Mapping Community Voices in the Coastal Region of Bengal: Case Studies and Best Practices of Participatory GIS

This chapter goes into specific case studies and best practices for utilizing PGIS to map coastal community voices in the Sundarbans. As a consequence, the primary objectives were to map indigenous technical knowledge for fish catching, social sensitivity to climate, participatory mapping of fishing grounds, natural resource management using participatory GIS, and modeling vegetation ecologies in relation to climate change. This chapter used PGIS to involve residents in mapping their surroundings and issues, thereby promoting geospatial citizenship. PGIS provides active engagement in data collection, analysis, and visualization, which improves community insights. This strategy enables individuals to participate in local decision-making processes, advocate for needs, and work with others. Citizens benefit from mapping infrastructure, environmental risks, and cultural sites to better comprehend their surroundings. PGIS promotes collaboration among community members, government institutions, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and researchers, hence facilitating collective action. Furthermore, it improves openness in governance by democratizing access to spatial data and encouraging participatory decision-making.