Our approach stresses the need to institutionalise disaster management and risk reduction through creation of (a) capacity (b) adaptation strategies and (c) linkages and knowledge generation. Programme Components: We are strengthening a core team with knowledge and expertise to review relevant risks, calculate probabilities, prepare contingency plans and lay out specific procedures for disasters. This team will deliver training on hazards, risk reduction and responses and use local knowledge and draw on international experience, to prepare BRAC staff to respond to emergency situations so that more lives can be saved and losses mitigated. Surveys of disaster-prone areas will be used as tools for resource allocation and preparedness. The programme will also prepare itself to handle disasters in neighbouring countries and places where BRAC works. Adaptation strategies will be key to meeting the challenges of climate change. Initiatives  1. Weather Stations: Four weather stations were set up in partnership with the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) and the Ministry of Environment and Forest to measure, record and ascertain microclimate variabilities. The data will be used to advise local farmers when best to grow seedlings, transplant cereal crops and plan secondary crop plantings. BMD has installed 14 stations in 22 agro-ecological zones; BRAC set up 4 with plans to cover the remaining zones.  2.  Standard Operating Procedures / Standing Orders:  We are developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) to help organise and streamline BRAC’s rapid response when disasters strike. The procedures include clear-cut operational instructions for field level workers and programme members and for staff training. SOPs will enable us to respond quickly, in pre and post-disaster scenarios, as the trained staff and members will not have to wait for instructions to act. This is particularly important as disasters often disrupt communications. 3.  Geographical Information System (GIS): Our goal is to establish a fully operational GIS unit to facilitate spatial analysis-based research activities focusing on climate change and disaster management. 4. Partnering to Increase Our Institutional Capacity The Humanitarian Future Programme based at King’s College in London is helping assess our internal long-term future humanitarian crisis management strategy.