Climate Resilience and Dynamics of Agricultural Crop Production Systems among Char People Livelihood in Bangladesh

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Data may be preliminary. 22 November 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Climate Resilience and Dynamics of Agricultural Crop Production Systems among Char People Livelihood in Bangladesh Authors : Md Moshiur Rahman , Md Anwarul Islam , Sanjay Krishno Biwas , Pias Kumar Das , Md. Abujafar Ripon , and Parimal Kumar Roy 0000-0002-0461-2587 [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176380396.65827694/v1 145 views 71 downloads Contents Abstract Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract [1]¿p#1 Bangladesh is an agricultural country, and 80% of its people depend on it. This study examines the conduit strategy between climate resilience and agricultural production systems to understand the livelihood nexus of climate change in Bangladesh’s northern Chars. The climate overshoot victimizes the Char people and pushes them behind sustainable development. The conducted study is a qualitative research design with the ‘Capability Approach’ of Amartya Sen (2009). The fifty in-depth interviews and participants’ observations have been used as data collecting methods from the research fields—Six Chars (like islet), meanwhile the period of January to September 2023. The findings showed that several active factors, like education, income, assets and properties, income, employment, food intake, and social safety, agri-outputs— all are impacted by climate change, but the governmental and non-governmental organizations’ aid size is limited to meet the livelihood vulnerability in the islets. The agricultural production systems and climate resiliencies depend on aid but are limited to making the community sustainable within 2030 in Bangladesh’s growth. As a recommendation, a strong institution is important for Char’s development to contribute to the GDP of Agriculture. [1]¿p#1 Climate Resilience and Dynamics of Agricultural Crop Production Systems among Char People Livelihood in Bangladesh INTRODUCTION Recent international documents (like COP 21, 28, and SDGs) and national documents (Delta Plan 2100, policy, and acts) emphasise climate adversity to uphold human culture and nature for sustainable development. In this connection, climate shifts have impacted the livelihood and people of across the world, including Bangladesh (Ahmed et al.,2021; Ahmed,2021; Islam & Shafie,2017; Natarajan,2022), and Bangladesh also is not exceptional; rather, “…Bangladesh the 7 th most vulnerable countries to climate change in the world according to information given by Global Climate Risk Index 2021” (Hossain, 2023, p.70), and the Char people are more susceptible of the climate overshooting in the setting of Bangladesh (Alam et al.,2017). The people of their remote location live in an isolated environment defined by the existence of rivers or bodies of water that surround them. Climate change has resulted in an escalation in the frequency and severity of extreme meteorological events such as floods, droughts, cyclones, heat waves, and dense fog (BMD, 2016). However, the studied people frequently live with these scenarios. Broadly speaking, life-threatening climate change harms global human health, livelihoods, agricultural production systems, ecosystems, work culture, and other vital aspects of well-being, including food security (Lopa & Ahmed, 2006). In this paper, however, we intend to include the agricultural production systems for creating a conduit for the food security of Char people in Bangladesh: How the people adapt to vulnerability with having the capability in the community. Local People’s perceptions of overcoming this interface type have been explored in this article since people are trying to cope with vulnerable situations with the help of organizational interventions (Ahmed, 2021; Islam & Jirattikorn, 2023). As per, the Government of Bangladesh shows that there are 1,200 villages and 10 districts of Bangladesh that make up the Chars of northern Bangladesh, almost 2.5 million people reside there (rda.gov.bd; accessed on 07 September 2023). In the country’s mainland, their primary sources of income are seasonal daily wage work and subsistence farming. Owing to the Chars’ susceptibility to flooding and river erosion which frequently result in char occupants losing their assets like animals, homesteads, and farming fields, char dwellers migrate numerous times over their lifespans (Rahman & Akter,2014). This article is divided into two parts. One is the Climate resilience system during the natural hazards where we explored the Char dwellers’ adaptation system during their natural calamities. The other one is to explore the agricultural production system—the principal source of their income and food habits. The simultaneous achievement of the aforementioned twin goals emphasizes the notion that the changes individuals and households make in order to meet their basic requirements are usually referred to as ”livelihoods.” So, according to their freedom and choice (Sen, 2009), they use their capacity and local resources to create community resilience plans for survival and well-being in most contexts. It is undeniably a broad idea. This overarching concept includes individuals’ actions to sustain themselves during natural disasters, such as securing a livelihood and ensuring their families have access to the highest quality services and goods as part of a sustainable lifestyle. A