PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan today spoke at PKSF Bhaban the capital’s Agargaon area. Photo : BSS

DHAKA, Jan 23, 2025 (BSS) – Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan has called for increased international support to complement the activities funded by the government to address the drought related challenges in the Barind tract.

Zakir Ahmed said this while speaking at the closing ceremony of a training programme under the Extended Community Climate Change Project-Drought (ECCCP-Drought) sheld at the PKSF Bhaban in the capital’s Agargaon area today, said a PKSF press release.

It said the Barind tract in Bangladesh is facing drought caused by climate change. It requires implementation of sustainable and long-term interventions to protect the environment, biodiversity, and people of this region.

Zakir also emphasized on the importance of building local capacity to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

He said PKSF’s ECCCP-Drought project, funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and supported by the government of Bangladesh, is being implemented in 14 upazilas of Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, and Rajshahi districts.

Zakir expressed his hope that such training programmes would contribute to developing the capacity of local communities to deal with climate change fallout more effectively.

PKSF arranged this training on climate change, adaptation and mitigation in two batches from 5-16 January and 19–23 January, 2025.

A total of 66 officers from the project-implementing Partner Organizations received the training. The training programme focused on climate finance, project proposal development, and field-level project implementation strategies.

Zakir also distributed certificates among the participants and urged them to implement the project with efficiency, transparency, and accountability.

The $30 million ECCCP-Drought project, being implemented from 2023 to 2027, seeks to increase resilience of poor and vulnerable people in drought-prone areas.

The key operations of the project include capacity building for government and private institutions, artificial groundwater replenishment, re-excavation of ponds and canals, and the promotion of drought-tolerant crops. The project is expected to directly benefit some 215,000 people.