Develop forecasting tech for agri planning, management
Disaster management experts at an international seminar yesterday underscored the need for developing monthly and seasonal flood forecasting technologies for agricultural planning and management, as climatic changes are likely to affect agriculture badly.
They also suggested validating and disseminating the already developed know-how of forecasting flood ten days ahead and emphasised on special attention on the flash flood areas.
At present, Bangladesh can forecast flood for 72 hours, but the new technology that has been piloted in Rajpur of Lalmonirhat, Uria of Gaibandha, Kaijuri of Sirajganj, Bekra Atgram of Tangail and Gazirtek of Faridpur districts could be applied countrywide from next year.
The recommendations came after a two-day seminar on 'Long lead flood forecast technology for disaster management' organised by water resources ministry in association with USAID and CARE Bangladesh at a city hotel.
Flood management experts from the US, Japan, Nepal, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand and Bangladesh are parting in the seminar to share the findings of the technology for collaboration.
Speaking at the concluding seminar, Additional Secretary to Water Resources Ministry Badrul Alam Tarafdar said, “If we can increase the lead-time of flood forecasting and apply it countrywide, we can significantly reduce the losses of life and properties caused by floods.”
Bangladesh Water Development Board Director General Mozaddad Faruque said Bangladesh is a lower riparian country of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna basins and so it has no control over flooding.
“Therefore, what we need is real data on rainfall to forecast flood much ahead of time,” he added.
The seminar also recommended capacity building of the local experts working in disaster management institutions and development of communication tools to disseminate disaster information at national, district, upazila, union and local community levels for immediate response from people.
Experts said necessary support may be sought from the ongoing Regional Integrated Multi Hazard Early Warning System (RIEM) as facilitated by Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) for development of the advanced technologies.
Appreciating support of USAID through CARE Bangladesh under its Shouhardo Programme, the experts said they expect continuation of the support for further development of the activities to reduce the risk of flood damages in the country as well as in the region.
Fahem Y Khan, team leader of Shouhardo Programme of CARE Bangaldesh, and Emaduddin Ahmad, executive director of Institute of Water Modelling, also spoke.
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