CARE’s early weather forecast programme to reduce losses, deaths

Non-profit organisation CARE through its food security programme Shouhardo III held a workshop titled ‘Improved Weather and Flood Information System for Community Based Risk and Resource Management’ with the USAID and Bangladesh government funds on 19 November in Dhaka.

The event was organised jointly with Shouhardo’s new technical partner, Regional Integrated Multi-hazard Early Warning System (RIMES), in advancing resilience-building among the communities it supports in northern Bangladesh.

The new partnership will deliver essential information in preparation for rains and floods that are frequent in Shouhardo III covering areas.

RIMES will work with the government agencies - the disaster management and relief ministry (MoDMR), Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and Department of Livestock Services (DLS) - to provide upazila-specific weather forecasts.

Representatives from various ministries, government departments, and wider stakeholders took part in the discussion. Disaster management and relief ministry additional secretary Md Mohsin was present as chief guest while Bangladesh Water Development Board director general Md Mahfuzur Rahman was the special guest.

“We are excited about this initiative as it is fully aligned with the government’s vision to make Bangladesh a resilient country,” said Md Mohisin.

Shouhardo worked with RIMES during its second phase gaining the communities’ growing trust on the forecast. The farmers and the communities used the information they received on time for better planning in planting and harvesting the crops and better planning for moving livestock.

The current partnership will focus on community response, early action, improved weather and flood forecast, early warning system, enhanced capacity for local analysis, localising weather information and sector specific advisories.

Shouhardo III envisions having deeper engagement with the government agencies that have been supporting the communities at the field level. It also aims to strengthen the Union Disaster Management Committees in the 115 unions in eight districts -- Habiganj, Kishoreganj, Sunamganj and Sylhet in Haor area, and Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Kurigram and Sirajganj in Char area. The location-specific early warning will help the farmers reduce losses during disasters, and lower livestock deaths.

CARE Bangladesh assistant country director Prabodh Devkota highlighted about CARE Bangladesh’s overall engagement in areas of Humanitarian and Resilience efforts.

“The current effort will aim to expand the scope of early warning from 2-3 days to 10-15 days’ time frame, which will help the government, development partners, communities and stakeholders to prepare and when needed ensure effective and timely response,” he said.

Shouhardo chief Walter Mwasaa emphasised, “Upon successful completion, the programme will shift the conversation from ‘what the weather will be to what the farmers should do’.”