Dhaka, 8 October 2023/RDRS Press Release/: The climate change impacts are already adding significant stress to our physical and environmental resources, our human ability, and our economic activities. At present the climate change in Bangladesh creates insecurities for food, water, life, property, settlement, livelihoods, and others. Climatic impacts reduce securities directly and indirectly. Environmental degradation of land resources reduces food security and at the same time increases conflicts over resources and livelihood persuasions, and increases different diseases and health hazards.
RDRS Bangladesh, a national NGO is taking steps to bring people from different flocks together to address this crucial issue. In this context, RDRS organized a seminar on ‘Climate Change Adaptation, Agricultural Innovation, and Resilience’ on 8 October 2023 at Hotel Radisson Blu in Dhaka. The purpose of organizing this seminar was to focus on the challenges caused by climate change and the alarming situation of our country and share RDRS experiences addressing the issue. The representatives from different government organizations, NGOs, international donor agencies, and educational institutions participated in the seminar.
Dr. Atiur Rahman, Emeritus Professor, University of Dhaka; Former Governor, Bangladesh Bank; and Founder Chairman, National Char Alliance was present as the Chief Guest, while Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman, Dhaka School of Economics; Eminent Economist and Environmental Activist chaired the event. Dr. Md. Abdul Muyeed, Member, Governing Body, PKSF, and former Director General, Department of Agricultural Extension; Shykh Seraj, Director and head of News, Channel i; were present as panelists. Dr. Mrinmoy Guha Neogi, Deputy Project Leader, University of Western Australia, and Independence Award Winner presented the keynote paper at the seminar.
RDRS undertook various initiatives to enhance the capacity of vulnerable communities in northwest Bangladesh to address the impacts of climate change such as low and uneven rainfall, floods, cold spells, drought, and other natural calamities. Major activities taken under the climate change adaptation program are: developing community coping mechanisms, innovation and extending short-duration rice-based cropping patterns, promoting rice-fish culture at the household level, flood-tolerant and drought-tolerant rice in a changed climate, promoting rice-bank for community food security during emergency, homestead raising in the flood-prone areas, alternate wetting and drying technology, bio-gas plant, conservation agriculture for improving farm productivity, tree plantation and many more.
The speakers said that learning is always a good opportunity to feed our minds. Sharing experiences and learning from each other help us to map our future actions. Through such events, we get a chance to boost our knowledge with a unique opportunity to accelerate our targets and interventions for climate change adaptation and resilience. Dr. Atiur Rahman said that partnership is the best strategy to work on climate change issues. Such events give us a chance to come under one umbrella and work together. Dr. M.G. Neogi said that more researchers for agricultural innovation. Introducing and implementing high-yielding crops will help the country to ensure food security for all. Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman emphasizes justified economic distribution to climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh. Shykh Seraj said RDRS has an excellent record of working on climate change adaptation and resilience, innovation in agriculture, and food security in northwest Bangladesh. He added the southern region of Bangladesh is also very much vulnerable to climate change adversities. He requested RDRS to extend its climate change work in the southern region as well.
The event was inaugurated by Parveen Mahmud, FCA, Chairperson, Board of Trustees, RDRS Bangladesh, and concluded by Tapan Kumar Karmaker, Executive Director, RDRS Bangladesh.
