By Md. Touhidul Islam from Rajshahi

A three-day training workshop titled “Agroecology, Climate Justice, and Food Sovereignty” was held from April 15–17 at the BARCIK regional office in Rajshahi. The workshop was organized by BARCIK’s Barendra region team, with participation from BARCIK staff members from various areas of the Barendra region. The workshop was facilitated by Syed Ali Biswas, Director of BARCIK’s Dhaka office, with support from Md. Shahidul Islam, Regional Coordinator of the Barendra region.

On the first day, participants presented their significant activities carried out in 2024 under the Agroecology, Climate Justice, and Food Sovereignty project. They also shared the work they personally found most impactful. Following this, Director Syed Ali Biswas led a detailed discussion on the goals, objectives, and expectations of the project. He introduced core concepts related to environment, ecosystems, food security, agroecology, local food systems, and climate justice.

The second day focused on topics such as ALCs (Agroecological Learning Centres), Shotobari (Nutrition Model Houses), and practical agricultural research. Discussions included ecosystem dynamics, agro-biodiversity, climate change, disaster management, adaptation, mitigation, and risk analysis. Ongoing project activities including field research, training programs, awareness campaigns, and future planning were also explored in detail.

On the final day, participants presented a draft plan for practical agricultural research for 2025 on brown paper, based on field-level demands. The workshop concluded with a discussion and guidance session on account management, followed by the formal closing of the program.