Influence of Climate‑Adaptive Technologies on the Life and Livelihood of Fisherfolk Communities in and around the Southern Coast of Bangladesh

Prevention and Treatment of Natural Disasters

Article

Influence of Climate‑Adaptive Technologies on the Life and Livelihood of Fisherfolk Communities in and around the Southern Coast of Bangladesh

Downloads

https://doi.org/10.54963/ptnd.v4i2.1415
Barua, P., & Nargis, N. (2025). Influence of Climate‑Adaptive Technologies on the Life and Livelihood of Fisherfolk Communities in and around the Southern Coast of Bangladesh. Prevention and Treatment of Natural Disasters, 4(2), 47–67. https://doi.org/10.54963/ptnd.v4i2.1415
Volume 4 Issue 2: December 2025
Copyright (c) 2025 Prabal Barua, Nahida Nargis
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright

The authors shall retain the copyright of their work but allow the Publisher to publish, copy, distribute, and convey the work.

License

Prevention and Treatment of Natural Disasters (PTND)  publishes accepted manuscripts under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Authors who submit their papers for publication by Prevention and Treatment of Natural Disasters (PTND) agree to have the CC BY 4.0 license applied to their work, and that anyone is allowed to reuse the article or part of it free of charge for any purpose, including commercial use. As long as the author and original source is properly cited, anyone may copy, redistribute, reuse and transform the content.

Authors

  • Prabal Barua

    Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh
  • Nahida Nargis

    Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, China

Received: 16 July 2025; Revised: 5 November 2025; Accepted: 11 November 2025; Published: 28 November 2025

In recent decades, global society has grown increasingly concerned about climate change because of its profound impacts on humanity, particularly on fishing communities that depend on the hazardous seas for their livelihoods. This research analyzes the technologies used by fishermen and examines their role in promoting sustainability. Specifically, the study investigates how climate-resilient technologies help fishermen mitigate risks encountered during maritime activities. A total of 385 fishermen were selected from the fisheries ghat area of Cox’s Bazar using purposive sampling. Data were collected in March and April 2025 through a semi-structured questionnaire administered via mobile devices using the Kobo Toolbox Open Data Kit (ODK) platform. The findings reveal that although a considerable number of fishers use climate-resilient technologies, their adoption is limited by illiteracy, inadequate access to technology, and difficulties in applying such technologies to fishing activities. Nevertheless, the results also demonstrate that modern technologies positively transform fishermen's livelihoods and help them avoid climate-induced threats at sea. This study provides valuable insights for governments and policymakers on integrating technology in fishing practices and the challenges faced by fishermen. It thereby contributes to the development of effective policies to improve the livelihoods of fishing communities in Bangladesh and abroad.

Keywords:

Climate Change Fishing Communities Climate‑Resilient Technology Natural Hazards Fishermen’s Livelihoods Government and Policy Makers

