Development of a sustainable livelihood security model for storm surge hazard in coastal area

Abstract

The resourceful coastal zone is ever dynamic and the set:urity of a coastal dweller's life and livelihood depend on the availability of terrestrial and marine resources in terms of ownership and access. In Bangladesh coastal resources and their dependent livelihoods are at great risk due to recent aggravating of storm surges. Cyclone induced storm surge hazards threat the coastal livelihoods by damaging the inland, marine and forest resource system. In this study, a total of seven marginal livelihood groups have been identified in the coastal areas which not only enjoy the resource oriented opportunities but also face the extreme vulnerability due to storm surges. Farmer, fisher Gele), fry (shrimp) collector, salt farmer, dry fisher, forest resource extractor (bawalis, mouals, golpata collectors etc.) and daily wage laborer are the identified livelihood groups in the study sites. Their livelihood system has been defined as adequate and sustainable access to income and resources to meet their basic needs with function of five capitals (natural, physical, financial, social and hUlIlan)to rewver from the vulnerabilities due to any natural shock to the coastal environment. The aim of the study was to develop a livelihood security model based on an indicator framework. The indicator framework, containing 48 qualitative and quantitative indicators representing coastal livelihood se>:urityagainst storm surge risk, has been formed based on literature review and field obsetVation. In the model, livelihood security has been defined as an arrangement of five household set:urity options such as security offood, income, life and health, house and properties and water. The indicator response to individual se>:urity option bas been evaluated by AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process), a multi-criteria decision making system. Measurements of indicator have been conducted through coastal livelihood system analysis by Focus Stakeholder Meetings and household questionnaire survey with reasonable sampling size. The Livelihood Security Model has been used to predict the security level of the livelihood groups against the vulnerability from storm surges in study area. Diffe.tenl levels of livelihood security have been found for various livelihood groups. For example, highest livelihood security level has been found for salt fanner as 45.13% in Cox's bazaar where the lowest security level has been measured for wage laborer as 11.43% in Satkhira. Variation bas been shown in security level of a livelihood group in alternate i, • study site such as fanner group keeps 41.89"10 livelihood security in Cox's bazaar and 33.99% in Satkhira. The model result has ultimately shown that the levels of security for livelihood groups are higher in Cox's bazaar than that of in Satkhira except for fry collector. A strong correlation betweeu income security and overall livelihood security has been found from the model application in both study sites. The model has been recommended to be used for improving development activitles and sustainable management plan for coastal community in Bangladesh.