sustainable lifestyle is a system’s capability—from the perspective of Amartya Sen, a sustainable lifestyle can be defined as the capability of a given system to maintain a mode of living that satisfies current needs while preventing the depletion of resources or the endangerment of the well-being of future generations. It advocates for conscientious consumption and implements practices that mitigate environmental damage while fostering economic and social welfare. Also, Meadows et al. (2018[1972]) said, it depends on peoples’ freedom and choice to retain or increase its resources over time without diminishing the natural resource base (Meadows et al.,2018; WCED report,1987). It requires striking a balance between the environment’s ability to cater to human requirements for natural resources and those needs, but climate change plays a crucial role against sustainable community development. The Sustainable Livelihood Approaches (SLAs)—work in this context in rural regions and highlight the local resource mobilization for the poor needs to maintain sufficient wealth. The notion has found extensive application within the realm of international development for evaluating the long-term viability of comprehensive development efforts. The authors of this study believe this SLA is pertinent to collaborate with agricultural productions and cultural resilience in the Char areas. In addition, the authors add the people’s Capability and emphasis on freedom and Choice to use natural resources for a sustainable community in the Chars. Studies (Khatun et al.,2021; Kelly & Chowdhry,2002) stress the value of a comprehensive strategy in which social, economic, political, and environmental concerns are considered part of urban livelihoods. By incorporating property, means of subsistence, context for livelihoods, and vulnerability to shocks and pressures, the “Sustainable Livelihoods Framework —SLF”, developed by the UK “Department for International Development—DFID” which serves as an analytical tool for understanding how people establish and maintain their livelihoods combining with agri-nature-livestock nexus. The SLF is built on five different groups of assets: social (groups), human (individual talents), natural (water bodies, forest, land), financial (income, revenue), and physical resources (infrastructure). According to the livelihood model, these resources support and tie one another components in adjusting to shocks caused by displacement. Natarajan et al. (2002), assert that the SLF highlights the major variables affecting livelihoods and their production linkages. It acknowledges the critical role played by institutions, regulatory frameworks, and prevailing vulnerability conditions in shaping the assets and social standing of individuals. This recognition underscores the interconnectedness of these factors in influencing people’s well-being and opportunities within society. The problem is exacerbated by the physical isolation of the chars, which results in limited access to vital services and markets. This, in turn, diminishes economic activity and production. Essentially, it might be characterized as a scarcity of urban amenities. Chars are, so far, unattractive for private investment and challenging for public service delivery due to higher product and service delivery costs. A lack of market infrastructure, limited information and understanding of market actors and investors regarding the economic potential in chars, and high risks. People who live on chars are consequently not only poor but also lead incredibly vulnerable lives and malnutrition with few options for employment. In this setting, agricultural products are the primary source of income, providing a foundation for adapting to changes brought about by disasters. However, additional action is necessary, such as the allocation of a budget by the Government of Bangladesh and the development of more relevant initiatives to encourage inclusive economic growth. The study is aiming specifically, i) to explore the agricultural production arrangements in char areas, ii) to analyze the agricultural livelihood status of the char dwellers, and iii) to address the climate resilience of char dwellers. In this article, how their lives and livelihoods are changing due to climate change and adapted to the Char environment have been seen from close quarters. How the Government and other development agencies, like Swisscontact Bangladesh, are helping but need more and institutional development to develop their local resilience and Capability to effect their quality of life. We explained the Char dwellers’ life settings with SLA. Nonetheless, the potential conflict between human and non-human interests in non-Western countries is in evidence (Roy et al., 2023a, 2023b). Sometimes, local communities meet with non-human interests correspond, and the local communities defend their livelihoods against nature; in other cases, they willingly sell the same natural resources for profit (Azam et al.,2021; Young, 2022). Hence, the debate will be guided by the conceptual discussion that follows. Synthesising the discussion, it can be said that the attentions that most of the studies dealt with either the socio-economic circumstances of the Char areas or the dwellers’ adoption of climate change to reduce vulnerability due to natural disasters, but the food insecurity and Char dwellers’ agri-climate-livestock nexus are side-lined to include them in the mainstream development trend. To accommodate the research gap, this study explores the agricultural production systems, cultural resilience and determines the agri-production system status as a result of natural disasters of the char dwellers’ living culture with threat. