Influence of institutional access and social capital on adaptation decision: Empirical evidence from hazard-prone rural households in Bangladesh

Abstract

An understanding of the factors that shape resource-poor households' heterogeneity in adopting adaptation strategies is crucial in developing adaptation policies. This research examines the determinants of household adaptation choices and the barriers to adaptation. It also focuses on the influence of institutional access and social capital on adaptation choice as a way forward to support and sustain local adaptation process by using the survey data of 380 hazards-prone vulnerable households in Bangladesh. The results reveal that households are implementing adaptation strategies such as diversifying crops, tree plantation (adopted by large and medium farmers), and homestead gardening and migration (adopted by small and landless farmers). Barriers to adaptation are observed heterogeneously among the farming groups where access to credit and lack of information on appropriate adaptation strategies are among the important barriers to adaptation. The model results indicate that the choice of adaptation strategies is significantly influenced by social capital and access to institutions. To support adaptation locally and to enhance vulnerable households' resilience to better cope with riverbank erosion and other climatic change issues, interventions by the government through planned adaptation, such as access to institutions and credit facilities, and a package of technologies through agro-ecological based research are required.