References

  1. Dasgupta, S.; Hossain, M.M.; Huq, M. Climate change, salinization, and high-yield rice production in coastal Bangladesh. Agric. Resour. Econ. Rev. 2018, 47, 66–89. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/age.2017.14
  2. Department of Fisheries Bangladesh. Yearbook of fisheries statistics of Bangladesh, 2017–18; Fisheries Resources Survey System (FRSS), Ministry of Fisheries, Government of Bangladesh: Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2024; p. 129.
  3. Gemenne, F.; Blocher, J. How can migration serve adaptation to climate change? Challenges to fleshing out a policy ideal. Geogr. J. 2017, 183, 336–347. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/geoj.12205
  4. Gillett, N.P.; Kirchmeier-Young, M.; Ribes, A. Constraining human contributions to observed warming since the pre-industrial period. Nat. Clim. Chang. 2021, 11, 207–212. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00965-9
  5. Gregory, D.; Johnston, R.; Pratt, G.; et al. The Dictionary of Human Geography; Wiley-Blackwell: Oxford, UK, 2009.
  6. Hasan, Z.; Akhter, S.; Islam, M. Climate change and the trend of rainfall in the south-east part of coastal Bangladesh. Eur. Sci. J. 2014, 10, 25–39.
  7. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Summary for policymakers. In IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation; Edenhofer, O., Pichs-Madruga, R., Sokona, Y., et al., Eds.; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 2022.
  8. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Climate change 2014: Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Geneva, Switzerland, 2014.
  9. Iqbal, M.H. Valuing ecosystem services of Sundarbans mangrove forest for improved conservation: Approach of randomized conjoint experiment. For. Econ. Rev. 2020, 2, 117–132.
  10. Islam, M.M.; Islam, N.; Habib, A. Climate change impacts on a tropical fishery ecosystem: Implications and societal responses. Sustainability 2020, 12, 7970. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12197970
  11. Islam, M.M.; Sallu, S.; Hubacek, K. Vulnerability of fishery-based livelihoods to the impacts of climate variability and change: Insights from coastal Bangladesh. Reg. Environ. Change 2014, 14, 281–294. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-013-0487-6
  12. Kashem, S.B. Housing practices and livelihood challenges in the hazard-prone contested spaces of rural Bangladesh. Int. J. Disaster Resil. Built Environ. 2019, 10, 420–434. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJDRBE-04-2019-0019
  13. Barua, P.; Ashim, S. Climate change impact on migration situation in the coastal delta belt of Bangladesh: A qualitative explorative study. J. Clim. Change 2024, 10, 51–60.
  14. Khalil, M.B.; Jacobs, B.C.; McKenna, K. Female contribution to grassroots innovation for climate change adaptation in Bangladesh. Clim. Dev. 2020, 12, 664–676.
  15. Niles, M.T.; Lubell, M.; Brown, M. How limiting factors drive agricultural adaptation to climate change. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 2015, 200, 178–185.
  16. Pokhrel, Y.; Felfelani, F.; Satoh, Y.; et al. Global terrestrial water storage and drought severity under climate change. Nat. Clim. Chang. 2021, 11, 226–233. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00972-w
  17. Pouliotte, J.; Smit, B.; Westerhoff, L. Adaptation and development: Livelihoods and climate change in Subarnabad, Bangladesh. Clim. Dev. 2009, 1, 31–46. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3763/cdev.2009.0001
  18. Antwi-Agyei, P.; Amanor, K. Typologies and drivers of the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices by smallholder farmers in rural Ghana. Curr. Res. Environ. Sustain. 2023, 5, 100223.
  19. Antwi-Agyei, P.; Amanor, K.; Hogarh, J.N.; et al. Predictors of access to and willingness to pay for climate information services in north-eastern Ghana: A gendered perspective. Environ. Dev. 2020, 36, 100580. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2020.100580
  20. Chitsa, M.; Sivapalan, S.; Singh, B.; et al. Citizen participation and climate change within an urban community context: Insights for policy development for bottom-up climate action engagement. Sustainability 2022, 14, 3579.
  21. Muringai, R.T.; Mafongoya, P.; Lottering, R.T. Climate change perceptions, impacts, and adaptation strategies: Insights of fishers in Zambezi River Basin, Zimbabwe. Sustainability 2022, 14, 3456. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063456
