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Socio-economic Status of Fishers of the Old Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh Sadar Upazila, Bangladesh

Imam Sayeda Saberin
Department of Fisheries Technology, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Md. Shaheed Reza
Department of Fisheries Technology, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Md. Abul Mansur
Department of Fisheries Technology, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Md. Kamal
Department of Fisheries Technology, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A survey was conducted to assess the socio-economic status of the fishers of the old Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh Sadar Upazila from April 2011 to March 2012. Data were collected from randomly selected 30 traditional fishermen of Kagdahor, Shambhuganj, Kawatkhali, BAU Campus, Shesmor, Sutiakhali, Char Kalibari, Char Ishwardia and Char Nilakshmia using a well-structured questionnaire. The research revealed that besides fishing, the fishers occasionally undertook a variety of non-fishery-related activities. The average annual income ranged from 25,000-84,000 BDT which significantly depends on fishing effort, season of the year and market price of fish. The majority of them belonged to age range 15-30 years (59.25%). Almost 63% of the fishermen were illiterate and cannot write their names, while only 14.81% had received education up to primary level. It was also revealed that family size of 60% of the fishermen were medium consisting of 5-7 members while only 10% had small family size of 2-4 members. Despite their low income and large family sizes, 80% of the fishermen were living in semi-constructed houses. Sometimes for coping with the adverse situations many of them took loans from different national and local NGOs like BRAC, ASSA. A declining trend of fish resources in the river and lack of working capital were identified as the major constrains for the fishers of the Old Brahmaputra River.

Keywords: Fishermen, Socio-economic status, Income, Constrains

Location: Mymensingh Sadar Upazila and covered areas including Kagdahor, Shambhuganj, Kawatkhali, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) Campus, Shesmor, Sutiakhali, Char Kalibari, Char Ishwardia, Char Vanga and Char Nilakshmia, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-04-2011

End Date: 00-03-2012

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Non-commodity: Social status

Objectives:

To find out the detailed information regarding the livelihood status of fishermen in areas near the Old Brahmaputra River in Sadar Upazila of Mymensingh.

Methodology:

The study was conducted in Mymensingh Sadar Upazila and covered areas including Kagdahor, Shambhuganj, Kawatkhali, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) Campus, Shesmor, Sutiakhali, Char Kalibari, Char Ishwardia, Char Vanga and Char Nilakshmia between April, 2011 to March, 2012. The data were collected from randomly selected fishermen where three fishermen from each locality were interviewed through well-structured questionnaire. Simple percentages and correlation matrix were calculated to identify relations among different variables using Excel (Microsoft Excel 2007, Microsoft, Redmond, WA). Fishing was found to be the major and in some cases, the only source of income of the fishermen of the Old Brahmaputra River. Some of the fisher folk occasionally undertook a variety of non-fishery related activities and data are shown. Fishery related activities carried out in the village included fish marketing and trading, gear and craft maintenance and repair. There were very limited options for non-fishery related activities such as wage labor in the other sectors like agriculture, livestock and poultry rising. Although the marginal fishermen were also found to harvest fish individually using gears like cast nets, push nets, pull nets etc. group fishing was found to be predominant in the study area. The results of age and family structure of the fishers of the study area are shown in Table 2. It was found that majority of the fishermen belonged to the age group 20-30 (~60%) which is in contrast to results obtained for the Old Brahmaputra by Kabir et al. (2012) and for other studies reported for south west region of Bangladesh by Das et al. (2015). This has probably occurred due to inclusion of additional areas adjacent to the Old Brahmaputra River of Mymensingh Sadar Upazila. Interestingly their family structure was found to be mainly large consisting of 5-7 members (60%). Similar results were also reported by Kabir et al. (2012). It is evident that the size of a family be it in fishing, farming or any other sector, depends on the type of family prevailing in that community. Household family pressure, low income, illiteracy, low economic status and lack of alternative employment opportunities are the main problems for riverine fisheries development. These socio-economic factors are, in general, affecting riverine resources throughout the country (Nesar et al., 2013). Fishermen are also facing problems on child education, nutrition, cooking fuel, animal feed and house building materials. Almost all fishermen mentioned lack of capital and the declining trend in natural fish population as their main problems. The fishermen of Bangladesh are socially disadvantaged and lacking in fulfilling their basic needs (DFID 1998). According to Rahman (1994b), fishermen were below the poverty line and were struggling to survive, with health, nutrition, sanitation, water supply, soil fertility, cooking fuel, animal feed and house building materials as their day-to-day problems. They have no access to the national electronic media because, surprisingly enough, no radio or television set was in possession by any of the fisherman in the entire village. Nesar et al. (2013) proposed adoption of the socio-ecological system with active community participation of resource management and collaboration amongst key stakeholders to produce positive livelihood outcomes for the fishers of the Old Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh region. This approach can be adopted in this region for the betterment of the livelihood status of the fishers.

Source of Information: Res. Agric. Livest. Fish. Vol. 4, No. 3, December 2017: 229-235; ISSN : P-2409-0603, E-2409-9325

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Socio-economic condition of the fishers of the Old Brahmaputra River has been assessed. Government and different NGOs should take initiative for alternating income generating activities for fishermen during ban and lean fishing period. An awareness/training program should be extended to fishers to create an awareness of the factors affecting the fisheries resources and the rationale for the restrictions on a particular fishing gear in a particular season. A community participation in the management of the resource base and collaboration amongst key stakeholders can also improve livelihood status of the fishers of the Old Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh region.

Knowledge Management: Journal