pattern and alternative options, household consistency, agricultural concentration, communication and community responsiveness The char Konabari of Rajapur union under Belkuchi Upazila, Sirajganj district and Dakshin Boro-char of Eklashpur union under Uttar Matlab, Chandpur district is selected for the present study. The char Konabari is a less stable char and emerged during 1998 flood. However, the Dakshin Boro-char is a stable char and emerged in the year 1970. The char Konabari is situated on the eastern side of the branch channel of Jamuna River and the Dakshin Boro-char is placed on the confluence of Padma-Meghna.

Source of Information: Journal of the Bangladesh Association of Young Researchers (JBAYR), Volume 1, Number 1, January 2011, Page 15-30 ISSN 1991-0746

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Achievement/Findings:

The Ganges-Padma and the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river systems drain a huge area of land outside the territory of Bangladesh. The river systems in Bangladesh carry 2.4 billion tons of sediments (Khan, 1994), a part of which is deposited in the floodplains each year. As a result, every year several chars are emerged and washed out repeatedly. The entire process of char formation would be completed within twelve to fifteen years. After fifteen years it is turn into stable char. The resources of the less stable attached char like Char Konabari is agricultural dominated but most of the char dwellers are engaged in off farm activities. The bulk amount of yearly income comes from on farming activities rather than off farming activities. However off farming activities is also popular in an attached char dwellers due to easy communication but their contribution is not remarkable in respect to on farming activities. The total yearly income of the Char Konabari is about Tk. 136 lac; where majority portion comes from on-farming activities and rest of the portion comes from off farming activities. The daily per capita income is about US$ 0.54 (1US$=72Tk.). In the stable char like Dakshin Boro-char the majority of the yearly income comes from natural resource based occupations such as agriculture, poultry and fishing. The total yearly income of the Dakshin Boro-char is about Tk. 619 lac and the per capita income is about US$ 0.87. The present study concluded that the char dwellers’ economic status stands below the poverty line compared to the present poverty data.

Knowledge Management: Journal