In a significant stride towards climate resilience in agriculture, the Government of Bangladesh convened a national-level “Project Closure Workshop” to celebrate the achievements of the National Livestock Advisory System (NLAS) and discuss its future sustainability.
The event was jointly organised by the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) and the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES), as part of the concluding activities of the World Bank-supported Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CARE) for South Asia Project held at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) Complex in the capital on Sunday.
The workshop provided a platform for stakeholders to assess the progress of NLAS—a Decision Support System designed to provide climate-smart livestock management advice. Officials acknowledged the system’s integration of weather forecasts, climate projections, and livestock-specific risk analytics to support both government institutions and farmers.
Raihanul Haque Khan, Country Program Lead at RIMES, inaugurated the proceedings by emphasising the ongoing nature of climate resilience work. Citing examples from the field, including farmers in Keraniganj who have benefitted from early warnings, he highlighted the urgent need to extend NLAS outreach to grassroots users.
A live demonstration by Sajib Hasan, IT Expert at RIMES, showcased the functionalities of the NLAS mobile application, particularly designed for marginal farmers. The app’s features include location-specific early warnings, heat stress indicators (e.g., Temperature Humidity Index), strategic vaccination planning, and adaptation strategies for extreme weather events like floods.
Upazila Livestock Officer Dr. Mohammad Shahadat Hossain shared key lessons learned through divisional training and stakeholder consultations. He outlined the project’s exit strategy, including server hosting, troubleshooting plans, and future integration efforts.
The event fostered robust discussions on how to maintain NLAS beyond the project's lifespan. Recommendations included integrating private sector entities like MilkVita, incorporating visual user guides from BRAC’s climate change initiatives, and linking with the Bangladesh Animal Health Intelligence System (BAHIS) for broader disease coverage.
Suggestions also included adopting voice message services, enhancing visibility via the DLS website, and embedding refresher trainings for field officers to ensure system relevance. A meteorologist from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) further urged regular updates and greater digital outreach.
Key dignitaries, including Dr. Md. Abu Sufiun, Director General of DLS, and Dr. A. K. M. Humayun Kober of BCS Livestock Academics, stressed the vital role of data, multi-stakeholder engagement, and climate-resilient education.
Former BAU Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ali Akbar praised the 5-year collaboration, calling for the inclusion of all administrative divisions to achieve full-scale integration.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Md. Shahinur Alam, Director of the Livestock Medicine Store, reaffirmed the importance of continuing innovation and collaboration, underscoring that the NLAS’s impact must be deepened and sustained.
Developed by RIMES in partnership with DLS, NLAS stands as a pioneering model of adaptive decision-making in the livestock sector. With support from the World Bank through the CARE for South Asia Project (2020–2025), the initiative not only enhanced institutional capacity but also laid the foundation for climate-smart livestock policies in Bangladesh.
As the CARE project concludes, the stakeholders reaffirmed their collective commitment to sustain and evolve NLAS, ensuring it remains a cornerstone of climate resilience for Bangladesh's vital livestock economy.
