Family Futures

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onfronting

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overty

Global warming is likely to increase the sea level, threat-

ening fisher settlements along the coastline. Already there

are reports of severe coastal erosion from India, Bangladesh

and Sri Lanka. Maldives also faces a high risk from global

warming as many areas of this low-lying country may be

flooded in the next 50 years if the sea level continues to

rise. The WBOB countries, especially Bangladesh and India,

are highly prone to cyclones and storm surges. In the past

decade the region has witnessed many devastating cyclones,

including the December 2004 tsunami that caused unprec-

edented damage to lives and livelihoods in India and Sri

Lanka. Fishing communities on the coast are directly

affected by such extreme weather incidences, making fami-

lies vulnerable to loss of livelihoods and poverty.

Apart from climate change, versatile uses of coastline and

marine waters from industry to tourism to exploration are

also threatening the fisheries sector. Since these activities

are economically more remunerative than fisheries, they

are often favoured in national developmental approaches.

In addition, growing industrialization and urbanization is

increasing the chances of pollution further threatening fish-

eries biodiversity and livelihoods.

With the setting up of the Marine Protected Areas and

declaration of many coastal stretches as protected grounds

for iconic marine species such as turtles, the livelihoods

of fisher families have been badly affected. The collision

between marine biodiversity conservation and livelihoods

is becoming a matter of grave concern as these fisher

families have little option outside the sector. While steps

are being taken now to involve local communities in the

conservation process, a thorough participatory approach

will be needed before parts of the coastline are designated

as protected areas.

Regional initiatives for vulnerability reduction

The Government of India, in association with provincial

governments, runs a fully subsidized insurance programme

for fishers, providing compensation in case of accidental

death, permanent disability or loss of limb up to INR 100,000

(approximately US$1,666). Around 4 million fishers are

currently covered by the scheme.

Recently the Government of Bangladesh, through its nation-

alized insurance agency, Jiban Bima Corporation, introduced

a group insurance scheme whereby fishers form a group of at

least 50 people and pay the premium. The scheme has filled a

void in the social security space for fishers in Bangladesh and

has achieved fast penetration since it was launched in October

2012. The annual per capita premium is Tk 1,240 (approxi-

mately US$16) for an assured sum of Tk 200,000 (around

US$2,500). The scheme covers natural death, accidental death

and permanent disability. Partial disability is not yet covered

under the scheme. The term of the plan is for three years.

Self-help groups (SHGs) in the region, promoted mostly

by non-governmental organizations since the late 1990s,

have become a major tool of organizing fisherwomen and

creating opportunities for additional or alternative liveli-

hoods. Fisherwomen were initially apprehensive of joining

such groups, but a host of institutional features such as

microfinance, which preferred such groups over individu-

als, created space for the development of SHGs. Although

A fisher couple removing a bumper catch from gill net, Negombo, Sri Lanka

Image: S. Jayaraj