Climate variability and change: adaptation to drought in Bangladesh

Abstract

This document has been tested and prepared as a reference and guide for further training and capacity building of agricultural extension workers and development professionals to deal with climate change impacts and adaptation, using the example of drought-prone areas of Bangladesh. The manual consists of 6 modules. Module 1 describes the basis of climate variability and change. Module 2 identifies types of droughts, their underlying causes and their impacts. Module 3 builds on this to describe the impact of climate variability and change in drought-prone areas. Module 4 introduces participatory tools and methods for undertaking community-level climate risk assessment in the agricultural sector. Module 5 offers guidance for developing agricultural adaptation options to manage climate variability and change in drought-prone areas. Module 6 identifies the existing weather and climate forecast products available in Bangladesh and explains their utility for improving the adaptive capacity of rural livelihoods to reduce the impact of climate variability and change. Also presented are suggestions for a three-day training course that would be adaptable for any area in Bangladesh affected by climate-related risks