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK This study assesses the capability approach of Amartya Sen of sustainable human development for community stability to include the community’s voice in the national trend. There are various ways to improve one’s talents. One of these strategies, Amartya Sen (2009) emphasises marginal community integration to mainstream trends by saying—“Development is fundamentally an empowering process, and this power can be used to preserve and enrich the environment and not only to decimate it” (Sen, 2009, p.250). In reverse, the national development trends did not allow individuals, families, and communities to exercise the power to build a sustainable community. This comprehensive framework for measuring human well-being combined with other social theories and applied to varied geographical and cultural settings, according to Amartya Sen. Capability Approach, as indicated before, is linked with Sustainable livelihood, according to the Department for International Development (DFID) given framework named Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF). This charity organisation employed like SLF to uplift disadvantaged people since 1997. According to this framework, we see ’Sustainable Livelihood Approaches’(SLA) adopted by different supranational agencies such as the DFID. The DFID has developed a “Sustainable Livelihood Framework” (SLF) which is one of the most widely used livelihood frameworks in development practice in developing countries, to eradicate poverty in developing nations.However, DFID emphasizes that there are numerous applications for livelihood initiatives. Although the livelihoods approach can be applied flexibly and adaptively to particular local settings and objectives specified in a participative manner, it has a few fundamental ideas. DFID also adopts a version of Chambers Conway’s definition of livelihoods,”A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets, and activities required for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks and maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets both now and in the future while not undermining the natural resource base ” (DFID,2000; www.glopp.ch; last accessed on 07 September 2023). Figure 1. Conceptual relationship with Char livelihood. Above discussion and according to Figure 1, we have used the four concepts to understand the Char people’s Capability—Human, Physical, Financial, and Social Capital. Based on the preceding discussion and Figure 1, we used four essential concepts—Human, Physical, Financial, and Social Capital—to examine and comprehend the Char people’s capacities. This diagram depicts the interaction of various capital components in our assessment. It is vital when we assessed their livelihood before and after the victimisation of climate vulnerability in the three districts’ Six Chars of Bangladesh as part of the marginalized people in mainstream economies (WCED,1987; Sen,2009). Without the flourishing Capability of their human rights or ensuring climate justice, food-secured chars in Bangladesh will never be established. For that reason, we nuanced that their freedom (Human, Physical) and choice (Financial, Social capital) are resonant from time to time by climate change per se the Figure 1. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study used in-depth interviews with the Char people to understand its dwellers’ agricultural production systems. Every interview takes 40-50 minutes, guided by the interview protocols per se, the qualitative research design (See Table1). We went back to them occasionally to get their insightful words and carefully observed their agricultural habits and culture as resilience tools. Also, we were vigilant to cross-check the collected information. Sometimes, we were attached to the NGO team as a tiny part of their investigation process, which monitored and evaluated their activities and program effectiveness. In the Char areas, as a usual detached part of urban amenities and mainstream development and agri-production culture, we used storytellers from the community elders to compare the situations. In addition, the Char names have been used as numbers (like 1, 2, 3,4,5,6) to protect the respondents’ identity or issues. Table 1. Research Methodology at a glance Research Design Qualitative Paradigm Post-positivism (Neoliberalism trend). Theory Capability Approach by Amartya Sen (2009) Method 40-50 minutes for each in-depth interview; Observation. Instrument Interview protocols. Target Group Char dwellers in a remote area of Bangladesh. Sampling technique Purposive sampling. Sample size 50 respondents. Location Six Chars of Rangpur, Kurigram, and Gaibnadha Districts, Bangladesh. Data Collection The interview session was conducted in the Bangla dialect; interview notes were taken. Impacts of Climate Change on Char Agri-Livelihood This was an apparent change in cropping practices in the study areas compared to the earlier period means, 40-50 years ago. Now, the leading crops grown by farmers include High-yielding Verities (HYV): Rice, Jute, Potato, Groundnuts, Maize, Vegetables, Sweet Pumpkin, and Tobacco. The majority of respondents agreed with the agricultural product transition. This was said with great conviction by an elderly respondent, “When I was a child at