Dhaka symposium declaration

The International Conference on Climate Change and Food Security in South Asia, is held in

Dhaka from 18 to 20 May 2022.    We are pleased that this Conference is jointly organized by Dhaka University and CNRS, France and sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO); the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). There were eight technical sessions in this International Conference.

Agriculture in South Asia is highly vulnerable to climatic variability and climate change especially in rain-fed regions. Climate change has multi-dimensional impacts on agro-ecosystems in South Asia, including increases in temperature, declines in fresh water availability, sea level rise, glacial melting in the Himalayas, increased frequency and intensity of extreme events, and shifting of cropping zones.  They all impact agriculture and the related food sector as well as the general economies, societies and environment in South Asia.  South Asia accounts for some 40% of globally-recorded extreme events.

Agriculture is a bearer, a contributor as well as a mitigator of climate change.  Small landholders and resource poor, subsistence farmers predominate in the region and contribute to CO₂ emissions.  The per capita land area is <0.1 ha in many countries in South Asia and is rapidly decreasing because of conversion of land to non-agricultural uses, soil degradation and continued population growth.  The serious problems of soil degradation and desertification are likely to be exacerbated by climate change through accelerated erosion, fertility depletion, salinization and acidification.  Subsistence agriculture, characterized by low productivity and extractive farming, is extremely vulnerable to climate change.  The latter may constrain attainment of food production targets in the South Asian countries.

According to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the next few years will be critical. There are hard choices to be made about infrastructure; new service provision systems; policies and incentives and public investment so that development pathways in South Asia can shift towards sustainable development and development becomes climate resilient.

This International Conference identified several key recommendations to implement programs designed to minimize short- and long-term vulnerability of the South Asian region to climate change.  Principal recommendations are to:

• Create a Climate Change and Food Security South Asia Network (CCFSSANet) and establish a South Asia Climate Outlook Forum (SACOF).

• Stimulate multi-disciplinary research on climate change and food security in South Asia and identify effective mitigation and adaptation options, including carbon sequestration in different ecosystems.

• There are several adaptation measures that the agricultural sector can undertake to cope with future climate change. Emphasis should be placed on the implementation of such adaptation strategies such as the improved livestock management; more use of agroforestry practices; improved forest fire management; and development of early-warning systems and protection measures for natural disasters.

• Among the mitigation and adaptation options, Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies and practices present opportunities for addressing climate change challenges including economic growth and development. Modern information and communication technologies-based approaches such as mobile phone applications, can be used to provide agro-advisories and weather forecasts.

• Develop appropriate tools for climate risk management in agriculture such as Climatic risk matrices (CRM) for different crops and linking with crop simulation models to identify the viable management practices against target yield.

• Cope with climate risks through appropriate tactical approaches such as selection of appropriate crops and varieties; and use of risk reducing measures such as crop insurance. Coping with climate risks can also be through the use strategic approaches such as historical and future climate analyses; co-designing the farm system for resilience and market opportunities and establishing appropriate infrastructure and institutions to enhance adaptive capacity.

• Sea level rise is likely to have a severe impact on the coastal region affecting 30% of the region in Bangladesh. This would impact not only the crop production but also the livestock. There is a need to develop salinity tolerant rice varieties.  Salt tolerant rice varieties can be developed by identifying genes of local salt tolerant land races through molecular breeding.

• A knowledge-based, multi­-disciplinary and participatory approach can be developed through the iinitiation and strengthening of cooperation among academic and research institutions, international organizations, and NGOs to provide opportunities for strengthening institutions, human resource development and capacity building. These right partnerships can undertake science-based actions; policies; market/non market incentives; and promoting investments.

• Research on irrigation practices and technologies, drainage water management, tools for sustainable agroecosystem management, breeding drought-tolerant high-yielding crops, etc. should therefore be the focus of agricultural research systems.

• Due to climate change, there are rising uncertainties in the markets which include market price volatility during extreme weather events; accessibility and affordability; indebtedness; and pest attacks. It is important to develop innovative financial mechanisms to scale up technical and financial support for the adaptation efforts of the South Asian countries.

This International Conference urges the development partners and the private sector to fund the implementation of programs that reflect the recommendations outlined above that deal with the mitigation and adaptation to climate change while advancing food security in South Asia. The participants thank the University of Dhaka and the Bangladesh Government for hosting the symposium and providing all the necessary facilities.