“Participatory Research and Ownership with Technology, Information and Change (PROTIC)” Joint collaboration of Monash university, Polli Sree, Shushilan, DU, BSMRAU, HMDSTU and KU [Position: Research Assistant]

PREFACE

Environmental Science Discipline of Khulna University is involved with Oxfam-Monash Action Research Project Participatory Research and Ownership with Technology, Information and Change (PROTIC) through an agreement signed on October 2015. This was a sequel of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on September 12, 2016 between Khulna University and Oxfam GB at Khulna, Bangladesh.

The economic, societal and environmental empowerment and emancipation of a society is linked with access to information. It allows society to take decision on informed choices and strengthens the societal ability to demand rights. The consequence is a changed society equipped with technology to face the challenges of livelihood in the twenty first century. However, gap exits in practicing knowledge that is intended to emancipate the society. The societal demand and the intention of expertise often does not match.

To narrow down the gap between demand and assumptions, and to achieve target of emancipation and empowerment of grass-root society, The Khulna University Chapter of the project executed a base line of the sociocultural, economic and natural resource attributes of the intended society in the study area such as in Bara Kupat and Henchi villages of Atulia Union in Shyamnagar, Satkhira.

This report initiates with a background of the researched area and the methods followed in executing the objectives. The report indexed the biophysical and socioeconomic vulnerabilities of the study area and accommodates the attributes of demography, occupation, land-use and cropping pattern, health, sanitation, food, nutrition and culture of the society. To recharge the efforts the report endeavors to address the tools to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) particularly in combatting climate change consequences, protecting marine and terrestrial ecosystems.  

We are grateful to many organizations for their support in the field. Mentioned must be made of Ganochetona Foundation, Shishilan and Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN). The households inhabiting the Bara Kupat and Henchi villages of Atulia Union in Shyamnagar, Satkhira deserves special appreciation for their unhindered support during our field work. Our special gratitude and vast indebtedness goes them. Oxfam GB was always kind to us and their help and encouragement was uncountable. The financial support for The Khulna University Chapter was provided by Oxfam GB through the project PROTIC.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

01. Access to information is essential for a knowledge-based society to cope with livelihood challenges where vulnerabilities due to environmental changes are perceived. The Oxfam-Monash Action Research Project Participatory Research and Ownership with Technology, Information and Change (PROTIC) is intended to equip the society- particularly the women- with tools of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) so that the society could be empowered to face the challenges of livelihood sustainability in the twenty first century. Environmental Science Discipline of Khulna University is engaged with generating current, comprehensive and trustworthy interactive and localized data on local hazards, disaster vulnerability and natural resources. These attributes are dealt with reference to demography, occupation, land-use and cropping pattern, health and sanitation, food and nutrition and 2culture of the society along with biophysical and socio-economic vulnerabilities of two AILA affected coastal villages such as Bara Kupat and Henchi of Atulia Union in Shyamnagar, Satkhira. This is a multidimensional task spreading through a holistic research scenario. This report provides baseline information on local hazards, disaster vulnerabilities and state of natural resources in the coastal villages Bara Kupat and Henchi of Atulia Union in Shymnagar, Satkhira. The specific data extraction involve information on demographic attributes, soil and water chemistry, land use and occupational pattern, crop and cropping pattern, food and nutrition, health and sanitation, cultural attributes and environmental and socio-economic vulnerabilities.  These attributes were analyzed and interpreted to understand their functional relationship and application in empowering the knowledge-base of the community with ICT tools.

02. The villages Bara Kupat and Henchi  - preselected as they agree with PROTIC objectives - are peripheral to the Sundarbans and situated on the bank of Khalpetua river in Atulia Union of Shyamnagar, Satkhira in the southwestern coastal Bangladesh around latutide 22^o18´ N to 22^o22´ N and longitude 89^o08´ E to 89^o14´E. The study area is included in Polder 15. The Henchi is separated from Bara Kupat by a small distributary of Khalpotua named Arpangashia-Henchi Khal - Bara Kupat being nearer to the Khalpetua. Both the villages were devastated by SIDR during November 15, 2007 and AILA during May 25, 2009.

