Participation in Regional Events

SAWTEE participated in “Project Learning Sharing and Dissemination Workshop on Climate Change and Food Security in South Asia”, organized by Practical Action Bangladesh on 27 June 2011 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. SAWTEE’s network partner CUTS International, India, in partnership with Practical Action Bangladesh, is implementing the multi-country collaborative research project entitled "Scoping Study on Climate Change and Food Security in South Asia".Similarly, SAWTEE also participated in another workshop, “Cost of Economic Non-Cooperation to Consumers in South Asia”, organized by CUTS International in partnership with Institute for Policy, Advocacy, and Governance (I-PAG), Bangladesh on 28 June 2011 in Dhaka.

Researchers, academics, trade experts, journalists and civil society activists from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka attended the meetings.

In the first meeting, the findings of the Scoping Study on Climate Change and Food Security in South Asia were disseminated and the linkages between climate change, food security and trade discussed. The study is focused on farmers’ perception toward climate change and its imminent impact on their livelihoods in general and food security in particular. It covers four countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. CUTS International undertook this research in partnership with Afghan Development Agency, Practical Action-Bangladesh, Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultants Society, India, and Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Pakistan. Oxfam Novib, the Netherlands supported the study. The purposive survey of 1,200 small and marginal farmers showed that climate change has adversely affected agricultural activities across the South Asian region. Farmers have reported shortened rainy season and increase in temperature. Yields of many crops (particularly staples) have declined as a result of changes in cropping period.  Looking at farmers’ perception and thinking about adaptation measures, the initiatives taken by these countries to address this challenge (including adaptation measures) and good practices from other regions, the study made some policy recommendations.

The second meeting was part of the study project entitled Cost of Economic Non-Cooperation to Consumers in South Asia (COENCOSA) implemented by CUTS International in partnership with organizations in four South Asian countries apart from India—Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The Asia Foundation is supporting the project. The preliminary findings of literature review and data analyses as well as the methodology and questionnaire for primary survey were discussed. SAWTEE is implementing the survey in Nepal.