Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its location, fast-growing population, and frequent climatic shocks. Climate-induced disasters are becoming more frequent and severe with intensifying heatwaves, floods, and cyclones, and slower-onset impacts such as sea level rise. All of these events harm livelihoods and ecosystems, especially food systems (IPCC, 2018, 2021, 2022).
Nearly 70% of the country’s landmass is dedicated to agriculture, a critical sector for employment and food security (FAO, 2023). However, the industry faces serious threats, as climate change undermines productivity.
The country’s diverse food system, which includes horticulture, fisheries, livestock, and poultry, supports millions of livelihoods but is increasingly at risk from cyclones, floods, droughts, and slow-onset events like sea level rise and salinity intrusion. Socio-economic challenges, such as poverty, land fragmentation, and poor infrastructure, further limit the ability of farmers and communities to adapt.
To enhance food system resilience in Bangladesh, comprehensive, proactive actions are essential. Key strategies include investing in climate-smart agriculture (CSA) for small-scale farmers through long-term financial mechanisms and supporting local-level dissemination of CSA technologies. A collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach engaging government, research bodies, NGOs, farmer groups, youth, and women should prioritize “learning by doing.” Additionally, strengthening food system resilience requires localized, multi-risk early warning systems and improved market linkages to protect the livelihoods of marginalized farmers.
Background Brief | Click Here To DownloadAbout The Authors :
Savio Rousseau Rozario, Afsara Binte Mirza, and Rawnak Jahan Khan Ranon, all are works at ICCCAD.
