Prioritization of adaptation measures for improved agricultural water management in Northwest Bangladesh
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Prioritization of adaptation measures for improved agricultural water management in Northwest Bangladesh Tapos Kumar Acharjee 1 & Petra Hellegers 2 & Fulco Ludwig 3 & Gerardo van Halsema 2 & Md. Abdul Mojid 1 & Catharien Terwisscha van Scheltinga 4 Received: 13 July 2019 / Accepted: 26 August 2020/ # Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract
Adaptation strategies are essential to manage water demand and ensure optimal use of available water resources under climate change. Identification and prioritization of adaptation options would greatly support decision-making in drought-prone Northwest Bangladesh. This study identified climate adaptation options by literature review and stakeholder consultation, then used multi-criteria analysis to evaluate and prioritize the options. The complexity of the options was also evaluated, specifically social, institutional, and technical obstacles to their local uptake. Seventy-two adaptation options were identified, spanning six sector categories. The options were further classified as in-system dependent, i.e., options that could be implemented by local actors, or as out-system dependent, i.e., options reliant on actions by external actors. Finally, they were defined as on-farm or off-farm strategies. Transboundary cooperation to increase surface water flows was ranked as the overall top-priority option, though this option is very complex and out-system dependent. Integrated water resources management and integrated crop management were the top-ranked options in the water management and crop production management sectors, respectively. Clustering scattered households and offering training programs in on-farm water management were the most and least complex measures, respectively. Stakeholders exhibited a clear preference for higher scale out-system dependent strategies, rather than in-system dependent options focused on changing the agricultural system itself to cope with climate change. Nonetheless, it is recommended that short-term and medium-term planning focus on opportunities to implement achievable adaptation measures within the local agricultural system. Investment in complex, externally dependent strategies is important for long-term planning. Keywords Climate change . Ranking alternatives . Multi-criteria analysis
* Tapos Kumar Acharjee [email protected] Extended author information available on the last page of the article
Climatic Change
1 Introduction Climate change adaptation is nowadays a national priority in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) identifies three main climate hazards: tropical cyclones/storm surges, inland flooding, and drought. Already the country faces reduced cultivable area as a result of urbanization and industrial growth, combined with falling groundwater levels, reduced surface water availability in the dry season, and rising food demand due to the growing population. In Northwest Bangladesh, the groundwater table fell by 2.3–11.5 m from 1981 to 2011 (Dey et al. 2013), due to overexploitation of water for
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