The Role of Collective Action and Identity in the Preservation of Irrigation Access in Dacope, Bangladesh

Abstract

Agriculture is one of the most culturally and economically important livelihood activities

of the Ganges River Delta. In recent years, coastal communities have experienced longer dry seasons

and salinity intrusion, which is exacerbated by registration errors in land tenure that have led

to increasing encroachment by external interests in the Dacope sub-district of Bangladesh. These

challenges threaten to undermine the sustainability of smallholder access to canals that are collectively

managed as common-pool resources (CPR). This paper explores how identity and collective action

may empower farmers to secure irrigation access in the face of external pressures. Drawing primarily

on qualitative data collected through focus group discussions with farmers in Dacope, our findings

reveal that identity serves as a powerful force driving collective action and the sustainability of the

agricultural community. A shared occupational identity fosters a sense of belonging and collective

responsibility among farmers to maintain water flow through construction, annual dredging, and

temporary dry-season protections. However, despite a strong commitment to maintaining their

irrigation system, challenges remain in farmers’ ability to combat the powerful interests of wealthier

members of the community that threaten to undermine the viability of the irrigation commons.

Thus, formal support through policy and legislative avenues is also necessary to safeguard common

property rights against the threat of privatization and illegal occupation of canals. These findings

further underscore the need for more research on how collective identity may strengthen collective

action, livelihoods, and sustainability in the absence of strong institutional arrangements that uphold

community rights and access to common-pool resources.