Book published by Springer Nature on "The Sundarbans: A Disaster-Prone Eco-Region / Increasing Livelihood Security", edited by Dr.H.S.Sen (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00680-8)

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Preface

The Ganges delta, known popularly as Sundarbans, is one of the largest in the world. The rivers, Ganges and Brahmaputra, flow into the delta from the northwest and the north. The delta is distributed over major part of Bangladesh and southern part of West Bengal (India). At the extreme south, the delta is about 360 km wide along the Bay of Bengal, and in terms of area, about 1,05,000 km² including 10,000 km² under forest, distributed over the two countries with 60 % in Bangladesh and 40 % in India. With increasing population pressure, deteriorated hydrological conditions in rivers, and other anthropological factors along with trend of seawater rise vis-à-vis global warming, and various other factors, majority of the area remains highly fragile in nature and ecologically unsustainable. Productivity of agriculture and aquaculture, being the principal areas of occupation of the majority, are generally poor because of various constraints, which, along with ecological vulnerability, are responsible for abject poverty and uncertain livelihood of the local inhabitants in this eco-region. There is need for a holistic look at the entire problem being essentially of transboundary nature, so much so that the problems and solutions of the two are not only mutually dependent but also complementary to each other, and therefore attempts are made in this book seeking for a future road map for higher and sustainable productivity and improved livelihood status of this contiguous area. Obviously, the future steps for improvement should be of mutual benefit to both the countries, more specifically the tidal dominated eco-region. The latter acts as a sink of the entire river system originating thousands of miles upstream in India, with full regards to hydrology as well as the geo-political factors over the entire course of flow. Unfortunately, such attempt has not been made in the past in full spirit making both countries suffer so far, and this being crux of the issue, the present endeavour will address it through a multi-pronged approach.

The book encompasses analyses of various risk factors related to geohydrological, climatic, natural, biodiversity, socioeconomic, and anthropological aspects for the Sundarbans eco-region; further discusses strategies for disaster risk management, sustainability in natural resource management including agriculture, aquaculture and forestry for ecological sustenance, along with their impacts on livelihood security; and finally suggests future pathways for improved socio-economy using interventions in both farm and non-farm sectors in trans-boundary mode cutting across the political boundaries. The book comprises of several chapters authored by eminent scientists and workers specializing in the respective areas of both countries. A chronological review on societal transformation and related approaches towards various livelihood patterns followed over ages, with subsequent chapters on modern-age professional practice on agriculture, land and water management, sweet and brackish water aquaculture, mangrove ecosystem management was presented ─ and all these, along with non-farm activity like transboundary eco-tourism, with impacts on economic growth of the inhabitants for improvement of the livelihood, were discussed. The book places considerable emphasis in characterizing Sundarbans for its dynamic behaviour, on one hand, with continual modification of several islands due to erosion and accretion in the river banks under changing surface water hydrology in rivers and tide-fed estuaries, thereby suggesting engineering interventions on estuary management for augmenting freshwater supply, improved drainage and reduced bank erosion, and on the other hand, presenting challenges to mainstreaming of climate change to combat future adversities in the eco-region. The climate change-induced recent disaster events along with relief measures undertaken and their impacts on biodiversity and livelihood in the past have been discussed with emphasis. In a departure from the common trend, an inventory of algal dynamics and their role as climate change proxies have been presented in a separate chapter. Use of remote sensing satellites, as a state-of-the-art technology, for disaster management, ecological disturbance and landmass changes, has been presented through an interesting discussion. 

All in all, I quote, what Dr. Uttam Kumar Mandal and his associates highlighted in their chapter in this book, that Sundarbans is gradually becoming inhospitable with time in view of climate change, deteriorating hydrological balance of the rivers and creeks, unscientific anthropological interventions, etc., all acting individually or through their interactions. Climate change appears to be irreversible in nature, making the whole situation very complex adding to a host of constraints in soils and water normally experienced in the eco-region, thereby further limiting the productivity of agriculture and aquaculture. Nevertheless, the issue before us remains, whether, it is technically possible to look for ‘improvement in farm productivity’ by tiding over the challenge with time. Alternatively, we may be content with ‘subsistence farming’, and yet ensure livelihood security, means of which have to be worked out in the lines suggested. The solution in this direction is, though difficult, not impossible if a holistic approach is undertaken. Significantly, towards this approach it is of utmost importance, what Prof. M.M.Q.Mirza and associates urged, to undertake integration of the climate change policies of the two countries, and possibly Nepal also, all sharing the GBM basin, under the aegis of SAARC, to address key concerns and vulnerabilities, and discuss all related issues with open mind. I strongly endorse their voice that both Bangladesh and India should join hands to mitigate the miseries and find tangible solutions towards improved and sustainable livelihood. The book seeks an answer to this direction. 

H.S.Sen (Editor)