Evolution of SBKS

Member farmers’ organizations first named the network as: Sara Bangla Krishak Jote (All Bangladesh Farmers Alliance

Later they meet regionally (11-12 November 2014 at Rangpur; 19 November 2014 at Barisal) and centrally (22-23 December 2014 and 15 January 2015) several times at their own cost for preparing a declaration on common agenda with a minimum backstopping support from IAPP-TA

19-23 April 2015 at Rangpur & 17-21 May 2015 at Barisal, The endeavor of forming alliance got another momentum when 45 FOs representatives including 13 women leaders participated in two regional study circles in April and May’2015. They learned that government policy and charters are to some extent very friendly to them but they had no access to these information/government services. After meticulous review of relevant government policies and charters, they identified and prioritized some local/regional/national level advocacy agenda to be dialogued with local government and with higher level government officials

On mid April, 2015 Adarsha Chashi Unnayan Sangstha (ACUS), member FO of SBKJ working at Charfasson, one of the most remote coastal island, awarded a project from Agricultural Value Chain (AVC) component of USAID for value chain development on Summer basket (cucumber, brinjal and bitter gourd), tomato, Mung bean, Ground Nut as well as promoting bio-pesticides. ACUS shared its process of getting project from AVC with SBKJ and introduce other FO members with USAID-AVC for value chain project. Negotiation is ongoing with IAPP Livelihood Field School at Ujirpur, Barisal for future AVC grant on pulse and rice seed value chain.

After the study circle the participating FOs conducted two pilot dialogues with Upazila Parishad focusing on increasing their participation in local level decision making process and getting better services from government extension and relevant agencies.

Sara Bangla Krishak Jote (North) leaders independently organizeda local level dialogue with upazila parishad on land rights and farmers’ access to government services with the cooperation of Radio Chilmari – a popular community radio in northern region.

This day is also a memorable day of Sara Bangla. They held a human chain in Rangpur and Kurigram for Teesta river fair water flow deal during two days stays of the Indian premier in Bangladesh.

Sara Bangla Krishak Jote leaders held consultation meeting with two FO representatives of steering committee of the GAFSP-funded Integrated Agricultural Productivity Project (IAPP) to raise two agendas: Firstly, seed producers license to be provided to FOs (existing rule is to provide license to individual entrepreneurs not to a group. But Sara Bangla Krishak Jote claim that farmers organizations can contribute in producing betterquality seed than an individual entrepreneurs) and Secondly, a circular from Bangladesh Bank to all commercial banks to facilitate Tk.10 account to be used for all regular transaction. The steering committee at MoA positively endorsed these two issues and finally it was approved (circular in Bengali)

•Sara Bangla Krishak Jote formally declared their name, agenda, central and regional committee at press club in two regions.
•Along with above efforts, alliance leaders have been organizing specialized services for their members, such as vaccination and de-worming campaign for large and small ruminants, early vegetables and orchard nursery establishment, fodder nursery, rental services of agricultural machineries, seed village development, seed bank, grain bank, linkage with private companies for ensuring fare price, fingerlings production, and processing.
•Mature FOs of the alliance extended their cooperation to the FOs in nascent stage on developing their constitution and legal papers for registration. Also for stronger bonding among members, mature FOs shared about the importance of establishing group savings, and further investment of savings fund on agribusiness services for members.

Alliance leaders stood in solidaritywith flood marooned farming community of Teesta chars. They distributed seeds to around 230 farmers (100 for Mustard, 50 for vegetables and 80 for Kalai).

•Sara Bangla Krishak Jote, Mithaukur unit organized a felicitation event to Mr. Parimol Chandra, government SAAO, Mithapukur for achieving national award for Rodent control initiatives. Every year grain loss by rodent is about 90 million US$ in Bangladesh. Mr. Porimol invented a Rodent Trap which is effective for rodent control. Mr. Porimal becomes the friend of Sara Bangla Krishak Jote leaders since after CF sharing workshop which was facilitated by Sara Bangla Jote leaders.
•The Sara Bangla Krishak Jote Leaders now in a consultation process with two FO representatives in the Steering Committee of IAPP for raising agenda on participation of FO members in all local agricultural committees (Upazila Agriculture Committee, Credit Committee, Irrigation Committee) as well as steering committee of future all projects of MoA and MoFL. They already developed a memorandum for finalizing draft National Agricultural Extension Policy (NAEP-2015) to incorporate agricultural committees involving FO representatives. Draft NAEP-2015 now in the process of finalization.
•The advanced leaders of Sara Bangla Krishak Jote together with two IAPP FO PSC members submitted comments on the draft National Agricultural Extension Policy (NAEP-2015) to the Secretary, MoA at IAPP PSC meeting held on 25 Oct 2015regarding following five issues:
1.Participation of FOs (in all local committees) in decision making process of investment projects
2. Agricultural land loss reduction and farmers rights on natural resources
3.Recognition of women farmers
4.Registration of FOs
5.Access to agricultural credit

Sara Bangla Krishak Jote Leaders decided to establish a mother plant nursery for medicinal plants in Madhupur and Baghaichari, Rangamati. Publicity Secretary of SBKJ made a reconnaissance visit to Madhupur and CHT for survey on feasibility of medicinal plant cultivation. They met with someone who has 30 acres fallow land at Madhupur forest and he agreed to provide them this land for medicinal plant cultivation. Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) FO leaders also invited SBKJ leaders to visit and assess feasibility of medicinal plant garden. CHT leaders also requested SBKJ leaders for hands-on training on vermi-compost preparation as they are very much concernedabout top soil replenishment in CHT.

