Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintu today called for regional cooperation, equitable distribution of water and technology transfer to strengthen drought resilience.

He made the call at the Ministerial Dialogue on “Accelerating Drought Resilience” of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, according to a message received here.

The Bangladesh minister said drought and land degradation are interrelated in Bangladesh. 

The north-western region of the country is regularly experiencing drought and declining groundwater levels, he said.

Mintoo said salinity intrusion in coastal areas is damaging agricultural land and freshwater sources while the impact of floods and riverbank erosion is further complicating the crisis.

He said about 5.46 million hectares of land in the north-western region of the country is drought-prone. 

The water level is rapidly decreasing in many areas there due to the extraction of groundwater through about 16,000 deep tube wells, he said. 

He said new irrigation activities have been restricted in these areas.

 At the same time, the minister said, farmers are being given crop-based advice through SMS, voice calls and mobile apps by monitoring drought indicators through Bangladesh Agro-Meteorological Information Systems (BAMIS).

He further said under the National Green Mission, a target of planting 25 crore saplings has been set across the country. 

In addition, Mintoo said, as part of nature-based drought management, initiatives have been taken to excavate and re-excavate about 20,000 kilometres of canals, rivers and water bodies in the next five years.

"This will increase the availability of surface water and reduce pressure on groundwater," he said, mentioning that Bangladesh's experience will be useful for other water-stressed countries.

Highlighting the situation in the coastal region, the minister said due to the rise in sea level and the decrease in river flow during the dry season, saline water is entering agricultural land and drinking water sources, which is threatening the livelihood of millions of people. 

To address this crisis, coastal mangrove forest expansion activities are also being taken forward under the National Green Mission, he said.

Mintoo stressed effective water management in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin and cooperation among neighbouring countries, saying that ensuring adequate water flow during the dry season is also an important way to combat land degradation. 

He also called for considering basin-based cooperation and equitable water distribution as the main pillars to build drought resilience.

The minister said Bangladesh's National Adaptation Plan has prioritised drought management until 2050. 

He welcomed the initiative of launching the International Drought Resilience Observatory and proposed to link Bangladesh's BAMIS data with this system. 

At the same time, Mintoo underscored the need for further strengthening technology transfer for the development and expansion of drought and salinity tolerant crop varieties.

The minister said Bangladesh is facing acute risks of drought and land degradation. 

He urged the UNCCD member states to develop an international drought resilience framework based on early preparation, adequate funding and effective regional cooperation.

Apart from Bangladesh, ministers, deputy ministers and heads of delegations from different countries participated in the meeting. 

In addition, representatives of different international and regional organisations, including FAO, ESCAP, IOM, UNICEF, UNDRR, UNDP, IFAD, AIIB and African Union, were present as observers.