Climate-Smart Mapping and Adaptation Planning (CS-MAP) was launched on 24 November 2024 at the BARC Auditorium, Farmgate Dhaka.
As a part of the CGIAR research initiative on Asian Mega Delta, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in collaboration with the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) officially launched the Climate-Smart Mapping and Adaptation Planning (CS-MAP) on Sunday.
The initiative was launched with the aim to enhance food security and climate resilience by empowering stakeholders with actionable insights and location-specific solutions.
This innovative tool integrates scientific research and local expertise to map climate risks, offering tailored adaptation strategies for sustainable farming to address the growing challenges climate change poses to agriculture in Bangladesh's coastal regions. Bangladesh, the seventh most risk-prone country for extreme climatic disasters in the world, faces the growing challenges of climate change. The risks associated with climate change include floods, droughts, salinity, rising sea levels, extreme temperatures, erratic rainfall, and cyclones. These challenges threaten agricultural production, food security, and rural livelihoods.
With changing weather patterns, field-level government officials must implement appropriate agricultural preparations and responsive actions. CS MAP can help them take appropriate and informed decisions. CS-MAP is a participatory mapping approach that has been implemented in 10 districts in the coastal area of Bangladesh, reads a press release.
Working with scientists and experts from BWDB, BRRI, BARI, DAE, and BADC, climate change-related risks in agriculture were identified by assessing the agricultural climate change risks in each area, the extent of each risk was determined, and these risks were mapped into an atlas. During the event launch, these atlases were formally handed over to 10 deputy directors of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE). The launch event featured informative presentations on the CS-MAP approach, potential applications, and a video demonstration. Approximately 75 key government officials, researchers, and stakeholders attended the initiative's launch, gaining valuable insights into the innovative tools and strategies developed under the CS-MAP initiative.
Dr Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, attended the event as the chief guest.
He emphasized the importance of integrating research innovations into national agricultural policy planning. Md Saiful Alam, director general of DAE, acknowledged the role of CS-MAP in guiding realistic and accurate policy and field-level interventions.
Dr Nazmun Nahar Karim, the executive chairman of BARC, emphasized the necessity of collaboration and coordination among various government and non-government institutions working on climate adaptation to optimize resource use. Md Zakir Hossain, additional secretary, Ministry of Agriculture said Climate change is erratic and unpredictable and this kind of study needs to be continuous to understand the pattern.
The event concluded with a speech from the chairperson of the event, Dr Humnath Bhandari, IRRI Representative to Bangladesh, who extended his gratitude to all stakeholders, emphasizing IRRI’s commitment to supporting climate-resilient agriculture in the country.