least 50 years ago, times were hard, and catching fish was the only source of income, but now my sons cultivate HYV in the chars.” This transformation in cropping practices due to climate change can be observed among the Char farmers as seen in Table 2. However, Tobacco is not a traditional crop but is cultivated by peasants as now profitable. All respondents confessed the corporate body instigated them to cultivate it, but twenty years ago, it was not available in the Chars, although smoking was available. Most of the respondents in the study area are engaged in mixed agricultural livelihoods (Livestock and crop production) resulting from development aid agencies’ interventions. Adaptations in livestock production systems are also found in herd fragmentation, animal diversity, livestock mobility, sheep and goats instead of cattle use, shifting to crop production, temporary migration, and off-farm activities. According to questionnaires and observations, climate-related pressures on pastoralists and their impact on their livelihoods, evolution, and innovation are visible. Table 2. Climatic Change and their impacts on Char livelihoods Flooding and flash flood Damage to T-Aman, Maize, crops, and vegetables; the Death of Livestock and poultry collapsed the households. Riverbank erosion Ruined homestead lands, markets, infrastructure, and communication networks; decreased labor force activity. Drought and extreme temperature heatwave Engulfing homesteads and arable land; destruction of agricultural fields. Hunger and food shortages are caused by disappearing homes, stores, vegetable gardens, village roads, and marketplaces. Huge and untimely rainfalls Paddy, vegetables, crop cycles, and crop diversity are affected; water shortage for irrigation, relying on rainfall; declining groundwater levels; migration and livestock loss; and agricultural crisis. Cold wave, Heavy Fog Reducing the development and seedlings of vegetables, winter crops, and rice. [1]¿p#1 Furthermore, in Table 2 indicates six types of hazards are available in the studied areas, and how these affected the production systems. Apart from these, the Char people are also affected, indirectly after hazards in education, stringent Migration or displacement, victim of Food and Nutrition, and loss of infrastructures. Most respondents revealed that their children had been shifted to urban areas for education and further settlement. Three-fourths of respondents built their houses by bricks after devastating the mud houses by Flood. So, bring bricks in the chars indirectly caused more CO 2 . However, it is mentioned that most respondents admit that agricultural production like vegetables and flood resilience paddy filled their nutritional value deficiency to improve their health but in short time result. Living with Climate Threats in the Char This study reveals that people are living with vulnerabilities (see Table 2), and the exodus caused by climate change has resulted in substantial land, agricultural production, and income loss for the affected households, Livestock, and communications. This study specifically delves into the impact of agricultural produce on the livelihoods of farmers residing in the Char areas. It focuses on analyzing how agricultural outputs influence the well-being and economic sustainability of these communities. In this connection, Table 2 shows that floods affect poultry and Livestock’s income and augment food insecurity. According to one respondent, “The 1988 flood pushed me as a poor farmer, and then in the course of time, now I am day labour for rearing my family. Despite that, for ancestral land grasped my life, memory.” Let us explain this important statement. The respondent is thinking back on their personal experience during the 1988 flood, which had a significant impact on their lives. They were a struggling farmer at first, but owing to the disastrous flood, they were forced to seek additional ways of money, such as working as a day labourer, to feed their family. Despite these obstacles, they have a strong commitment to their ancestral land, which carries significant memories and significance in their lives. The Char dwellers always face flash floods, droughts, and multifaced hazards, but they feel comfortable living within threat for memorising the birthplace, culture and long-term habituated pace in the islet. However, their communications systems are a hurdle, and Product buyers are short in number; this incident leads to the product being damaged and providing less price, and finally, the small producers bear the loss of what they invested in agri-production for not selling the crops for communication barriers. The collaboration of Char’s communities is decisive for the success and sustainability of development projects like M4C to reduce the natural threats and increase the agri products. Consequently, the respondents’ perspectives showed that those displaced by flood, land erosion, and drought are living accompany in their lives. While the Household heads in the Char areas were interviewed to understand their opinions and capability regarding establishing sustainable [community] development, they frequently replied, “The government neglects us; we are part of local government but deprived of its benefits; public representatives come here just for the vote. We produce crops, milk, and livestock but did not get the proper price.” Conversely, it is important to note that development-induced displacement adversely affects the livelihoods of impoverished