fully understand the situation of the whole region and identify lacunas for a proper
management plan in general. The adaptation strategies vary for different natural
hazards as well as with diversified economic activities. The effectiveness of these
strategies also varies from place to place and time to time. Three important aspects
were kept in mind while analyzing the adaptation strategies in SBR: type of hazard,
level of social structure, and emergency response in case of disasters. The present
study recorded the various adaptation strategies opted by sampled households for
extreme weather events (cyclone, flood hazard, salinity intrusion, bank erosion),
changes in economic activity (agriculture, fishing/shrimp cultivation), and emergency response during disasters. The detailed methodological framework is
presented in Fig. 5.2.
Adaptation Strategies for Climate Extreme Events
The household responses to extreme weather events such as cyclones, floods,
salinity intrusions, and river bank erosion were measured using binary-type
(yes/no) responses. For each hazard event several questions were asked to respondents for analyzing the adaptation strategies to these hazardous events. Responses on
no adaptation option, shifted to cyclone center, stayed at home, migrated to other
places, prepared cyclone-protected homes, and make community action team adaptation strategies were examined for cyclones. To measure the responses against
floods at household level, seven types of questions such as stored food, migrated
to safe place, migrated to other village, link with other communities, maintain and
improve the river bank, make community action team, and make home with higher
foundation were examined. The responses on salinity were measured through asking
five questions to the household, including do nothing, rainwater harvesting, conservation of pond water, use of pond sand filter, and digging of ponds. Five questions
including no adaptation opted, sea wall/earthen embankment, soil bunds, waterways,
stone bunds, grass strips, and mangroves replanting were asked to obtain responses
on the adaptations against riverbank erosion in the study area.
Adaptation Measures for Changes in Economic Activities
Changes in two important economic activities, namely, agriculture and fish/shrimp
farming practices, were analyzed among the sampled households. Adaptation in
agricultural activities were addressed through varied responses, such as no adaptation strategy, crop diversification, change in cropping calendar, adaptation of new
farming techniques, and transformation of land for fishery adaptation strategies,
among the sampled households. Fish/shrimp farming is one of the important economic activities after agriculture. Adaption strategies against the changes occurring
in this sector were assessed by the binary-type responses as no responses, increased
embankment height, digging pond inside fish farms, liming, use of medicine, and
placing net around shrimp field as adaptation strategies at the household level.
5 Evaluating Adaptation Strategies to Coastal Multihazards in Sundarban. . .
105
management plan in general. The adaptation strategies vary for different natural
hazards as well as with diversified economic activities. The effectiveness of these
strategies also varies from place to place and time to time. Three important aspects
were kept in mind while analyzing the adaptation strategies in SBR: type of hazard,
level of social structure, and emergency response in case of disasters. The present
study recorded the various adaptation strategies opted by sampled households for
extreme weather events (cyclone, flood hazard, salinity intrusion, bank erosion),
changes in economic activity (agriculture, fishing/shrimp cultivation), and emergency response during disasters. The detailed methodological framework is
presented in Fig. 5.2.
Adaptation Strategies for Climate Extreme Events
The household responses to extreme weather events such as cyclones, floods,
salinity intrusions, and river bank erosion were measured using binary-type
(yes/no) responses. For each hazard event several questions were asked to respondents for analyzing the adaptation strategies to these hazardous events. Responses on
no adaptation option, shifted to cyclone center, stayed at home, migrated to other
places, prepared cyclone-protected homes, and make community action team adaptation strategies were examined for cyclones. To measure the responses against
floods at household level, seven types of questions such as stored food, migrated
to safe place, migrated to other village, link with other communities, maintain and
improve the river bank, make community action team, and make home with higher
foundation were examined. The responses on salinity were measured through asking
five questions to the household, including do nothing, rainwater harvesting, conservation of pond water, use of pond sand filter, and digging of ponds. Five questions
including no adaptation opted, sea wall/earthen embankment, soil bunds, waterways,
stone bunds, grass strips, and mangroves replanting were asked to obtain responses
on the adaptations against riverbank erosion in the study area.
Adaptation Measures for Changes in Economic Activities
Changes in two important economic activities, namely, agriculture and fish/shrimp
farming practices, were analyzed among the sampled households. Adaptation in
agricultural activities were addressed through varied responses, such as no adaptation strategy, crop diversification, change in cropping calendar, adaptation of new
farming techniques, and transformation of land for fishery adaptation strategies,
among the sampled households. Fish/shrimp farming is one of the important economic activities after agriculture. Adaption strategies against the changes occurring
in this sector were assessed by the binary-type responses as no responses, increased
embankment height, digging pond inside fish farms, liming, use of medicine, and
placing net around shrimp field as adaptation strategies at the household level.
5 Evaluating Adaptation Strategies to Coastal Multihazards in Sundarban. . .
105