GCA and PKSF Collaborate on Green Climate Fund Proposal to Bolster Climate Resilience in Bangladesh’s Inland Aquaculture
D
haka, Bangladesh, 7 October 2024 – The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), in partnership with the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), convened a high-level session with leading aquaculture experts from the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) today to advance the development of a comprehensive concept note for the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This initiative aims to address the mounting climate change vulnerabilities affecting Bangladesh’s inland aquaculture sector and to enhance the resilience of this vital industry.
Inland aquaculture is a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s food security, economy, and rural livelihoods, significantly contributing to both domestic consumption and export markets. As one of the world’s largest producers of inland fish, the country benefits from extensive networks of rivers, ponds, and wetlands that support a rich diversity of species. However, the sector is increasingly threatened by the adverse impacts of climate change, including rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, and the increased frequency of floods and droughts. These climatic disruptions are severely affecting fish production, breeding cycles, and the prevalence of diseases, thereby threatening the livelihoods of millions and the nation’s food supply.
GCA, through its Technical Assistance Program (TAP), is supporting PKSF, one of Bangladesh’s two GCF Direct Access Entities, in the formulation of a GCF adaptation project that aims to mitigate these challenges. A key objective of the proposal is to develop a robust climate rationale, establishing a scientifically grounded linkage between climate change impacts and the vulnerabilities of the inland aquaculture sector. This requires a strong evidence base, with long-term indicators that clearly demonstrate the cause-and-effect relationship between climatic variables and sectoral stressors.
To inform the development of the concept note, GCA and PKSF organized a focused half-day session at BAU’s Faculty of Fisheries, gathering experts in fisheries biology, aquaculture management, genetics, and climate adaptation technologies. The session facilitated in-depth discussions on climate-induced stressors impacting the sector, including elevated temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and their associated effects on fish production, altered breeding patterns, and increased disease incidence.
The session also explored a range of potential adaptation solutions. Experts emphasized the urgent need for climate-smart aquaculture technologies to enhance resilience. Discussions centered around integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), which promotes ecological balance by incorporating multiple species in the same environment, and nature-based approaches, such as aquaponics, that combine fish farming with hydroponic plant cultivation to create more sustainable systems. Additionally, the session highlighted the extinction risks faced by native fish species and the socioeconomic challenges encountered by smallholder hatchery operators, particularly during post-harvest periods.
These insights will be integral to refining the project’s climate rationale and logical framework, ensuring that the proposal aligns with the GCF’s stringent requirements for scientific rigor and impact assessment. GCA and PKSF remain committed to driving forward this initiative, which will play a critical role in safeguarding Bangladesh’s inland aquaculture industry against the growing threat of climate change, while securing livelihoods and strengthening national food security.
Notes to Editors
About the Global Center on Adaptation
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that promotes adaptation to the impacts of climate change. It works to climate-proof development by instigating policy reforms and influencing investments made by international financial institutions and the private sector. The goal is to bring climate adaptation to the forefront of the global fight against climate change and ensure that it remains prominent.
Founded in 2018, GCA embodies innovation in its approach to climate adaptation as well as in its physical presence. It operates from the largest floating office in the world, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Beijing, China. The Center will open a new office in Nairobi, Kenya in 2025.
