FIAN Nepal Team participated on South Asia Social Forum, Bangladesh

 

A team of FIAN Nepal (Mr. Nirmal Gadal, Mr. Ram Lakhan Harijan, Mr. Ashok B. Singh, Mr. Jagadish B. Singh and Ms. Indira Shankar) participated on South Asian Social Forum from 19-22 November 2011 in Bangladesh. The participation and visits are for sharing and learning from each other. Mr. Nirmal Gadal presented on the session “South Asian food Security Situation and Policy Implication” jointly organized by FIAN India and FIAN Nepal on 19 November. Similary, as a key speaker, Ms. Indira Shankar intoroduced FIAN Nepal and its activities on 21 November and Mr. Ram Lakhan Harijan presented on “Challenges of Dalit Issue in South Asia” on 22 November.

Besides the participation on the Social Forum, there was a visit of farmers led approach in Mymansingh district from 23 – 24 November. The visit made participants to understand the FLA process in Bangladesh.

Organized workshop on challenges of right to food: A half day session was jointly organized by Nagarik Uddyog, Bangladesh and FIAN Nepal in 21 November where more than 40 participants attended the workshop from India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Presentations on Right to Food Concept by Nagarik Uddyog, Bangladesh, Learning Experiences from Ashok Singha, FIAN India and Indira Shankar from FIAN Nepal have been delivered. Participants raised questions and their curiosity has been satisfied.

Field visit to Mymansingh to see farmers led approach: A team of four members (Mr. Ram Lakhan Harijan, Mr. Ashok Singh, Mr. Jagadish Bahadur Singh and Ms. Indira Shankar) visited the Dhaipara village 4 Dhupara Upajawala Mymansing district on 23 November where 4 hundred farmers started to collect local seed varieties and tested them as a trial with the support from Caritas, Bangladesh.

Meeting with BARCIK Organisation: Bangladesh Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK) is a non-government non-profitable development organisation established in 1997 in Bangladesh. Team FIAN Nepal visited the organisation on 24 November and learnt its various activities. The organisation has been working in the field of environment, biodiversity conservation and development with utmost commitment. Since 2001, the organisation is working on seed varities at Netrakuna district. They are focusing on various local paddy seed collection to provide them to marginalized farmers groups, especially porters, fishermens, handicraft and women group. Advocacy and lobby with the government to address the farmers problem is one of the major and core activities of BARCIK.