female-headed households in Char. Climate change has had a negative impact on the lives of young girls in the Char regions. This includes an increase in the number of child weddings, in which young girls are married off before they are physically or emotionally mature. Furthermore, the negative consequences of climate change, such as crop failures and food scarcity, have resulted in severe malnutrition among young girls. Furthermore, many of them become moms at a young age as a result of early marriages and societal pressures, which can have major health consequences. Furthermore, the difficult living conditions in the Char regions, aggravated by climate change, have contributed to a higher prevalence of family violence, aggravating these girls’ vulnerability. Indeed, all are related to flood, river erosion, and lack of Capability— there was very limited freedom and choice to lead and cope with the climate change in the islets. On the other hand, the integrated development policy absence makes their livelihood worsen in diversified ways (Afsar,2010). Livelihood and Livelihood Transition amid the Char Dwellers The process of shifting agricultural livelihoods in grasslands occurs spontaneously, either naturally or as a result of some other manual action. It is indeed, fifty years ago, as per the field-data, fishing was the main profession to live hand to mouth; a few people went to the urban for day labour or pulling a rickshaw in the city. They return home in the evening. Eleven out of fifty respondents confirmed caught fish and sold it in the market. By saying— “Flood was a blessing to us for fish abundance. But now we produce agri outputs using Chemicals for better results”. As a result, one elder respondent said, “We eat chemicals, and no fish in the river but flood every year as part of devastating events.” The study showed comparative results indicating that agricultural production is now their main occupation, and seasonal floods and droughts displaced them from their main occupation and permanent residence. Consequently, they think of alternatives but need local resources and skills linked with national resources and capability linkages for the Sustainable Community Development Framework (SCDF). This framework injects the ‘Community’ between the two words—‘Sustainable’ and ‘Development.’ Meaning that, both connotations are as sustainable development but rather sustainable community development. The ‘Community’ as a concept, in this study, bears the legacy of customs, elder experience and local knowledge to strengthen the community. Moreover, vocational knowledge and technical skills could be workable to cope with disasters, but the opportunities are unavailable for the Chars dwellers per se the respondents’ statements. This framework, in further, inserts the phrase ”Community” between the terms ”Sustainable” and ”Development.” This implies a shift in emphasis from ”sustainable development” to ”sustainable community development.” In this sense, ”community” refers to the local community’s collective well-being, involvement, and empowerment as a fundamental and active participant in the development process. It highlights the significance of community engagement, cohesion, and sustainability in meeting greater development objectives (Roy, 2024). Copping Agri Mechanism of Char People from Flood Every year, from July to October, Char people are affected by floods due to heavy rainfall and the upstream flow of water from India. Due to floods, the Char people and their Livestock fall more vulnerable. Although their field crop is under water and later mostly damaged. They stored necessary commodities like food, fuel, and wood/ straw; simultaneously, they raised the homestead plinth from the water level in the dry season. Table 3. Cropping Pattern and Farming Practice in the Char areas [1]¿p#1 % Acreage Agri-production Fallow months T-Aman- Family consumption and cattle feed. Maize - More profit and grows on the loamy, sandy, fertile soil. Tobacco- Production cost less & profit high. 35 T-Aman; Maize. April-July 21 Potato; Maize June- August 18 Groundnut September-January; June-August 25 Onion September-January; April-August 1 Tobacco September—December; April-August Char 2 25 Potato; T-Aman; Jute March; T-Aman-Family consumption and cattle feed. Maize- More profit and grows on the loamy, sandy, fertile soil. Tobacco- Production cost less & profit high. 35 T-Aman; Maize; Jute October - August 18 Groundnut September-January; June-August 15 Tobacco; Jute September-October; March; July-August 7 Onion September-December; April-August Char 3 55 T-Aman; Maize April-June T-Aman-Family consumption and cattle feed. Maize- More profit and grows on the loamy, sandy, fertile soil. 25 T-Aman; Maize; Potato June-July 20 Groundnut September-January; May-August Char 4 40 T-Aman; Potato; Maize June T-Aman- Family consumption and cattle feed. Maize- More profit and grows on the loamy, sandy, fertile soil. Tobacco- Production cost less & profit high. 20 T-Aman; Tobacco; Groundnut - 40 T-Aman; Maize March-June Char 5 30 T-Aman; Potato; Groundnut June T-Aman-Family consumption and cattle feed. Maize- More profit and grows on the loamy, sandy, fertile soil. Tobacco- Production cost less & profit high. 70 T-Aman; Potato; Maize - Char 6 40 T-Aman; Potato; Maize - T-Aman-Family consumption and cattle feed. Maize- More profit and grows on the loamy, sandy, fertile soil. Tobacco- Production cost less & profit high. 60 T-Aman; Potato; Jute - The Char people produce commercial crops like