Dhaka, – Smallholder farmers in areas vulnerable to monsoon floods will be better prepared this year thanks to a scaling-up of anticipatory action.

Last year, record-breaking floods wreaked havoc, affecting an estimated 7.2 million people in the country's north-eastern region. Torrential rain and upstream water completely submerged around 94 percent of the town of Sunamganj and 84 percent of Sylhet districts in northeastern Bangladesh.

A shift in strategy from responding to recurring shocks to anticipating their effects has the potential to break the cycle of increasing reliance on humanitarian aid by protecting the most vulnerable and their livelihoods ahead of time. Evidence suggests that preparing for crises can reduce food insecurity and make vulnerable communities more resilient. It can also help manage crises in a more efficient and dignified way.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in consultation with the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES), the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), and other stakeholders, developed a pre-monsoon anticipatory action response plan for the Haor region under the ‘Increasing Capacities and Scale for Anticipatory Action, including Through Social Protection Systems Project’ which is funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

Partners and stakeholders attended a validation workshop, held at the Department of Disaster Management, to co-ordinate flood response implementation and validate the level of flooding that would trigger an emergency response.

"If we know when a flood is going to hit then we can take precautions to protect agricultural assets and livelihoods, especially in the most vulnerable communities. Being prepared to act in response to disasters such as floods helps to save lives and livelihoods," said Nur Khondaker, Assistant FAO Representative (Programme).

Chief guest was Md. Mijanur Rahman, Director-General, Department of Disaster Management. The event was chaired by Netai Chandra Dey Sarker, National Project Coordinator (Government Counterpart), Department of Disaster Management. Special guests were Md. Tajul Islam Patwary, Director Field Services Wing, Department of Agricultural Extension; K M Abdul Wadud, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, and Mukit Billah, Programme Officer, ECHO.

Bangladesh is one of five countries in Asia, (along the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Viet Nam) that is piloting a programmatic partnership between FAO and ECHO to scale-up anticipatory approaches to crises.