Mapping Sundarbans Resilience Project
In the Sundarbans Resilience Project, the national ministries responsible for environment, water resources, disaster management, and planning, along with major international donors and the project management team, fall into the high power–high influence category and therefore require close engagement. They control approvals, funding, and strategic direction, and the success of the project directly affects their institutional standing.
Authorities at higher levels, as well as regulatory or law enforcement bodies whose primary role is ensuring legal compliance and alignment with policies, belong in the high power–low influence quadrant. These actors can block or shape the project if necessary, but they are less involved in day-to-day project activities. The recommended approach is to keep them satisfied.
Local coastal communities, including fishers, small-scale farmers, and other vulnerable residents, are placed in the low power–high influence segment. They should be kept well-informed because the project directly impacts their livelihoods and safety. While their formal authority over funding or design is limited, their interest and stake in the outcomes are significant, highlighting a notable power imbalance with donors and ministries.
Peripheral stakeholders such as researchers, universities, and the media fall into the low power–low influence quadrant and are primarily monitored. They contribute knowledge, analysis, and visibility, but they neither rely on the project for their survival nor hold much sway over major decisions.