Early SMS warning saved fishing livelihood in Bangladesh
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Authors
Mokhlesur Rahman
Issue Date
2015-12
Type
Language
en
Keywords
Agriculture , Disasters , Technology
Alternative Title
Abstract
Despite making significant progress in social development, Bangladesh remains at high risk of natural disasters like flood, river erosion, cyclones, tidal surges and drought. Due to changing climate, all these are expected to increase in intensity and frequency. In addition, temperature, erratic monsoon rainfall, sea level and salinity intrusion are all expected to increase which will have a severe impact on lives, livelihoods and food security, particularly for poor people in Bangladesh.Anisur Rahman is a farmer of Kaliahoripur Union of Sirajgonj, who lives near the flood prone river Jamuna. On the land he got from his parents he cultivates various seasonal crops. Beside crops cultivation, he also has a small pond when he breeds fish during rainy season. If luck favours him, he gets a good harvest; sometimes the floods take away all his fish. Some indigenous fish also enter into the pond what he uses for his family consumption. This year in August 2015 he received a short message by mobile phone from Bangladesh Water Development Board, brought to him by project volunteer, Asanur Begum. The message informed that over the coming 5 days there was a possibility of the water rising. Swiftly, he caught the maximum number of fish from his pond and sold them in the nearby market. After he sold the fish, he saw his pond overflow with flood water. For Anisur this simple message saved his livelihood. Blog link - http://practicalaction.org/blog/programmes/climate_change/flood-early-warning-systems-save-lives-and-reduce-losses/