Bangladesh, a country vulnerable to a wide range of climate-related disasters, such as tropical cyclones, floods, coastal erosion, droughts and landslides, has limited coping capacity or budget to adapt and respond to these disasters at the community level. However, communities in coastal, drought-prone and flood-prone regions are demonstrating the power and effectiveness of locally-led adaptation (LLA) efforts to build resilience to climate-related challenges.

This article highlights several best practice community approaches to regional climate impacts that have been adopted recently in these areas of Bangladesh. These efforts are supported by national level policy planning for climate change adaptation and integrated strategies for national development goals, such as the Bangladesh National Adaptation Plan (NAP) (2023-2050) and the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan (MCPP) – Decade 2023, which both emphasise investment in LLA as a means of achieving transformative adaptation.

Farmers use climate-resilient agricultural practices to adapt to seasonal challenges

In Satkhira, a southwestern coastal area of Bangladesh, drought, flooding, waterlogging, cyclones and salinity intrusion have a devastating impact on the local economy, food security and livelihoods. In particular, salinity intrusion from tidal water and heavy rains makes agricultural cultivation difficult during the monsoon, and during the dry season, water evaporates and the soil becomes very saline. Climate-resilient agricultural practices play a crucial role in addressing these challenges by enhancing the adaptability of local farming systems to the harsh environmental conditions.

Solidarités International, an international organisation, collaborated with the Department of Agricultural Extension under the Ministry of Agriculture to promote flood-tolerant crops and salt-resistant varieties of paddy. Their introduction led to improved crop yields, ensuring food security and increasing incomes for farmers. Additionally, the cultivation of salt-resistant vegetables and the weaving of mats from local resources has been able to provide alternative income-generating opportunities for the community.

Similarly, in the Barind Tract of northwest Bangladesh, which faces severe drought conditions, climate-resilient practices are crucial for sustaining local livelihoods. BARCIK facilitated the cultivation of drought-tolerant cassava, and seven varieties of cassava were collected from Netrokona, each with different characteristics. This cassava is cultivated by farmers in the high Barind region of Kharibona village in Nachol Upazila of Chapainbaganj District, which is especially prone to drought. During a pilot project, farmers harvested cassava from a single native cultivar about 240 days after planting to test it for taste. The cassava produce resembled wild potato when cooked, and in addition to cassava curries, it can be powdered to create a wide range of foods, including bread.

The drought-tolerant cassava crop can be grown [RCC1] [JR2] to enhance food security and used to provide further economic opportunities, through value-added products and local market sales, counteracting water scarcity in this region. It can also act as an organic hedge even when limited land is available because cattle and goats do not eat it. However, adopting cassava as a staple or economic crop involves several considerations, including its growth cycle and harvesting timeline. Cassava typically requires a growing period of 10 to 12 months, with harvesting occurring in December and January each year (Okogbenin E, 2013). This relatively long cultivation period can affect the timeline for achieving substantial impacts on food security and economic benefits.

In both regions, traditional techniques also play a key role in climate resilience. In the Barind region (Rajshahi), where drought impacts food production, water supplies and farmers’ livelihoods, farmers use indigenous methods to protect their fruit trees, crops and vegetable fields from drought. For instance, Indigenous women use the da jhoro, an indigenous method for watering plants that involves pouring water into bottles or earthenware containers with a hole in the base so water can drip onto the base of a plant. The result is juicy, less water-intensive plants. Farmers also add mulch to the soil formed with creeper leaves and straw to keep tree roots juicy and crops healthy during drought.

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Co-operative fund committees build financial resilience

Communities that are self-reliant and able to implement appropriate measures to preserve their lives, livelihoods and infrastructure can better foresee and adapt to the challenges of a changing climate. Transitioning from a debt cycle to self-reliance enables communities to adapt and respond effectively.

In Datinakhali, a village in Samiti, World Vision established a cooperative fund committee called Samabay Samiti. The committee provided loans to its members to help them establish small businesses and alternative income-generating activities. This initiative empowered the community and reduced their reliance on external financial sources for support when agricultural incomes were limited due to climate-related disasters. Community members, like Swapna Parvin, have been able to establish their own businesses. Parvin runs a modest business selling women's beauty, cosmetics and hygiene products. Her earnings from her cosmetic business now enable her to build up her stock of products while also saving BDT 10,000 to 20,000 (US$ 170) every month, so she can now also contribute to her household budget.