maize, jute, and chilli. After selling money, they used it for the next crop cultivation and used saving for livelihoods. Generally, the Char people and Livestock are sheltered in the flood season in their locally bamboo-made high place or the raft made with banana trees. Some advanced Char people use the transplantation method of vegetables that seedlings grew on the highlands. At the end of the flood, they transplant seedlings instead of seed sowing, which reduces the minimum one month of harvesting. Due to recovery from the flood affect, they cultivate an early or late variety of crops for sustainable agri practices, as in Table 3. [1]¿p#1 Copping Mechanism of Char People from Drought The Char people are traditionally adapted to climatic hazards like, flood and drought, which barred drastically agricultural production systems (Ahmed et al.,2021; Kabir& Kamruzzaman ,2022). Generally, after the winter’s end, Char farmers are facing drought from March to June. At that time, the char fields were dry in the absence of rain. So, they cultivate less irrigated crops like pulses, oil seeds, and cereals like – Lentils, groundnut, black cumin, sesame, wheat, jute, and drought-tolerant maize. Farmers now use mulching to reduce soil evaporation and moisture absorption. They used irrigation water instead of rain to start the jute cultivation. Thus, practices assist them in cutting down jute before the flood, ultimately reducing the loss of the inundation flood. The char farmers used zero tillage crop cultivation to reduce irrigation. Based on the respondents’ the Char farmers started to use cow dung and compost made with the Trico Derma, an earthworm. [1]¿p#1 Coping Mechanism of Char People from Cold Weave and Thunderstorms The char farmers cultivate most of the crops in winter. However, in the months of December to January, due to cold injuries and foggy weather, Rabi crops, especially chilli, potatoes, and vegetables, are infected by fungal diseases. Their crops also fall down the flowering and reduce pollination, resulting in not harvesting a satisfactory yield. Char farmers, then, have used selected fungicides, insecticides, and micronutrients that reduce the yield GAP. In terms of good harvest, using pesticides is good, but for those using them, its impacts instigate climate hazards in the Chars and the whole of Bangladesh’s environment, especially the river fish availability. Also, the Char people adjust their cropping pattern due to the natural hazards. They used to cultivate hail-tolerant varieties of maize, rice, and short duration of crops, dwarf variety of rice. Copping Mechanism of Char People from the Financial Crisis [1]¿p#1 The Char people are naturally habituated to cultivating different crop types and livestock rearing. They always need finance to buy seeds, fertilizers, and micronutrients for the cultivation beginning time of crops. Also need to finance bull calf buying at the beginning stage of fattening. In all those cases, they needed finance. Earlier, the char people borrow money from the local lender (they live in mainland towns) at higher interest rates (60-100%). Some microfinance NGOs, like BRAC, Grameen Bank, now provide weekly repayment system loans. In that case, farmers are almost incapable of paying their installment regular weekly repayment, so they are bound to sell their fixed assets like a bull calf, dairy cow, and stored crops. In this situation, they must get seasonal microfinance and micro enterprises loans to repay after harvesting their produced yield. At present, certain Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) have initiated lending programs within specific interconnected Char areas. However, NGO personnel have expressed concerns regarding the potential migration of loan recipients. This concern arises from the challenges they face in maintaining regular follow-up visits to the Chars, primarily due to the elevated transportation costs associated with boat rentals and the limited availability of suitable vehicles for Char access. DISCUSSION According to Table 4, Crops are produced less in volume due to a lack of modern knowledge, but with high-use chemicals like urea (Nitrogen oxide, Muriate of potassium, and Phosphate, are field-data). Mainland buyers are unattended to purchase agricultural products from the Chars for time-consuming communication systems. Besides, there is no flood shelter, food storage centre, cold storage, market-driven facilities and electricity. As seen, solar panels are available, yet very limited numbers of houses use at night time. The policy reflections could be more extensive on the Char livelihood development interventions. From our observation, the Char people’s health facilities are insufficient, also water-borne and vector-borne diseases are available. They rear poultry and cattle as a source of income, not a source of protein to meet the nutritional value. A good number of national and international NGOs are working on them to give a good quality of life without a national policy, acts, or executive board of Char dwellers. However, Tables 4 and 5 demonstrate the livelihood of the Char people and how they lead their lives in the islets. Table 4. Char livelihoods among the Chars [1]¿p#1 Char 1 & 2 Crops Lack of knowledge of crop cultivation like T-Aman ( T-A), Onion, Potato, and maize. Lack of knowledge on chemical fertilizer, specially overdoses of urea. Transport cost is high for buying the inputs and product selling. 