Seminar on Climate Change Impacts on Rice Production in Bangladesh

Reported By Jabin Tahmina Haque

An in-house seminar has been organized at Unnayan Onneshan’s conference room on November 15, 2009 focusing mainly the effects of increasing temperature on rice production in Bangladesh. Jayanta Kumar Basak, researcher of the organization, presented paper linking climate change, rice production and food security which will be used as a background paper for the Organisation’s forthcoming national seminar on food security. The paper aimed at building the interfaces between Boro rice production and increasing temperature. The research revealed that total rice production of Bangladesh will be decreased to a significant level by 2050, if the temperature will increase ranging from 1.80C to 40C as projected by IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report. Accordingly, 50% population may face food shortage by 2050 (Base year 2006-07). The situation will further aggravate with increasing population (two million people per year) and temperature. The participants argued that this horrifying picture shows evidence of how vulnerable Bangladesh is from the impacts of climate change. They call for an immediate action both from national and international communities taking into consideration the results of the research.