Study on livelihood systems assessment, vulnerable groups profiling and livelihood adaptation to climate hazard and long-term climate change in drought-prone areas of Northwestern Bangladesh

Final report

by Atiq Kainan Ahmed
and Ehsan Hafiz Chowdhury

with technical guidance from
Stephan Baas
Rural Institutions and Participation Sevice
FAO Rural Development Division

This is a joint publication of FAO and the Bangladeshi Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) for the “Improved adaptive capacity to climate change for sustainable livelihood in the agriculture sector comprehensive disaster management programme”.

The CEGIS study is composed of a livelihood systems assessment, vulnerable groups profiling and analysis of livelihood adaptation practices and technologies to climate hazard and long-term climate change in drought prone areas of Northwestern Bangladesh.

The study was carried out in four selected upazilas of two districts – Nawabganj and Naogaon – of northern Bangladesh.

The study posed three basic questions: 1) Where does a society stand with respect to vulnerability to climate risks?; 2) What factors determine its current vulnerability?; and 3) How successful are its efforts to adapt to current and possible future climate risks?

The specific objectives and activities of the CEGIS study were to:

Assess local perceptions of climate hazard, past and present climate risk/ impact.
Study livelihood systems and establish livelihood profiles of the major vulnerable groups considering household categories (Landless, marginal, small, medium, large) their subgroups (if any) in 12 villages, a non-vulnerable group should also be profiled.
Examine current and past (30 years) adaptive responses and coping strategies of the vulnerable groups to risks in particular climate risk.
Review the mandates, roles and capacities of communities and local institutions/ organizations (including local government agencies and self-help groups) in disaster prevention preparedness, as well as the service they offer and resources they can plan with.
Describe the physio-geographic environment and framework conditions of the study areas.

Click here to view the document.

Please note that the pdf version is divided into multiple files and has internal bookmarks.

For related information, please see:

The role of local level institutions in reducing vulnerability to natural disasters and in sustainable livelihood development. Disaster Risk Management: A dimension of Sustainable Development