CARE Component 1: 3rd Regional Workshop

The Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CARE) for South Asia Project, a 5-year initiative from 2020 to 2025, builds institutional capacities at integrating climate and sectoral information in decision-making to contribute to an enabling environment for climate-resilient policies and investments in the region.

With support from the World Bank, CARE Component 1 is focused on promoting evidencebased climate-smart decision-making, and is implemented by the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES). Component 1’s flagship work are a) the development of digital systems that host climate and sectoral data, process these data, automate requisite analysis, and produce customized climate-informed information products for different users – from the region, to the countries, to sub-national locations; b) capacity building of stakeholders to make use of these digital systems, the tools imbedded therein, and the data and information products in these systems/tools; and c) leveraging and enhancing capacities of National Meteorological and Hydrometeorological Services (NMHSs) in the region, for improved weather/climate information services.

The 3rd Regional Workshop for CARE Component 1 is the final regional workshop for the project. This final regional workshop is targeted to showcase the achievements of CARE Component 1 thus far, advocate for sustainability of capacities developed among partner government institutions, push for mechanisms for replication of good practices, and take forward lessons learnt from the project in onward undertakings either in CARE, in government projects, or in other projects.

The 3rd Regional Workshop for CARE Component 1 is the final regional workshop for the project. This final regional workshop is targeted to showcase the achievements of CARE Component 1 thus far, advocate for sustainability of capacities developed among partner government institutions, push for mechanisms for replication of good practices, and take forward lessons learnt from the project in onward undertakings either in CARE, in government projects, or in other projects.

The following activities are convened, back-to-back, in this 3rd Regional Workshop:

  • Regional Sectoral Focal Points (SFPs) Meeting: to interface with the designated SFPs from the partner government institutions in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan, and other countries in SAR on CARE Component 1’s achievements thus far, and confirm way forward for sustaining and strengthening CARE Component 1-facilitated institutional capacities of partner government institutions.
  • High-Level Advocacy Workshop: to build strong champions of climate-informed planning and decision-making in government systems in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan, who can influence and instigate system enhancements to promote a more fertile ground for sustained capacity enhancements in climate resilience (i.e. capacities built in CARE Component 1 and other projects have to be brought forward, post-CARE, to foster a culture of sustained capacity development).
  • RDAS Training cum Community of Practice (CoP) Forum: to capacitate stakeholders in SAR to use the RDAS and its different modules and to pull together expertise, knowledge, and skills in the region to further refine the modules.
  • SAHF Numerical Weather Prediction Working Group (NWP WG) Meeting: to provide an opportunity for the NWP WG to turn strategic directives into actionable outcomes through regional collaboration and adaption of innovative solutions.
  • SAHF Knowledge Hub (Khub) and Data Exchange (DataEx) Platform Workshop: to enhance NMHSs’ capacity to access, visualize, and analyze forecast data through these platforms, to improve their forecasting activities.
DAY 1: 24th February 2025
Regional Sectoral Focal Points (SFPs) Meeting
Bangkok, Thailand | 09:00 AM – 05:00 PM (Bangkok Time, UTC+7)
Agenda ItemTimingModerator/Speaker/Presenter(s)Content
Welcome Remarks and Insights from CARE Component 1 Implementation09:00 AM – 09:10 AMMr. A.R. Subbiah, Director, RIMES
Message from the World Bank09:10 AM – 09:20 AMMs. Naho Shibuya/Mr. Bilal Khalid/Ms. Carina Fonseca Ferreira, CARE TTLs, World Bank
Introductions and Acknowledgement of Participants09:20 AM - 09:35 AMRIMES
Overview of the CARE Component 1 Regional Workshop and Its Activities09:35 AM - 09:45 AMRIMES
CARE Component 1 Progress, Achievements, and Feedback
CARE Component 1’s Progress, Achievements, and Challenges Ahead09:45 AM – 10:05 AMMs. Ruby Rose Policarpio, Project Director, RIMES
Morning Refreshments and Photo Session10:05 AM – 10:30 AM
RDAS: Uniqueness, Capabilities, Highlights, and Way Forward10:30 AM – 10:50 AMRIMES
Implementation Progress: Bangladesh10:50 AM – 12:05 PMMr. Raihanul Haque Khan, Country Program Lead, RIMES

CARE Component 1 Government Partners and RIMES Bangladesh Team
- Progress and Achievements

