By Protima Chakraborty and Biswajit Mondal, from the Coast
A learning exchange visit among farmers who practice agroecology in the coastal region of Satkhira was organized today by BARCIK. The initiative aimed to strengthen agroecological learning centers and share practical knowledge among farmers working in climate-vulnerable areas.
A total of 24 community members from six unions namely Padmapukur, Burigoalini, Munshiganj, Ramjannagar, Ishwaripur, and Shyamnagar Sadar participated in the visit. They visited learning centers operated by Loknath Mondal in Munshiganj, Rafiqul Islam and Keramat Ali in Ramjannagar, and Delwara, Nimai Mondal, and Ganga Rani in Shyamnagar Sadar.
During the visit, farmer Molina Rani said, “Seeing is more powerful than hearing. Through this exchange, we have learned a lot about different farming practices that will help us improve our own learning centers.”
Participants observed various low-cost and adaptive farming methods, including tower gardens, saline-tolerant cropping, clay-pot and sack farming, mulching, integrated farms, and vegetable cultivation in reused containers like buckets, basins, earthen pots, and crates.
Participants like Govinda, Keramat Ali, Nimai Mondal, and Konika Rani said, “We live in disaster-prone areas where we must constantly adapt to survive. Through this exposure visit supported by BARCIK, we gained new adaptation strategies, training, and practical tools. Earlier visits also helped us design our homesteads better. A sense of healthy competition is now growing among us to develop resilient and resourceful households.”
According to BARCIK representatives, the organization has long been working in the coastal belt and is currently establishing 25 agroecology learning centers across six unions of Shyamnagar Upazila. Of these 19 centers have already been set up, serving as hubs for knowledge sharing and local development.
BARCIK officials mentioned that each center is becoming a model of community resilience and agroecological innovation and this exchange visit is part of our continuous effort to strengthen that transformation.
