Assessing Suitable Alternatives for Better Livelihood

Disaster is a regular phenomenon in Bangladesh which affects almost every year.Recently a devastating cyclone AILA ruined coastal areas of Bangladesh and the normal pattern of livelihood of those areas specially- Koyra. This study tries to find out the changes in the livelihood pattern occurred due to AILA. Various environmental and non environmental factors of livelihood change are found which are responsible to make the situation very much challenging for the general people of that area. Frequent natural hazards, low income and expenditure,scarcity of pure drinking water,high level of saline intrusion, loss of physical capital,weak infrastructure, change of occupation,vulnerable housing condition,low coverage of sanitation and health facilities,forced migration,long time water logging etc.are found as the determinants of livelihood change in this area.Finally, according to data analysis and people s perception some of the alternatives and adaptation mechanisms like improvement of marketing system, income generating activities in household level, crop diversification, saline resilience crop etc. are recommended which may better the situation for sustainable livelihood.