Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world due to its dependency on nature and it is geographically, socially and economically underprivileged. Extreme climatic events are adversely impacting the agricultural production of Bangladesh which has resulted in a high food security risk for its large population. Adaptation is an indispensable tool required to reduce societal vulnerability due to climate change. Most people currently use autonomous adaptation and short term responses to extreme climatic events. Institutional investment is one of the most crucial factors that will shape the implementation of long term and strategic climate change adaptation as they can mediate longer term climate adaptation responses. Effective adaptation depends on integrated actions between formal institutions including climate scientists in agriculture, science communicators, agricultural extension service providers, policy makers, informal institutions and farmers. This paper presents research that seeks to assess and critically analyse the differences between the role and effectiveness of formal institutional adaptation programs in coastal and drought-prone areas for crop agriculture in Bangladesh. This is a comparative case study between two different climate hotspots - coastal and drought prone areas in Bangladesh. The paper will explore how effective partnerships between formal institutions, and farmers will build sustainable food security in different geographical and climatic contexts.