  22. Rahman, M.S.; Karamehic-Muratovic, A.; Baghbanzadeh, M. Climate change and dengue fever knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Bangladesh: A social media–based cross-sectional survey. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2020, 115, 85–93.
  23. Rakib, M.A.; Sasaki, J.; Matsuda, H.; et al. Groundwater salinization and associated co-contamination risk increase severe drinking water vulnerabilities in the southwestern coast of Bangladesh. Chemosphere 2020, 246, 125646. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125646
  24. Barua, P.; Rahman, S.H.; Mitra, A. Coastal erosion pattern and rehabilitation of climate-displaced communities of 3 coastal islands in and around the south-eastern coast of Bangladesh. Glob. J. Earth Sci. Eng. 2024, 11, 68–100.
  25. Yu, Z.; Kamran, H.W.; Amin, A.; et al. Sustainable synergy via clean energy technologies and efficiency dynamics. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 2023, 187, 113744. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2023.113744
  26. Huynh, P.T.A.; Le, N.D.; Le, S.T.H.; et al. Adaptive livelihood strategies among small-scale fishing households to climate change-related stressors in Central Coast Vietnam. Int. J. Clim. Change Strateg. Manag. 2020, 13, 492–510. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-04-2020-0034
  27. Omitoyin, S.A.; Osakuade, K.D.; Ogungbure, A.P. Coping and Adaptive Approaches of Fisherfolk in Ilaje Fishing Communities, Ondo State, to Impacts of Climate. Oceanogr Fish Open Access J. 2021, 14, 555882. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19080/ofoaj.2021.14.555882
  28. Ilosvay, X.E.; Ojea, E.; Salgueiro-Otero, D.; et al. Adaptation and resilience of small-scale fisheries to climate change involve institutional changes. In Proceedings of the One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 June 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-347
  29. Amin, C.; Rijanta, R. Livelihood changes of the fisherman community driven by climate change: A case study in the Semarang coastal region, Central Java, Indonesia. Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2019, 7, 267–273. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18510/HSSR.2019.7341
  30. Sinha, A.; Das, A. Livelihood Vulnerability of Fishery-based Communities in Context of Climate Change: Insights From and Around Selective Fishing Grounds of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. J. Geogr. Environ. Earth Sci. Int. 2019, 1–12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/JGEESI/2019/V20I130094
  31. Pratiwi, R.; Fani, L.A.; Kusasi, F. Blockchain Technology in the Fisheries Industry: A Systematic Literature Review. BIO Web Conf. 2024, 134, 05004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/202413405004
  32. Abdalla, A.T.; Haji, N.; Maiseli, B.J.; et al. IoT-Based Smart Fishing Gear for Sustainability of the Tanzania Blue Economy. Tanzania J. Eng. Technol. 2022, 41, 14–21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52339/tjet.v41i3.840
  33. Ortiz, J.; Ortiz-Montes, A.; Valdés-Acosta, M.T. Applications of Artificial Intelligence for the Sustainable Management of Fishing Activities. In Machine and Deep Learning Solutions for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals; IGI Global Scientific Publishing: New York, NY, USA, 2025; pp. 245–282. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-8161-8.ch013
  34. Alsaleh, M.; Yang, Z. The evolution of information and communications technology in the fishery industry: The pathway for marine sustainability. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 2023, 193, 115231. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115231
  35. Acuña-Alonso, C.; Varandas, S.; Álvarez, X.; et al. Analysis of the evolution of a fisheries management plan based on environmental governance: Living laboratory in the Olo River, Portugal. Fish. Res. 2023, 260, 106595. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2022.106595
  36. Ayad, H. Investigating the fishing grounds load capacity curve in G7 nations: Evaluating the influence of human capital and renewable energy use. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 2023, 194, 115413. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115413