2. Buyers are unavailable for product buying. Transport cost is high for inputs purchasing and product selling. The market place so far from the village. Lace of knowledge about uses of balanced fertilizer. Livestock Lack of Knowledge on Livestock and poultry rearing, Scarcity of vaccines for both poultry and Livestock. Scarcity of improved poultry birds, Feed cost is high. Buyers are unavailable in Char, specially fattening bull. Livestock Service Providers (LSPs) are unavailable for treatment. 2. Scarcity of information for bull fattening in char dwellers. Buyers are unavailable in Char, specially fattening bull. LSPs are unavailable for treatment. Food costs are high. Scarcity of Vaccine. Finance BRAC and Popy provide weekly and monthly loans to farmers, but they cover only 25% of HHs. Need SLP loan for both crop cultivation and Livestock. Farmers take loans from moneylenders with high interest. 2. BRAC, ASA, and Popy provide weekly and monthly loans to farmers, but they cover only 35% of HH. Need SLP loan for both crop cultivation and livestock rearing. Energy (Electricity and Fuel Use) Electricity is unavailable. 55% of HHs use solar. 2. No electricity in this village. 60% use solar panels. Environment and Disaster Risks Lack of flood shelters and high schools. Jute field damaged by flood, some HHs damaged by flood. Due to flood. 2. No shelter. Crisis of cattle food and housing due to food floods. T-Aman field and homestead are damaged. Gender mainstreaming Early marriage is available. Girls do not study that much. There is no high school in this village, so that has problems. 2. 60% of women are involved in agricultural activities. Less early marriage in the village. Health services are unavailable. Char 3 Crops Scarcity of power tiller. Transportation costs are high due to weak communication. Lac of knowledge on improved Technology Livestock Lace of knowledge regarding improved Technology. Brokers are unavailable. Food cost is high. Syndicate of local broker. Scarcity of vaccines for both Livestock and poultry. Finance BRAC and ASA provide weekly and monthly loans to farmers, but they cover only 50% of HHs. Need SLP loan for both crop cultivation and livestock rearing. Farmers take loans from a moneylender with high interest. Energy (Electricity and Fuel Use) 90% of HHs are getting electricity facilities, and the rest, 10%, use solar Environment and Disaster Risks No flood shelter. Crisis of cattle feed. Find cattle diseases like foot and mouth disease (FMD) and Black Quater (BQ). Increase diseases like diarrhea and fever. Gender Mainstreaming Unavailable health services, specially for women. Early marriages are less. Char 4 Crops Lack of buyers. Lack of knowledge of post-harvest technologies. Weak communication results from farmers getting lees prices for selling their products. Less access to outside buyers. Livestock Less access to outside buyers. Farmers get less price due to syndicate of local brokers. Lack of knowledge on bull fattening. Feed cost is high. Finance BRAC, G.BANK, and ASA provide weekly and monthly loans to farmers, but they cover only 35% of HHs. Need SLP loans for both crop cultivation and Livestock. Energy (Electricity and Fuel Use) 70% of HHs are getting electricity facilities and the rest 30% of HHs use solar. Environment and Disaster Risks No flood shelters. The flood damaged some HHs. Due to the flood crisis of cattle feed and housing. Gender Mainstreaming 50% of women work in the Agriculture field. Less early marriage. The percentage of education is 10%, specially for women. Char 5 & 6 Crops Weak Communication. Buyers are unavailable. Lack of knowledge of crop cultivation Livestock Lack of knowledge. Scarcity of vaccines, both poultry and Livestock. Feed cost is high. Brokers are unavailable. Finance BRAC and TMSS provide weekly and monthly loans to farmers, but they cover only 50% of HHs. Need SLP loans for both crop cultivation and Livestock. Energy (Electricity and Fuel Use) 75% of HHs benefit from electricity and 25% use solar. Environment and Disaster Risks No flood shelters. Found cattle diseases like FMD and BQ. Due to the flood crisis of cattle feed. Gender Mainstreaming Early marriage is present. Scarcity of health service. Moreover, the following table (Table 5) shows there are mainly three types of disaster hazards affected areas like assets, crops, and Livestock in the studied Chars. It is clear that the Crop is not only the main agri-production but also now the principal source of income for the small farmers. Nevertheless, this sector is affected utmost, the second affected area is Livestock, and finally, Housing or infrastructure devasted position is in third position. In this backdrop, most respondents (95%) think that if they had flood and insect resilience seeds, they could mitigate and adapt to floods. 