Climate induced migration and urbanization are interconnected issues. Climate migrants have slowly poured into not just Dhaka, but also other major cities across Bangladesh, significantly stressing existing infrastructure, aggravating social tensions, and posing health and well-being risks.
According to the United Nation’s predictions, the urban population in Bangladesh, currently at 62 million, is expected to be doubled by the year 2035. The World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report 2023 indicates that achieving gender equality will take approximately 131 years. Within this timeframe, the adverse effects of climate change are expected to worsen, becoming even more alarming than they are today.
In contemporary times, gender inequality is exacerbated by the climate crisis, affecting the lives, livelihoods, health and well-being, and security of children, girls, and women globally. The detrimental effects of climate change disproportionately affect females, making them more susceptible to various types of gender-based violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, child, marriage, forced marriage, and other forms of abuse.
Moreover, in lower and middle-income countries like Bangladesh, where agriculture is one of the largest sectors of women's employment, women bear a heavier burden in ensuring access to food, water, and fuel for their families. Hence, climate-induced migration is a matter of concern as women often have to seek alternative economic opportunities to ensure the livelihoods of their families.
Twenty five years ago, Momena and her family lost their land to climate-induced disasters. That is when they came to Sirajganj and restarted their lives. Residing in the Ekdala community with her husband and three children, Momena faced the challenge of earning a stable income for a prolonged period. Previously involved in various forms of cultivation, her income often fluctuated with the rise and fall of water levels in her area. However, after gaining essential training and knowledge on climate-adaptive urban agriculture, Momena’s life changed for the better.
The Climate Adaptive Urban Agriculture for Low-Income Communities in Sirajganj project provided essential training and knowledge, introducing innovative practices like vertical gardening and climate-adaptive agricultural techniques. This project has been supporting women, especially those who are climate-induced migrants in Sirajganj, to adapt agricultural techniques and grow crops and vegetables within a limited space to fulfil their nutritional needs as well as establish an alternative income source.
Momena embraced the practice of vermicomposting, a natural process where earthworms transform waste material into nutrient-rich compost. This chemical-free fertilizer proved to be a game-changer for Momena and her family, enhancing plant growth and sustainability.
Vermicompost stands out as a superior fertilizer as it proves to hold water more effectively and improve soil structure. Hence, recognizing its positive attributes, around 600-700 participants of the project have expressed demand, and Momena has become a supplier for these women who are producing at home, ensuring they have access to this valuable resource for their agricultural endeavours.
In another community named Char Malshapara, Sabera Begum became an entrepreneur at the age of 63. Being a widow, she faced many difficulties in running her household after her husband passed away. After gaining knowledge of proper agricultural practices and techniques to produce vermicompost, she has been able to create a business for herself.
For this unconventional nature of the business, she has often been scrutinized by the people in her locality, but she chose to rise above that and continue her journey. Financial freedom does also bring empowerment, build agency, and give voice to women, the same happened in case of Sabera Begum. She aims to inspire others around her and create a community of women who are leading and creating their own pathway.
Both are incredible stories of how they were not afraid to learn or begin initiatives by themselves and pro-actively discover opportunities many would not have dared to pursue. We envision a world where there will not be any form of discrimination based on gender, race, age, class and moreover, girls and women are able to live their lives freely and thrive up to their own potential. However, to grow leadership among women, the improvement of their socio-economic status is imperative -- involving women in local level consultation and decision-making is thus important.
To ensure sustainability and success of agricultural initiatives, market linkage plays a vital role. Although organizations like BRAC are striving to establish connections between producers and consumers, it is imperative to recognize that these efforts are currently operating on a relatively small scale. Government interventions are significantly important in facilitating the scaling up of these kinds of initiatives. Yet in Sirajganj Municipality, there is an absence of agricultural officers in urban areas with governmental focus primarily directed towards rural areas.
There is a pressing need for the government to implement mechanisms that extend support to urban agricultural initiatives. Moreover, private sector engagement is also required for the establishment and creation of effective market linkages. Private companies can contribute through their resources, expertise, and market access enhancing the reach and success as well as sustainability of these initiatives.
These efforts need expansion and need to function at a wider scale, and this requires collaborative efforts from the government, non-profit organizations, and the private sector to ensure sustainable development and prosperity in urban agricultural sectors while promoting women empowerment in the process.
Md Imamul Azam Shahi is the Programme Head of Urban Development Programme at BRAC.
