Abstract:
In many area, of Banglade,h, heels Or shallow wetlands are dewatered or drained lo
allow dry season agricu lwre, Structural intervention, inclucling embankments and ,Iuice
gates are often inlroducecl for this purposc, with tile main objertive to increa<;ecrop
productiou with higher econumic return to thc farmel's who are relatively strong in tile
commonily POWCl'structurc. However, this arrangemem aclversely affects fishcries.
ecolYltem and their livelihood support in the short and long terrn,;. S" the water u,e
conflicts helween dry season agriculture and fisheries are almost inevitable. Tile
conf1iets IOl'Cmore complex where the open acCeSSfisheries resources are limited due to
intervention of the aquatic ecosystem. Even wilhin a participatory proce,s of decisionmaking
for such interventions, the needs and priorities of the fishing communities are
often rnal'girmli7ed, mo,lly because of their weak position in (he community. Based on a
socio-technical approach, lhi, lhe,i, provides an understanding of the conflicts betwcen
agriculture and fisheries due to structurat intervenlions in a sclccted water reSOurces
dcvelopment project. Social survey and stakeholder analysis through FODs and
interview, witll dIfferent groups including farmers, fishermen and wOmen revealed the
differenc,'.' in their realities and identified thc conflicts by assessing the ilupact of
project i"tCl'Vcntlons on irrigated agriculture. fi,heries, ecosystem and livelihood
support. An apparent di.,contem prevail, among the less powerrul fishing conlillunlty as
their needs, pnorities and atternate livelihood options Ilavc not bcen propcrly addre,scd
in the projcct formutation proce". Technical analysis rcvealed confltcting watcr
requirements in the dry ~ea,on for irrigcited agriculture, fislleries and aquatic ecosystem,
Thi, ,[utiy also aHempted to identify a fea,ible platform for conflict rc,ol"lion, Two
stakeholcler workshops were arrangcd to understand the potential aren, ancl
opportunities for conflict reduction, AlthougIJ such worbhops or meeting' may be ,ery
useful to tlnd agreeable mitigation meaSureS whcre tllc social power structurc is skewed.
participalion of the local government in this proce% and policy intervcntions are
essentlal to reduce the conl1icts.