75% of respondents suggest that after the flood, Livestock is affected with diversified water and vector borne diseases, but no veterinary surgeon or service can eliminate properly those issues. So, Livestock Service Providers (LSPs) can help to mitigate this issue to make the community climate resilience like the components of Figure 1 in the conceptual part. Table 5. Disaster hazards in the Char dwellers during the years [1]¿p#1 Char 1 Asset (House/Shop) 5% Jute and T-Aman are affected by the flood, HHs are affected by the flood, and river erosion and Livestock are affected by the flood. Crop (Land) 10% Livestock 2% Char 2 Asset (House/Shop) 3% T-Aman was affected by the flood, HHs were affected by flood and river erosion, Livestock was affected by the flood, and few animals died. Crop (Land) 20% Livestock 5% Char 3 Asset (House/Shop) 2% T-Aman is affected by the flood, HHs are affected by flood and river erosion, and storms and Livestock are affected by flood. Crop (Land) 12% Livestock 2% Char 4 Asset (House/Shop) 5% Flood and river erosion affect HHs and crops, and Livestock is affected by flood. Crop (Land) 23% Livestock 12% Char 5 Asset (House/Shop) 2% HHs damaged by storm, flood, river erosion, T-Aman damaged by flood. Crop (Land) 10% Livestock 2% Char 6 Asset (House/Shop) 2% HHs are affected by flood and river erosion, and Livestock are affected by floods. Crop (Land) 10% Livestock 8% Table 5 depicts the distribution of disaster hazards in various Char areas over time. It illustrates the proportion of affected areas in terms of assets (houses/shops), crops (land), and livestock. Notably, floods, river erosion, storms, and crop loss are common in these locations, affecting both families and agricultural resources. These dangers highlight Char residents’ vulnerability to a variety of natural disasters. CONCLUSION The Char people who live with the lowest incomes and versatile natural hazards, who are only just scraping by with the help of the Government, are now the most vulnerable. Bangladesh is committed to intervening in policy centring on the Sustainable Development Goals but is sensitive to environmental deterioration. When implemented along with SDGs 13 on battling climate change, policymakers should pay attention to including the Chars dwellers because the SDGs motto is “ leave no one behind left.” The pursuit of Delta Plan 2100 and Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13) relies on resolving pressing climate change problems and strengthening resilience. In essence, it corresponds with the Paris Agreement’s goals to strengthen a nation’s ability to endure climate-related difficulties. Furthermore, taking a proactive approach to climate change not only mitigates hazards but also provides a chance to advance equitable development initiatives in Bangladesh. By implementing climate resilience plans, the country may turn environmental concerns into opportunities for equitable growth and long-term success. RECOMMENDATION TO FORM AN APEX BODY FOR THE CHAR PEOPLE Around 1.5 million people live in the chars in Bangladesh. Nevertheless, there is a need an executive board from the GoB part of the functioning of the Char people. Rural Development Academy, Bogura, has set up a dedicated centre named CDRC (Char Development and Research Centre) to implement Char-relevant action research and anchor the lessons learned from the Char-relevant project but still needs a national policy to execute the Char Development. In this context, an authority or Development board is a time-befitting and important intervention to advocate for Char dwellers. To an extent, the article stands our some solid way forwards, for example, Programs to Improve Climate Resilience Given the enormous influence of climate change on various areas of Char dwellers’ livelihoods, more comprehensive climate resilience initiatives must be developed and implemented. To alleviate the negative consequences of climate change on vulnerable people, these programs should prioritize education, income development, asset protection, and social safety nets. Increased Aid and Support According to the findings, governmental and non-governmental organizations’ aid falls short of fulfilling the livelihood vulnerabilities in the Char districts. As a result, there is a need to expand the scope and efficacy of aid and support services in order to secure the long-term development of these communities. Establishment of a Dedicated organization To address the particular issues encountered by Char residents while contributing to Bangladesh’s agricultural GDP, it is recommended that a dedicated organization or apex body be established. This institution can focus on coordinating efforts, developing climate-resilient agricultural methods, and assuring Char communities’ long-term sustainability while including their contributions to the country’s agricultural progress. 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International Journal of Environment, Architecture, and Societies. 2:1, 1-15. Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 22 November 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords agricultural production systems climate overshoot climate resilience livelihood nexus sustainable development Authors Affiliations Md Moshiur Rahman Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre View all articles by this author Md Anwarul Islam Swisscontact View all articles by this author Sanjay Krishno Biwas Shahjalal University of Science and Technology View all articles by this author Pias Kumar Das Expot Import Bank of Bangladesh Ltd View all articles by this author Md. Abujafar Ripon Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre View all articles by this author Parimal Kumar Roy 0000-0002-0461-2587 [email protected] Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 145 views 71 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Md Moshiur Rahman, Md Anwarul Islam, Sanjay Krishno Biwas, et al. Climate Resilience and Dynamics of Agricultural Crop Production Systems among Char People Livelihood in Bangladesh. Authorea . 22 November 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176380396.65827694/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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