The drought-prone areas of western Bangladesh are characterized by high rainfall variability, with different types of seasonal droughts (initial, mid and terminal) posing regular threats to rice production. During monsoon season in wide areas of NW Bangladesh T. aman rice is cropped on rainfed basis. Risk management options need to include rainwater harvesting, recycling and conservation, essential to counteract seasonal drought spells, which are common also during monsoon season through supplemental irrigation. But huge amounts of the water available during high intensity rainfalls run-off unused, due to non-availability of proper water storage structures. The excavation and/or re-excavation of mini ponds is a simple but most feasible adaptation option, which can be realized with low investment, in particular in clayey soil. Adequate awareness of the utility of these structures must be raised at community level. Obstacles to the practice which is not yet widely spread in northwestern Bangladesh are most commonly the lack of investment capital and of organization among poor farmers. This practice aims to reduce the impacts of drought spells frequently faced by small and marginal farmers in low rainfall regions of north-western Bangladesh. In addition, farmers can allot larger pieces of land to growing other crops in the post monsoon period, if irrigation is available through the water stored in mini ponds during the monsoon period.