Fisheries and Livestock State Minister Sultan Salahuddin Tuku said nature-based solutions are an effective and sustainable way to protect coastal livelihoods, strengthen food security and increase climate resilience. He made the remarks on August 3 as chief guest at a national technical workshop titled “Prioritizing Nature-Based Interventions for Resilient Coastal Bangladesh” at Hotel Westin in the capital. Friendship and Conservation International organized the workshop.

Tuku said forests, wetlands, coastal vegetation belts and integrated agroforestry systems can support environmental conservation while increasing livestock feed availability and improving animal health. He said such measures also reinforce the integrated One Health concept linking human, animal and environmental health. Bangladesh has gained global recognition for addressing climate impacts, he said, but its coastal regions remain among the world’s most vulnerable areas.

Cyclones, storm surges, sea-level rise, salinity expansion and coastal erosion threaten the environment, economy, food systems and livelihoods, he said. Fisheries and livestock are major contributors to the national economy and a key livelihood base for rural people, but both sectors face climate-related risks. The government is committed to sustainable natural-resource management, ecosystem restoration and evidence-based development planning. Tuku said a national plan to plant 250 million trees over the next five years would help restore ecosystems and build resilience among vulnerable communities.