Lessons Learnt from Stakeholders Engagement and Collaboration Module
For stakeholder identification and mapping, there are many effective tools. As discussed in this module, tools such as the Power-Benefit Matrix allow project implementers to categorize stakeholders according to their influence and level of benefit. This supports strategic engagement and resource prioritization, as demonstrated in the Sundarbans Resilience Project (SRP), where stakeholders were grouped into primary decision-makers, local influencers, and beneficiaries. It also helps to envisage possible power dynamics and their impacts on projects. Clear communication improves transparency and trust, while negotiation enables stakeholders to balance competing interests. In climate adaptation projects, this is particularly important when environmental conservation objectives intersect with the livelihood needs of local communities. Through dialogue, stakeholders can balance different priorities, such as conservation goals and community livelihood needs, and develop compromise solutions that benefit all parties. Sustainable, inclusive collaboration requires community participation, shared decision-making, transparency, and local ownership. A good example in my community, although not related to climate adaptation, was when residents contributed money to repair a stolen electricity transformer cable after a year-long blackout.