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Seasonal Drought Thresholds and Internal Migration for Adaptation: Lessons from Northern Bangladesh

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Pathways to a Sustainable Economy

Abstract

It is widely accepted that human mobility caused by environmental change will take place internally within the affected countries rather than across borders. This research examines the link between environmental vulnerability and human migration in various socioeconomic contexts. Previous studies have examined population mobility in response to vulnerability driven by sudden natural hazards like cyclone, flood and earthquake. However, little is known about the dynamics of human mobility in response to slow-onset hazards like drought. This study included comprehensive fieldwork with socioeconomically disadvantaged migrants in northern rural areas of Bangladesh who are exposed to seasonal drought. The study focused on a better understanding of how affected individuals and families make decisions to either stay or to migrate internally in response to seasonal drought and other socioeconomic vulnerabilities. By adopting a case study approach, rural-to-urban migrants and their family members in the northern highland area of the country, known as the Barind Tract, were interviewed. The results suggest that migration decisions are consolidated by a variety of stressors including both environmental and nonenvironmental components. The research found that some interventions implemented by the government and nongovernment organisations are posing long-lasting impacts on the sustainability of rural livelihood with a propensity to increase, not reduce, outward migration. These interventions have been questions and recommendations are made to address this emerging and complex livelihood problem.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The area within each sub-district (except for those in metropolitan areas) is divided into several unions. Each union comprises multiple villages. Direct elections are held for each union to choose local government representatives, as per the nation’s Local Government Act, No. 20, 1997.

  2. 2.

    In sociology and statistics research, purposive sampling is a nonprobability sampling technique where the researcher relies on his or her own judgement when choosing or recruiting participants in the study.

  3. 3.

    In sociology and statistics research, snowball sampling or chain-referral sampling is a nonprobability sampling technique where existing study respondents identify or recruit future respondents from among their contacts.

  4. 4.

    In a qualitative study, the probing technique refers to stimulating an informant to produce more information.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia

    Mohammad Ehsanul Kabir, Peter Davey & Silvia Serrao-Neumann

  2. Griffith Asia Institute and Department of International Business and Asian Studies, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia

    Moazzem Hossain

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  1. Mohammad Ehsanul Kabir
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  2. Peter Davey
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  3. Silvia Serrao-Neumann
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  4. Moazzem Hossain
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Correspondence to Mohammad Ehsanul Kabir .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Griffith Asia Institute and Department of International Business and Asian Studies, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia

    Moazzem Hossain

  2. Griffith Centre for Sustainable Enterprise, Griffith Business School, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia

    Robert Hales

  3. Griffith Centre for Sustainable Enterprise and Department of International Business and Asian Studies, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia

    Tapan Sarker

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Kabir, M.E., Davey, P., Serrao-Neumann, S., Hossain, M. (2018). Seasonal Drought Thresholds and Internal Migration for Adaptation: Lessons from Northern Bangladesh. In: Hossain, M., Hales, R., Sarker, T. (eds) Pathways to a Sustainable Economy . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67702-6_10

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