The Computaer & GIS Unit of BARC has arranged a 3-day (9–11 December 2025) National Workshop on the Launching of the ACASA Portal at the BARC Auditorium today (Tuesday, 09 December 2025). Executive Chairman of BARC, Dr. Md. Abdus Salam, inaugurated the launching program as the chief guest. Member Director (AERS) of BARC, Dr. Md. Mosharraf Uddin Molla, presided over the inaugural session, while Mr. Mirza Shawkat Ali, Director (Climate Change & International Convention), DoE; Dr. Md. Bayzer Rahman, Director (Administration), DLS; and Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz, Additional Director (Extension and Coordination), DAE, were present as special guests.
Dr. Prasun Kumar Gangopadhyay, Specialist, Applied Data Science, BISA-CIMMYT, India, presented the keynote paper at the workshop. Mr. Hasan Md. Hamidur Rahman, Director (Computer & GIS Unit), BARC, delivered the welcome speech, and Dr. Md. Golam Mahboob, Chief Scientific Officer (Forestry Unit), BARC, delivered the vote of thanks at the inaugural session.
Scientists and officers from NARS institutes, DAE, public/private organisations, international agencies, participated in the workshop.
Speakers at the workshop said that Bangladesh has taken a leadership role in launching the country version of ACASA for climate adaptation by hosting the Atlas of Climate Adaptation in South Asian Agriculture (ACASA) at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC). Almost 50 institutions were present in this launching ceremony. As one of the countries most exposed to climate risks, Bangladesh is the second country in South Asia to operationalize ACASA as a planning and advisory tool, underscoring its commitment to climate-smart agriculture and institutional innovation.
The platform co-developed with CIMMYT, BISA, ICAR, NARC, NRMC and supported by the Gates Foundation, offers high-resolution risk analytics and adaptation insights now being rapidly mainstreamed across Bangladeshi agricultural agencies. ACASA provides a web-enabled, open-access platform that consolidates climate risks, vulnerability insights, commodity-specific impacts, and scientifically validated adaptation measures across 15 major crops and six livestock categories.
