Indigenous and ecosystem-based solutions in SEPLS management during overlapping crises in the Sundarbans, Bangladesh

Overview

The multiple-evidence-based participatory research aims to capture indigenous and ecosystem-based solutions in SEPLS management during the overlapping crises of COVID-19, climate change and increased cost of living. It takes the form of a collaboration between practitioners from two cooperatives - Koyra Bonojibi Bohumukhi Unnayan Samity and Munda Adivasi Bonojibi Bohumukhi Unnayan Samity - in the Sundarbans SEPLS. Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) have taken various actions to adapt to and mitigate these challenges. The key objective is to examine whether these actions have led to: i) increased regenerative capacity of the Sundarbans and well-being of its ecosystems, and ii) increased income and standard of living, low-impact lifestyles, and sustainable production and consumption by IPLCs, contributing towards positive health outcomes. The research will determine, at the outcome level, whether the SEPLS remains healthy, providing numerous services to the IPLCs, and whether IPLCs are able to find natural solutions to problems faced. In doing so, the project plans to organize group consultation with the traditional resource users, conduct participatory vulnerability resource assessments, specify sustainability indicators, assess the cultivation method based on the indicators, undertake a cost-benefit analysis, verify and finalize the findings, design a pilot project and disseminate the findings at policy level.