03.  A total of 948 households (HH) were recorded in Bara Kupat and 158 in Henchi where the people are involved in 29 different primary and secondary occupations. Depending on the primary occupations the whole population was grouped into 6 categories for both the villages. Statistically significant correlation occurs between cultivable land area and total income of households, both of which are related to occupation and thus the samples (households) were stratified into 6 occupational categories. The biophysical vulnerabilities are estimated in terms of biodiversity index, and water and soil chemistry. The household socioeconomic vulnerability was indexed following Mustafa et al. (2008) and the community level vulnerability was indexed following Ferrier and Haque (2003).  The attributes regarding demography, occupation, land-use and cropping pattern, health and sanitation, food and nutrition and culture of the society were collected through questionnaire survey, Focus Group Discussion and Expert Consultation.

04. Henchi shows low floral abundance compared with that of Barokupot. The number of plant species recorded in Bara Kupat is 49 while that in Henchi is 20. The Shannon diversity index for Bara Kupat is 3.96 and that for Henchi is 3.35 that suggests that species diversity at Bara Kupat is relatively higher than that at Henchi village; however the diversity is moderate in both of villages. The wet-land faunal species is dominating the villages. The dissolved cations in water of the villages contains more alkali metals than alkaline earths and are more in strong acidic anions than weak acidic anions. Such waters have limited utility and generally creates salinity problems both in irrigation and drinking uses. Soil of Bara Kupat and Henchi are high in EC (Electrical Conductivity) and the pH varies from 5.25 to 7.94.

05.    The household vulnerability of Bara Kupat lies within Vulnerability Index 65 and 85 while the score for Henchi is between 55 and 75. The households engaged in crop agriculture and having a stable occupation are less exposed to vulnerabilities. The vulnerability score increases as the household engagement increases with unstable and aqua-based occupations. However, the agri-based community appears to experience most vulnerability at the community level. At community level the Bara Kupat lies in a very high risk zone while the Henchi lies high risk zone.

06.    The household size varies between 3 and 10 in Bara Kupat and between 3 and 8 in Henchi. The male female ratio is 1:1 in Bara Kupat; however the male number is a bit higher in Henchi (52%). Adult consists of the larger share of the total population size (~ 58% and 55% respectively in Bara Kupat and Henchi) where the population between the age group 27 and 35 years are quite significant in number (~ 37% and 40% respectively in Bara Kupat and Henchi).

07. An increasing trend of engagement in aqua-based activities (34.9%) such as shrimp farming, PL (post-larvae) collection and crab farming is noticeable in Bara Kupat. While households in Henchi prefers different agri-based occupation, livestock rearing and also white fish farming. Also an accountable number is engaged as day-laborer (34%) in Henchi. Field observations suggests that environmental stressed conditions are the driver compelling most Bara Kupat households to shift from agro-based to non-agro based activities. However the households in Henchi are still exercising agro-based patterns of livelihood and also involved in alternative occupations as well. Although Bara Kupat households have higher total income compared to that of Henchi but the Bara Kupat is dependent on vulnerable farming pattern.  Almost 95 to 100% engagement of women in occupations such as horticulture, PL collection, handicraft, and tailoring is quite noteworthy.

08. The ownership of the relative size of land per households in Bara Kupat shows a sharp decline as compared to that of Henchi. The reduction in homestead and agricultural land size is most obvious. However there is a gain in wetland and shrimp gheers in Bara Kupat. This suggests that the Bara Kupat households lost much of their homestead agricultural lands to wetlands and shrimp gheers.  In Henchi no such changes in land ownership pattern is noticeable. However both Bara Kupat and Henchi is dominated by pond and wetland based farming. The Bara Kupat households are depending mostly on bagda (shrimp) culture which covers around 54% of household’s total land while Henchi households mainly follow both the white fish culture and shrimp culture covering around 21% and 32% of land area respectively. Changing pattern of income, land loss, salinity intrusion and high profit from shrimp gheers as the major perceived contributors to land use changes in Bara Kupat. But the Henchi households perceives that salinity intrusion and changes in pattern of income are mostly contributing to changes in land-use pattern.

