Abstract
Water is critical to the lives and livelihoods of rural communities in developing countries; however, access to water can be inequitable within communities. This paper uses a generalized integrated assessment approach to explore the determinants of water access by marginalized farmers in two villages in coastal Bangladesh, before and after the setup of local water institutions. The study was part of a broader project aimed at promoting socially inclusive agricultural intensification. An integrative framework was developed in this study to capture and link the diverse range of factors that influence the distribution of water, including the often-overlooked role of social dynamics and governance arrangements. While interventions around improving water resource infrastructure can be critical for freshwater availability, the case studies show that a breakdown of asymmetric power structures may also be needed for water access to all individuals, especially marginalized groups. Establishing a community-based water institution on its own does not necessarily address power issues in a community. It is imperative that the agency and capacities of the marginalized members are developed and that the institutional arrangements foster an enabling environment for marginalized members to influence decision making. Integrated assessment allowed the case studies to be explored from multiple perspectives so as to gain a greater understanding of the barriers and levers to obtaining equitable outcomes from water interventions.
Highlights
IntroductionEven tropical regions like southern Bangladesh, where annual rainfall typically exceeds 2000 mm, can suffer water shortages for several months a year [3,4]
The focus of the SIAGI project has been on understanding how to address the issues faced by marginalized groups who are at risk of social exclusion and increasing inequity. With this perspective in mind, this paper investigates the role of local water institutions and other factors on access by marginalized farmers to water resources that are intended to be shared by the community
While the availability of the freshwater resource itself is undoubtedly important, the case studies highlighted that when the resource is partially or fully constrained, institutional factors and social dynamics are critical to determining if marginalized actors can benefit from water interventions
Summary
Even tropical regions like southern Bangladesh, where annual rainfall typically exceeds 2000 mm, can suffer water shortages for several months a year [3,4]. In such regions, limited or unreliable rainfall [5] can prevent cropping [6] or greatly reduce germination, establishment and yields outside of the monsoon period [7,8,9]. Women represented 14% and 20% of farmers in Sekendarkhali and Khatail, respectively In both villages, the average income for landless, women, marginal and small-holder farmers was USD 0.50–0.70 per day, well below the national poverty line (USD 1.90/day)
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