UNOPS for building climate-resilient agri value chain in Bangladesh
Bangladesh faces significant challenges in ensuring food security and the resilience of its agricultural sector, especially considering the nation’s vulnerability to climate change and extreme weather events
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Bangladesh yesterday hosted a roundtable discussion on "Building Climate-Resilient Agriculture Value Chain with Partners in Bangladesh" during the sixth episode of SDG Café.
SDF Café is a monthly roundtable discussion series dedicated to addressing pressing development challenges and innovating solutions. As part of their commitment to reviving Agenda 2030, this episode focused on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, which aims to "end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture," reads a press release.
Bangladesh faces significant challenges in ensuring food security and the resilience of its agricultural sector, especially considering the nation's vulnerability to climate change and extreme weather events.
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Sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture is fundamental to achieving SDG 2 and ensuring food security and nutrition for all.
The episode aimed to explore the challenges and innovative approaches to building climate-resilient agricultural supply chains through strategic partnerships between different stakeholders.
The roundtable welcomed Dr Md Shah Kamal Khan, project director, Agro-Meteorological Information Systems Development Project (AMISDP) within the Ministry of Agriculture, as the keynote speaker who shared his invaluable insights.
He highlighted, "Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries of the world in the event of climate change…So, Agro-Meteorological information is essential for ensuring Climate Smart Agriculture."
"AMISDP project is working for ensuring Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) in the country... Now the mission of DAE (Department of Agricultural Extension) is to ensure the growth of sustainable and profitable crop production, optimise the knowledge and skills of farmers of all tiers through providing skilled, effective, decentralised, localised, needs-based, and integrated agricultural extension services," he added.
The Country Manager of UNOPS Bangladesh Sudhir Muralidharan said that agricultural value chains in Bangladesh are complex involving various stages from production to consumption. The main challenges relate to land fragmentation, vulnerability to climate change and the slow pace of technology adoption and modernization.
However, the government has taken important steps including farm and fertiliser subsidies, agriculture extension services and export incentives for agro-processing industries to strengthen the value chains, he added.
The SDG Communication Advisor of UNOPS Bangladesh Renuka Naj said, "We must empower women in agriculture and address climate change simultaneously. They are the backbone of our agriculture."
