Potentials and Challenges of Using ICT for Climate Change Adaptation: A Study of Vulnerable Community in Riverine Islands of Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to different impacts of climate change. It is argued that ICTs play a vital role in addressing the major challenges related to climate change. ICTs are widely used for communicating the information required for climate change adaptation through raising awareness at the grassroots level, providing access to relevant information, and facilitating learning and sharing of practical knowledge at the community level. Despite its usage, the existing and potential role of ICTs in climate change adaptation in Bangladesh is not notably evident in the literature. The literature hardly presents the potentials and challenges from an empirical perspective where vulnerable community offers the related perspective. Consequently, the paper explores potential uses of ICTs as adaptation tools and the associated challenges, with particular focus on agricultural adaptation and disaster risk reduction from community perspective. The research has been carried out among the climate vulnerable riverine island (char land) communities living in four villages of Sirajganj District in Bangladesh. The study reveals how people are getting the benefits of ICTs in adapting to climate change impacts. The study suggests that there are huge untapped potentials of using ICTs in climate change adaptation and proposes an improved governance framework.