Photo: IWMI
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) opened a new office in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on March 24, 2024. On the same day, IWMI signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC).
This new location and partnership is a collaborative effort to strengthen research in irrigation and agriculture water management in the country, aligning with the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100. The partnership will engage in needs-based projects enhancing national capacity in water management and contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture in Bangladesh.
Mark Smith, Director General of IWMI, emphasized the importance of partnerships in achieving water security goals.
“Partnership is essential for IWMI. Without partnership, our institute cannot be successful in making contributions expected of us to the goals of water security for all and to the ambition of a safe, just and sustainable future,” said Smith, speaking at the event.
IWMI will provide BARC and other key partners with technical expertise to enhance water efficiency in the country through collaborative efforts.
S.M. Bokhtiar, Executive Chairman, BARC, said, “We work together for a resilient, prosperous delta, where efficient water management and sustainable agriculture play a key role.”
IWMI has been working in Bangladesh since the mid-1980s and had an office there for several years. The new office, headed by Alok Sikka, is hosted by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), a CGIAR partner organization.
IWMI’s Bangladesh office can be contacted via iwmi-bangladesh@cgiar.org