  37. Rathore, L.S.; Mohapatra, M.; Geetha, B. Collaborative mechanism for tropical cyclone monitoring and prediction over the north Indian Ocean. In Tropical cyclone activity over the north Indian Ocean; Mohapatra, M., Bandyopadhyay, B.K., Rathore, L.S., Eds.; Springer: Berlin, Germany, 2017; pp. 3–27. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40576-6_1
  38. Reggers, A. Climate change is not gender neutral: Gender inequality, rights and vulnerabilities in Bangladesh. In Confronting Climate Change in Bangladesh: Policy Strategies for Adaptation and Resilience; Huq, S., Chow, J., Fenton, A., Eds.; Springer: Berlin, Germany, 2019; pp. 103–118.
  39. Sarkar, M.A.R.; Alam, K.; Gow, J. Assessing the determinants of rice farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change in Bangladesh. Int. J. Clim. Change Strateg. Manag. 2013, 5, 382–403. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-06-2012-0033
  40. Schipper, E.L.F. Maladaptation: When adaptation to climate change goes very wrong. One Earth 2020, 3, 409–412. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.09.014
  41. Shameem, M.I.M.; Momtaz, S.; Kiem, A.S. Local perceptions of and adaptation to climate variability and change: The case of shrimp farming communities in the coastal region of Bangladesh. Clim. Change 2022, 133, 253–266.
  42. Razowana, R.; Naser, N.; Sultana, N. Organizations of fisheries governance in Bangladesh: A review of institutional governance. Int. J. Fish. Aqua Stud. 2025, 13, 213–221. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/fish.2025.v13.i5c.3162
  43. Saha, A.; Barua, P. Explore the climate change impact scenario of urban cities in Bangladesh: A qualitative approach. Ecofem. Clim. Change 2023, 4, 29–34.
  44. Abraham, R. Mobile phones and economic development: Evidence from the fishing industry in India. In Proceedings of the 2006 International Conference on Information and Communication Technology and Development, Berkeley, CA, USA, 25–26 May 2006; pp. 48–56. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTD.2006.301837
  45. Aram, A.; Murugan, G.S.; Raj, S.A.; et al. Mobile advisory information to reduce coastal risks and to enhance livelihood activities in the South East coast of India. Ocean Coast. Manag. 2014, 93, 1949–1954.
  46. Sarkar, M.S.K.; Begum, R.A.; Pereira, J.J.; et al. Impacts of and adaptations to sea level rise in Malaysia. Asian J. Water Environ. Pollut. 2014, 11, 29–36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3233/AJW-2014-11_2_05
  47. Barua, P.; Mitra, A. Review on climate-smart agriculture practice: A global perspective. J. Clim. Change 2024, 10, 10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3233/JCC240003
  48. Baudoin, M.A.; Henly-Shepard, S.; Fernando, N.; et al. Early warning systems and livelihood resilience: Exploring opportunities for community participation. Clim. Dev. 2014, 8, 330–341.
  49. Rahman, M.M.; Belal, M.E.I.; Hossen, M.A.; et al. Assessing the Climate Induced Livelihood Vulnerability of Coastal People Using Sustainable Livelihood Framework: A Study in South-Central Bangladesh. Soc. Sci. 2024, 13, 638–650. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120638
  50. Bolong, J.; Osman, N.; Omar, S.Z. Knowledge, training, and access to global positioning systems: Views of young fishermen in Malaysia. Asian Soc. Sci. 2014, 10, 1–10.
  51. Bradley, D.; Merrifield, M.; Miller, K.M.; et al. Opportunities to improve fisheries management through innovative technology and advanced data systems. Fish Fish. 2019, 20, 564–583. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12361
  52. Calderwood, J. Smartphone application use in commercial wild capture fisheries. Rev. Fish Biol. Fish. 2022, 32, 1063–1083.
  53. Chhachhar, A.R.; Omar, S.Z. Use of Mobile Phone among Fishermen for Marketing and Weather information. Arch. Dev. Sci. 2012, 65, 107–119.
  54. Dash, M.K.; Sing, C.; Panda, G.; et al. ICT for sustainability and socioeconomic development in fisheries: A bibliometric analysis and future research agenda. Environ. Dev. Sustain. 2023, 25, 2201–2233.
  55. Boudet, A.; Petesch, P.; Turk, C.; et al. On Norms and Agency: Conversations about Gender Equality with Women and Men in 20 Countries; World Bank Group: Washington, DC, USA, 2013. Available online: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/429741468343732476
  56. Farmanov, T.; Umarov, S.; Hilorme, T.; et al. The impact of energy aspects on the climatic indicators of agricultural products. Int. J. Energy Environ. Econ. 2023, 30, 187–209.