09. The trend of farming variety of crops by the households throughout the year indicates the cropping intensity. Although the stressed environmental condition restricted the cropping intensity of paddy and vegetables in Bara Kupat (~ 1-2 times in 12% of land) but shrimp culture (48.1% of land) and crab farming (15.3% of land) is promising where such activities are practiced over 3 times in a year. However cropping intensity is quite different in Henchi as households do not practice much crop in land area but the existing pattern had good intensity in case of vegetables, white fish, shrimp and crab farming. Multiplicity is more in Henchi compared to that of Bara Kupat. The existence of salinity prone ambient conditions is the major driver for shrimp and crab farming in both the villages. The reduced intensity of other agri- and  horti-culture is also driven by existence of saline conditions. Probably low salinity conditions in Henchi compared with that of Bara Kupat is responsible for more intensity in the former. The crop variety and intensity of cropping is less in Bara Kupat compared to that of Henchi. However there might be several factors that are driving the households to adapt cropping of different varieties.

10. This study focuses food security in terms of amount of grains produced and/or acquired and owned by households through agricultural activities or by other means. The villages, Bara Kupat and Henchi exercising conversion of paddy fields to aquaculture activities. Alternate rice-prawn farming and shrimp-rice farming is also practiced. Majority of the Bara Kupat households acquire/purchase food like rice, vegetables, fish, meat, salt, audible oil etc. from outside sources other than their owned land. Same patterns are followed by Henchi as well. Since stressed environmental condition hindrance resource potentiality of their land and thus are not capable of supplying the above mentioned food resources. In long run such processes do not conform rather conflict to the natural processes and are not sustainable and thus limit food security.

11. Poor sanitation practices have dire health impacts. The unawareness and negligence in hygienic practices in everyday life was observed to be the major cause for sufferings from diseases in Bara Kupat and Henchi. The children were observed to suffer frequently from gastrointestinal and respiratory illness. Generally ash, mud and soap are used as washing material, however education, income and awareness play significant role in the choice of washing materials. Latrine facilities observed were kuccha, pucca, ring-slab and open space. Users of sanitary latrine was low in both Bara Kupat and Henchi. Homestead structure of most of the households were very poor, usually mud floor and wall and shaded by golpata or shon. This condition made them more susceptible to soil microbial contamination, flues and water-borne diseases. Access to quality potable water is a determinant of good hygiene and majority of households in Bara Kupat and Henchi utilize Pond-Sand Filter (PSF). Also ponds and tube-wells were used as potable water sources. Women folk of the households are generally involved in collecting potable water by travelling a distance.

12. Human being acquires cultural constitution through communication and many types of influences. One of such influences is the environment, which affects the cultural pattern- such as the settlement style, food, the etiquette etc. The Bara Kupat and Henchi community represents an agrarian society and the cultural elements are related to agro-economics attributes of the society. Major religious occasions are related to religious belief. Legally the marriage age in Bangladesh is minimum 21 years for male and 18 years for female. However records from Bara Kupat and Henchi shows that most of the females got married before the age of 18 years. Traditionally and culturally rice is the staple food item in both of the villages. Vegetables such as potato, tomato, brinjal, pumpkin, gourd etc. also are grown here. But the seasonality and availability of food is controlled by the salinity of soil, water chemistry and climate. Also food menu depends on income, education, food availability and food constraints. Trees such as Shishu, Mehgoni, Tulshi are utilized in Bara Kupat and Henchi mostly for cultural, medicinal, commercial, construction and few others for fuel.  The major events observed in these villages are mostly religious, few traditional and other indoor and outdoor games. No variations in dress materials between Bara Kupat and Henchi were observed.

13. This report collates the baseline information on local hazards, disaster vulnerabilities and state of natural resources in the coastal villages Bara Kupat and Henchi of Atulia Union in Shymnagar, Satkhira. It records information on demographic attributes, soil and water chemistry, land use and occupational pattern, crop and cropping pattern, food and nutrition, health and sanitation, cultural attributes and environmental and socio-economic vulnerabilities with consideration of women involvement at the center. These attributes were analyzed and interpreted to understand their functional relationship and application in empowering the knowledge-base of the community particularly the women with ICT tools. This study shows that the Bara Kupat and Henchi community represents a very congruity of a traditional coastal society living in conditions facing many coastal jeopardies.  Detailed study is needed to decipher the options of livelihood support and the conflicts that governs the sustenance of support under such stressed environmental conditions.   

• Research Project