ACCESS4ALL Group

Influence and Benefits

In the Sundarbans Resilience Project, the greatest influence lies with national government agencies, the Forest Department, international donors, and the project’s management unit. They control funding, regulations, and strategic direction. The highest benefits, however, flow to local communities, fisherfolk, honey collectors, farmers, women’s groups, and marginalized households, who depend directly on ecological restoration, safer infrastructure, and diversified livelihoods. This creates a familiar adaptation pattern in which those with the least power stand to gain the most from successful implementation.

Roles and Contributions

Government bodies provide policy authority, land-use decisions, and disaster management frameworks. Donor agencies contribute financial resources and technical oversight. NGOs and community-based organizations mobilize local participation, support training, and strengthen social acceptance. Local communities supply labour, indigenous knowledge, and long-term stewardship, while researchers generate data that guides ecological and climate-related decisions. Each group contributes a different form of capital—political, financial, social, or scientific—making the project inherently collaborative.

Power Imbalances

Despite their centrality, local communities and especially women and marginalized groups often have limited influence over formal decisions. Donor priorities may overshadow local needs, and scientific expertise can be privileged over traditional ecological knowledge. These imbalances risk weakening long-term ownership and sustainability if not addressed through inclusive engagement.

Basis for Influence Assessment

Stakeholder influence was determined by examining control over resources, decision-making authority, social legitimacy, technical expertise, and dependency on project outcomes. This combination helps reveal both formal power structures and informal community influence, which together shape the project’s success.