Experts at a seminar yesterday said the agricultural production would decrease significantly in Saarc region in the coming years due to climate change. Developing new varieties of crops tolerant to heat, drought and salinity is a must, otherwise the region would fall into the grip of serious food crisis, they added. The seminar titled 'Climate change and its impacts on agricultural production system in Saarc region' was organised by Saarc Agriculture Centre at the conference hall of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (Barc) in the city. Dr Ahsan Uddin Ahmed, executive director of the Centre for Global Change, presented the keynote paper at the seminar. He said due to climate change temperature of the region would increase by 1.3 to 2.6 degrees centigrade in the next four to five decades. "As a result, Bangladesh will face frequent flash flood, drought, cyclone, bank erosion and salinity,' he added. Dr Ahsan said Bangladesh's food security will be at risk due to climate change and for that the country needs to take immediate action plan to meet the situation. He said the country should also laid emphasis on research and development of drought-and-salinity-tolerant crops, increasing food stock for disaster period and developing storage capacity to face the tough impacts of climate change. He urged the Saarc countries to create regional food stock, seed bank and increase cooperation for early flood warning system in the region. Speaking as chief guest Agriculture Secretary Abdul Aziz said, "We cannot avoid the impacts of climate change, so we must be ready to face them.' He laid emphasis on creating a climate cell for the Saarc region that would build up a network among the member countries to face the impacts of climate change. "All countries in the Saarc region are the victims of climate change and they should face the situation unitedly,' he added. "We should look for climate resilient development strategies,' he said, adding the regional food bank should go into operation soon. The secretary also urged the Saarc countries to establish an adaptation fund and adaptation centre in the region to fight the impacts of climate change. Barc Executive Chairman Dr Md Abdur Razzaque chaired the seminar.