Stakeholder Mapping, Power and Influence
Who holds the most influence, and who benefits the most from the project’s outcomes?
The government agencies and international donors hold the most influence, as they have decision-making power and regulatory authority, while also controlling project resources. Therefore, they directly decide how to design, execute, and prioritize different aspects of the project.
The local communities and marginalized groups (e.g. women, children, fishermen, farmers etc.) benefit the most from the project’s outcomes because they depend on the project to improve their safety, livelihood, and participation in coastal management.
What was each stakeholder’s role, potential benefits, and level of influence within the project?
Based on the case study, the following stakeholders have been identified, along with their roles, potential beenfits, and level of influence:
Government agencies
Role: policy, resource allocation, regulatory supervision
Potential benefits: achieving the national adaptation goals
Level of influence: high power, high influence
International donors
Role: funding, strategic guidance
Potential benefits: achieving successful outcomes for international climate commitments, funding for future projects
Level of influence: high power, high influence
SRP management unit
Role: project management and coordination
Potential benefits: recognition and influence over local and national adaptation planning in future, capacity building, increased networking and partnerships, access to funding for future projects
Level of influence: high power, high influence
Local Government Institutions
Role: Coordinating local-level project activities, supporting community engagement
Potential benefits: Improving local disaster resilience, strengthening local governance
Level of influence: High power, low influence
Cyclone preparedness and early warning agencies
Role: Disseminating early warnings, supporting emergency preparedness, coordinating evacuations
Potential benefits: Improving disaster preparedness systems, reducing loss of life and property
Level of influence: High power, low influence
Private Sector Actors
Role: Supporting livelihood activities, providing goods and services
Potential benefits: Strengthening economic resilience, creating livelihood opportunities
Level of influence: Low power, low influence
International research partners
Role: Providing monitoring, research and technical expertise, scientific collaboration
Potential benefits: Knowledge generation, research contribution
Level of influence: Low power, low influence
NGOs
Role: facilitating local engagement, providing training, implementing livelihood projects
Potential benefits: community trust, programme success
Level of influence: low power, high influence
Local communities and marginalized groups
Role: participating in adaptation activities, livelihood diversification, restoring mangroves
Potential benefits: improved resilience, alternative livelihood sources
Level of influence: low power, high influence
Researchers
Role: providing evidence, recommending policies
Potential benefits: achieving academic outcomes, impact on policy
Level of influence: low power, high influence
How do different groups (e.g., government agencies, NGOs, local communities, researchers) contribute to or depend on the project?
Government agencies provide legal frameworks, and depend on local evidence for effective policy.
International donors provide financial resources for the project, offer technical guidance and international best practices for climate adaptation and resilience. They depend on the project’s success to justify their investments to international stakeholders and potentially ensure future funding.
NGOs provide trainings, facilitate community engagement, and implement livelihood projects. They depend on project funding and government support.
Local communities contribute by coordinating local-level project activities and supporting community engagement. They depend on guidance and funding to reduce their vulnerability.
SRP management unit implement and coordinate the project. They depend on the project for their operational existence, and the staff’s career progression also depends on successful delivery of the project.
Researchers contribute by gathering evidence and recommending policies. They depend on government access, funding, and community participation.
Are there any power imbalances or overlooked voices that could affect the project’s success?
The government agencies and international donors hold the greatest decision-making power and control over project resources, while the local communities and marginalized groups are the primary beneficiaries most directly affected by project outcomes. However, the beneficiaries have little formal authority in project planning and decision-making. If their local knowledge, priorities, and concerns are not properly considered, the adaptation measures may be less effective or less accepted by the community, thus affecting the project’s success. NGOs can help reduce this imbalance by representing local interests and encouraging community participation.
How did you determine the power and influence of each stakeholder in the given context?
The power and influence of each stakeholder was determined through the stakeholder mapping exercise.
Stakeholders with both high power and high influence, such as government agencies, international donors, and SRP management unit, were placed under Manage Closely because they have significant control over project decisions and resources.
Stakeholders with high power but low influence were placed under Keep Satisfied. These include local government institutions, and cyclone preparedness and early warning agencies, as they have a high institutional authority and their support is crucial for the project, but they do not directly manage the project’s daily activities.
Stakeholders with low power but high influence, such as NGOs, local communities, marginalized groups, and researchers were placed under Keep Informed because although they have limited formal authority, they play an important role in community engagement, knowledge generation, implementation, and the overall success of the project.
Stakeholders with low power and low influence (private sector actors, international research partners) were placed under Monitor, as they have the least direct impact on project decisions and implementation.