Communities develop disaster risk reduction measures

Communities are proactively developing disaster risk reduction (DRR) measures tailored to local needs. In the flood-prone areas of Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Sirajganj and Tangail, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society’s Community-Based Disaster Management (CBDM) programme has empowered communities to take charge of disaster preparedness. By conducting vulnerability and capacity assessments that focus on physical infrastructure, housing, livelihoods and capacity building, these communities have strengthened their resilience to floods and other disasters. For example, one resident, Bhabani, from Madhyarajpur in the Lalmonirhat District, spent BDT 40,000 (US$ 650) on raising earth plinths and constructing a scaffold (locally known as macha, a raised wooden platform) that can protect homes and gardens from future floods.

In the districts of Gopalganj, Madaripur, Barishal, Pirojpur and Jhalokhathi, floating beds are a widespread climate adaptation practice where land is flooded for most of the year. Farmers use them to cultivate seedlings for over 32 crops, including lady's finger, pumpkin, cucumber and spices. Sirajganj residents choose to grow sugarcane and jute during floods to keep up with floodwater levels. Local communities in Gaibanda, Bogra and Sirajganj have discovered a method to build floating platforms on which vegetables and other commodities can be grown using water hyacinth and other aquatic weeds. Farmers use small boats to manage these floating agricultural fields.

CDKN’s current work in Bangladesh focuses on developing climate-induced disaster risk reduction (DRR) action plans for two drought prone cities, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat, which are located in the most northern part of the country. The aim [RCC3] is to create a baseline of potential disaster risks, responding capacities, risk reduction strategies, and their investment plans. These efforts align with broader LLA adaptation goals, leveraging local knowledge and practices to successfully address specific climate challenges.

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Challenges and opportunities for implementing locally-led adaptation in Bangladesh

LLA approaches present both challenges and opportunities that are crucial to address for the effectiveness and longevity of these initiatives in Bangladesh. Challenges include:

• A lack of equal participation, with certain stakeholders excluded. This leads to unsustainable adaptation interventions that fail to benefit all segments of the community.
• Low budget allocation for LLA projects, which delays the implementation and scaling up of initiatives. This is exacerbated by the limited financial autonomy of local government bodies, which restricts their ability to support LLA efforts effectively.
• An urgent need to increase awareness and understanding of LLA policies and principles to ensure their proper implementation.
• A scarcity of skilled personnel to carry out and monitor LLA projects in some areas, making it imperative to continuously evaluate and improve local adaptation efforts in response to evolving climate challenges.
• Political challenges and conflicts that can hinder the progress of LLA projects, making effective coordination and collaboration among stakeholders crucial.
• Language barriers and cultural differences when working with Indigenous and ethnic communities, requiring efforts to bridge these gaps and incorporate traditional knowledge and perspectives into adaptation processes.

Despite these challenges, there are significant opportunities for advancing LLA in Bangladesh:

• Leveraging collaborative efforts among government bodies, local organisations, and communities to support and scale up local practices. For example, the NAP recognises the importance of integrating traditional knowledge and local practices into adaptation strategies.
• In the haor (wetland) regions of northeastern Bangladesh, local communities have long practiced floating agriculture, which was identified during the NAP consultations as a valuable adaptation strategy to address increasing floods. As a result, the NAP supports the expansion of floating agriculture as an LLA practice.
• The Haor Infrastructure and Livelihood Improvement Project (HILIP), implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), collaborates with local government bodies, community groups and non-governmental organisations to carry out various adaptation measures. For example, constructing flood-resistant housing, establishing community-managed fishery resources and promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices, with additional components focused on capacity-building to enhance local governance and disaster preparedness.

The best-practice examples discussed here showcase how communities are successfully translating local climate knowledge and indigenous practices into innovative, actionable, sustainable resilience strategies. They are optimising the use of locally-available resources, promoting social equity, strengthening governance at the local level and building resilience. Their approaches can be utilised and incorporated into policy through knowledge sharing, capacity strengthening, inclusive decision-making and access to finance for future initiatives.