- Demonstration of Tools and DSSs

- Discussion
Lunch12:05 PM – 01:00 PM
Implementation Progress: Nepal01:00 PM – 02:15 PMMs. Puja Shakya, Country Program Lead, RIMES

CARE Component 1 Government Partners and RIMES Nepal Team
- Progress and Achievements

- Demonstration of DSSs

- Discussion
Implementation Progress: Pakistan02:15 PM – 03:30 PMMs. Amber Masud, Country Program Lead, RIMES

CARE Component 1 Government Partners and RIMES Pakistan Team
- Progress and Achievements

- Demonstration of DSSs

- Discussion
Implementation Progress: Pakistan02:15 PM – 03:30 PMMs. Amber Masud, Country Program Lead, RIMES

CARE Component 1 Government Partners and RIMES Pakistan Team
- Progress and Achievements

- Demonstration of DSSs

- Discussion
Afternoon Refreshments03:30 PM – 03:50 PM
Implementation Progress: SAHF03:50 PM – 04:20 PMDr. Anshul Agarwal, Lead for SAHF, RIMES- Progress and Achievements

- Discussion
Way Forward
Synthesis of Discussions/Feedback, Confirmation of Ownership of and Handholding Support for DSSs, and other Salient Take Away Points04:20 PM – 04:35 PMRIMES
Remarks from World Bank04:35PM – 04:45 PMMs. Naho Shibuya/Mr. Bilal Khalid/Ms. Carina Fonseca Ferreira, CARE TTLs, World Bank
Concluding Remarks and Vote of Thanks04:45 PM – 05:00 PMMr. A.R. Subbiah, Director, RIMES
DAY 2: 25th February 2025
High-Level Advocacy Workshop
Bangkok, Thailand | 09:00 AM – 04:00 PM (Bangkok Time, UTC+7)
Agenda ItemTimingModerator/Speaker/Presenter(s)Content
Application of Climate Information and Sustainability of Development Interventions: Snapshots from South Asia and Neighboring Regions
Highlights/Take-Away Points from the SFPs Meeting09:00 AM – 09:20 AMRIMES
Case Studies: Benefits from the Application of Climate Information in Plans and
Decisions and Sustaining Development Interventions
09:20 AM – 10:00 AMRIMES
Morning Refreshments10:00 AM – 10:20 AM
Perspectives at Sustaining Development Initiatives: A Panel Discussion10:20 AM – 11:50 AMRIMES
Discussion and Feedback11:50 AM – 12:00 PM
Lunch12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Metrics for Sustainable Application of Climate Information and Development Interventions: How Can CARE Make a Difference in the Long Term
Workshop: Institutional Actions to Strengthen the Sustainability and Replicability of Development Interventions in CARE Component 1: Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and other Counties in South Asia01:00 PM – 02:20 PMRIMES
Presentation of Outputs and Remarks from Country Stakeholders02:20 PM – 03:20 PMRIMES
Afternoon Refreshments03:20 PM - 03:40 PM
Adoption of Outputs and Mechanisms to Pursue Institutional Actions03:40 PM – 03:50 PMRIMES
Closing Session
Remarks from World Bank03:50 PM – 04:00 PMMs. Naho Shibuya/Mr. Bilal Khalid/Ms. Carina Fonseca Ferreira, CARE TTLs, World Bank
DAY 3: 26th February 2025
RDAS Training cum Community of Practice (CoP) Forum
Bangkok, Thailand | 08:30 AM – 04:00 PM (Bangkok Time, UTC+7)
Agenda ItemTimingModerator/Speaker/Presenter(s)Content
Opening Session
Introductions and Acknowledgement of Participants08:30 AM – 08:40 AMRIMES
Overview of the Training and Recap of System Development Progress and User Engagement08:40 AM – 09:00 AM Ms. Ruby Rose Policarpio, Project Director, CARE Component, RIMES
RDAS Modules Utilization and Refinement
Walkthrough of complete RDAS modules and Hands-on Exercise of the Tools for Enhancing RDAS: Sector-Wise Expert Working Groups Session09:00 AM – 10:45 AMRIMES RDAS Team- Data Modules
- Analytics Modules
- Predictive Tools Modules
Morning Refreshments10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
(Continuation) Walkthrough of complete RDAS modules and Hands-on Exercise of the Tools for Enhancing RDAS: Sector-Wise Expert Working Groups Session11:00 AM – 11:40 AMRIMES RDAS Team- Data Modules
- Analytics Modules
- Predictive Tools Modules
Feedback and Recommendation Sharing11:40 AM – 12:10 PMParticipants
Lunch12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Expert Working Group Session: RDAS Modules Refinement and Utilization01:30 PM – 03:00 PMRIMES
Presentation of Refinements Completed, Targets, and Strategies to Maximize System Utilization03:00 PM – 03:45 PM
Closing Session
Synthesis and Way Forward03:45 PM – 03:55 PMRIMES
Vote of Thanks03:55 PM – 04:00 PMRIMES
Afternoon Refreshments04:00 PM – onwards
DAY 3: 26th February 2025
SAHF Numerical Weather Prediction Working Group (NWP WG) Meeting
Bangkok, Thailand | 01:30 PM – 5:00 PM (Bangkok Time, UTC+7)
Agenda ItemTimingModerator/Speaker/Presenter(s)Content
Opening Session
Welcome Remarks01:30 PM – 01:40 PMRIMES
Introductions and Acknowledgement of Participants01:40 PM – 01:50 PMRIMES
Review of SAHF Executive Council (EC) Meeting Outcomes and NWP WG Priorities01:50 PM - 02:30 PMRIMES
Country Reports - NWP Status02:30 PM - 03:00 PMRIMES
Afternoon Refreshments03:00 PM - 03:15 PM
Regional Priorities and Collaboration in NWP development03:15 PM - 03:45 PMParticipants
Facilitation: RIMES
Action Plan Development03:45 PM - 04:15 PMParticipants
Facilitation: RIMES
Closing Session
Next Steps and Follow-Up Actions04:15 PM - 04:45 PMRIMES
Closing Remark04:45 PM - 05:00 PMRIMES/NWP WG Members
DAY 4: 27th February 2025
SAHF Knowledge Hub (SKhub) and Data Exchange (DataEx) Platform Workshop
Bangkok, Thailand | 09:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Bangkok Time, UTC+7)
Agenda ItemTimingModerator/Speaker/Presenter(s)Content
Opening Session
Acknowledgement of Participants09:30 AM – 09:40 AM
Overview of the SAHF Knowledge Hub (SKHub)09:30 AM – 10:30 AMMr. Surajan Shrestha, Web Developer-SKHub, RIMESAn introduction to the SKHub, its core features, and its role in enhancing meteorological and hydrological services across South Asia.

