The government is set to train 32,000 farmers from five districts in climate change adaptation strategies. This initiative falls under the "Building Climate Resilient Livelihoods in Vulnerable Landscapes in Bangladesh (BCRL)" project, as announced during a workshop organized by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) on Sunday.
The workshop, focused on Vulnerability Risk Assessment, revealed that the project is being implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The five-year project, costing TK 66 crore, is expected to conclude by June 2028. Of the total budget, TK 56 crore will be provided by the Department of Agricultural Extension, with the remaining TK 10 crore contributed by the Department of Environment.
Farmers from Godagari in Rajshahi, Nachole and Bholahat in Chapainawabganj, Dumuria, Botiaghata, and Paikgacha in Khulna, as well as Kaukhali in Rangamati, and Sadar and Manikchari in Khagrachari, will receive this training. Based on the assessments, essential resources will be provided to the farmers. Additionally, market linkages and value chain mapping will be established to ensure fair prices for agricultural products.
The workshop, jointly organized by the BCRL project and consulting firms Sushilon Limited and Swabalombi Samaj Unnayan Sangstha, was held at Khamarbari in Dhaka. The event's chief guest was DAE Director General Tajul Islam Patwari, while the session was chaired by Nurul Islam, Director of DAE’s Planning, Project Implementation, and ICT Wing. The keynote presentation was delivered by Professor Dr. Ramiz Uddin from Bangladesh Agricultural University, and the welcoming address was given by Dr. Mohammad Lokman Hossain Majumder, the Component Director for the DAE section of the BCRL project.