Vulnerability to Water-Logging and Livelihood Security in South-Western Region of Bangladesh

Abstract

Water logging constitutes the main hazard in the South-West region of Bangladesh. The severity of this hazard turns into a disaster and creates vulnerability due to existence of high population density with poor socio-economic status. Thus, this study examines the present status of the vulnerability situation of the affected households by water logging with the reference of Jessore district, the worst affected area by water logging. Moreover, this study looks into the livelihood security status and tries to sort out its significant determinants. The study uses field survey data and several mathematical and statistical methods to obtain the objective and total sample size are 377 out of 20576 households for measuring vulnerability, the study firstly uses Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for giving weights to each variable. Secondly, it adopts Leon's matrix for calculating vulnerability score for each factors. Thirdly, the overall vulnerability level of the study area is calculated by aggregating the vulnerability scores of each factor. Livelihood security status is measured by using Household Livelihood Security Index. Moreover, the study applies econometric technique (2SLS) for determining the factors that influence the livelihood security of affected people by water logging. The study results reveal that rural people in the study area face the problems of social disruption in terms of school, housing, health, sanitation and market facilities. It is found that 40. 34 percent households are in very high vulnerable condition and on an average; overall livelihood security is lower in the study area. The estimation of econometric model finds that all the security variables (economic, food, education and health) positively influence the economic security in the study area whereas family size and dependency ratio are significantly negatively associated with economic security as expected. Therefore, the study recommends facilitating financial and capital supports and livestock/fisheries based livelihoods may be encouraged. Trial and error based education enhancing programs are also marked as suitable policy of improving livelihood security status.