Climate Change and Current Adaptation Strategies in the Haor Areas

Abstract

The haor fishers in Bangladesh may face significant negative effects due to the significant changes in the country's climate; yet, there have been very few research specifically focused on this professional group. Through focus groups and interviews, an effort was made to understand the impact and adaption strategies of the users of the harbor resource. A total of 120 respondents were chosen at random from the Dekhar haor of the Sunamganj District. Climate change vulnerabilities included variations in rainfall and temperature, frequent natural disasters, and the emergence of debilitating diseases. Initially, fishermen were found to be able to support themselves through earnings from illicit fishing, government assistance, and quick loans from non-governmental organizations in the event of disaster. The resource consumers have also changed how they work, lost their jobs, and become more reliant on their family members. Fishermen's perspectives yielded several recommendations for effectively addressing the vulnerabilities caused by environmental changes.