Mohammadi News Agency News – Features – Photo
MNA Business Desk: The government on Wednesday signed a $113 million financing agreement with the World Bank to modernize the country’s meteorological and hydrological information system, including weather forecasting, early warning systems, and delivery of weather and climate services.
The Bangladesh Weather and Climate Services Regional Project (BWCSRP) will help strengthen the water, disaster risk and climate information services in Bangladesh.
The project will also pilot a community-level early warning system for flash floods, thunderstorms and droughts in four districts – Netrakona, Sunamganj, Rajshahi and Naogaon. The pilots will benefit more than 1 million people, said a press release.
The project will set up an Agrometeorological Information System portal, agromet information kiosks in 487 upazilas and agromet display boards at 4,051 unions.
This will enable more than 30,000 farmer households to gain access to weather and water related information, and enable them to make better planning and decisions to deal with climate uncertainties.
“With Bangladesh often exposed to extreme weather events, the lack of reliable forecasting and information on meteorological conditions can cost lives and hurt the productivity of key sectors, such as agriculture, which contributes to about 16 percent of GDP, and employs 45 percent of the population,” said Qimiao Fan, World Bank country director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.