This session will also introduce the newly developed Learning Management System (LMS), which is a key addition to SKHub.
Tea Break10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Introduction to the DataEx Platform
11:00 AM – 12:00 PMMr. Nazmul Ahasan, Country IT Lead, RIMESA presentation on the DataEx platform’s role in data exchange and collaboration, with a focus on its tools for accessing highresolution forecast data and supporting operational systems
Interactive Demonstration: Tools for Forecasting and Visualization
12:00 PM – 01:00 PMMr. Nazmul Ahasan, Country IT Lead, RIMESHands-on session where participants explore forecasting tools, learn how to visualize data, and practice using the platform’s analytical modules.
Lunch Break01:00 PM – 02:00 PM
Monsoon 2023 Verification02:00 PM – 02:30 PMRIMES Team/NWP WG Members
Proposal for sharing of verification results and support required from monsoon 2024
Interactive Demonstration: Accessing and Analysing Data for Regional Applications02:30 PM – 03:30 PMMr. Nazmul Ahasan, RIMES
Practical session on accessing realtime data, analysing it for regional applications, and integrating it into forecasting systems.
Tea Break03:30 PM – 03:45 PM
Hands-on Session on DataEx and SKHub and Feedback/Recomm endations for Enhancing Systems Utility03:45 PM – 04:30 PMRIMESParticipants experience the DataEx and SKHub and provide feedback on their experience using the platforms, share recommendatio ns, and discuss ways to improve their utility for operational forecasting.
Addressing Challenges in Data Sharing and Regional Collaboration, Data Utilization and Enhancing Capacity04:30 PM – 04:45 PMRIMESDiscussion on addressing challenges in regional data sharing, data quality, capacity limitations, and best practices for using SKHub and DataEx in forecasting.
Closing Remarks04:45 PM - 05:00 PMRIMES