Obaidul Hoque, Secretary of Sara Bangla Krishak Jote (North) was invited to the National Platform of Agricultural Extension Workers in Bangladesh .

28 FOs of IAPP at Kundupukur union of Nilphamari sadar mobilized Sara Bangla Krishk Jote, Kundupukur Branch. This union level alliance declared a 29-member committee where Golam Robbani was selected as President and Shyamapodo Roy as secretary.

The National Platform of Agricultural Extension Workers in Bangladesh was formalized and renamed the Bangladesh Agricultural Extension Network (BAEN). Sara Bangla Krishak Jote was invited to join as a member of the BAEN Executive Committee.

SBKJ participated in the corporate baseline survey of FAO-Bangladesh and responded to the questionnaire of FAO Strategic Objective-3 as a civil society representative.

• The First week of January 2016 SBKJ President, Secretary and Treasurer visited vermi-compost factory at Mithapukur and Pirganj for a feasibility study to establish the same at Jatrapur union of Kurigram sadar as social enterprise for SBKJ.
•Rafiqul Islam, Executive Member of SBKJ facilitated vermin-compost preparation and medicinal plant cultivation training at Baghaichari upazila of Rangamati Hill District, one of the most remote upazilas in Bangladesh, as a collaboration agreement between Jum Foundation and SBKJ. SBKJ supplied vermicompost seed, Kalomegh seed and sapling for poor indigenous farmers of Jum foundation.

SBKJ participated in the second EC meeting of BAEN.

Rafiqul Islam was invited by CCDB and Helvetas assisted project SEPO in Manda upazila of Noagaon district. In a meeting Rafiqul through Sara Bangla Krishak Jote agreed to provide a 5 days training on vermin-compost and medicinal plant production for SEPO project farmers.

Ohidul Islam joined as a farmer representative in his District Marketing Committee.He was also selected to be a member of his Upazila Marketing Committee.

SBKJ held another Human Chain for fair deal of Teesta river water to save around 7.5 lakh ha agricultural land under Teesta basin. The news was covered by most of the print and electronic media. On that day, SBKJ also formed four sub-committees for Teesta River Basin Campaign, Haor Campaign, Coastal Zone Campaign and Hill Campaign to collect data of these economically fragile area, identify agendas to be dialogued with the government.

SBKJ Pirganj unit organized demonstration (live perching) for farmers for natural plant protection.

SBKJ held dialogue with Jatrapur Union Parishad for signing deed for using an abandoned food storage site of DAE at Jatrapur Union for producing vermi-compost as a social venture of SBKJ.

SBKJ leaders were invited for a second time by Jum Foundation of CHT to assist farmers in processing vermi-compost and plantation for Kalomegh in Baghaichari of Rangamati district.

Sara Bangla Krishak Jote (SBKJ) is working for establishment of a common facility center and prioritized vermin-compost production and marketing as a social business for its members. Organic matter content is depleting in northern and hilly regions and through this endeavor soil health will be replenished by applying vermin-compost instead of chemical fertilizers. SBKJ dialogued with Deputy Director, DAE and Chairman, Jatrapur Union for sanction of abandoned food storage site of government for use as a vermi-compost plant. The innovative proposal of SBKJ was cordially accepted by all concerned and Jatrapur Union Parishad and SBKJ entered into a bi-party agreement to utilize the food storage sitefor vermin-compost. Jatrapur Union Parishad also entered agreement with SBKJ for using all cowdung and solid wastes of Jatrapur Cattle Market and General Market for vermin-compost plant.

First round FO to FO mentoring started from mid-February and ended on March/2016. A workshop took place on 15 March with 8 mentors to share the ground realities of FOs on their readiness to adopt study circle and FO strengthening training learning.

Two southern SBKJ members(ACUS & Mundopasha LFS) of SBKJ were invited to participate in a 2-day inception workshop of Appropriate Scale Mechanization Innovation Hub (ASMIH) of USAID at Bangladesh Agricultural University. University of Illinois, USA and Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) very much appreciated the platform of SBKJ and they requested for a partnership for field research at FOs villages with their members with ASMIH activities.

Negotiation started with CHT FOs from 6 March 2016 for leasing land for medicinal plant cultivation, primary processing and marketing jointly with SBKJ. Main agendas are SBKJ will provide master trainer on medicinal plant production and marketing and invest 50% and rest 50% will be borne by Hill FOs. Four leaders of SBKJ having expertise on medicinal plant conducted twenty batches training in three hill upazilas from June 17, 2016 to March 30, 2017

SBKJ leaders identified prioritized community businesses in a participatory training workshop for developing proposal under the call of Missing Middle Initiatives (MMI) of GAFSP. FAO- Bangladesh in association with SBKJ jointly submitted proposal in “Increasing Access to Finance for smallholders FOs” to the GAFSP on August 8, 2016.

Sold 2 mt of vermi-compost to a private company on September 03, 2016. Construct nine chambers for vermi-compost production.

Two SBKJ leaders visited Madhupur from 28 September to 03 October 2016 for exploring a khas land for medicinal plant cultivation and to support farmers for linkage with markets.

September 2016: Second round mentoring covered 44 FOs. Most of the FOs has completed their committed works during first round mentoring. Following are some improvement made so far:
• All organizations have completed membership profile following standard format
• All organizations has been practicing GAAP (Governance Accountability Action Plan)
• Internal savings
• 11 organizations continuing seed village
• 10 organizations have credit program among their members
• All organizations have their own Bank account
• 43 organizations are registered. Of them, two were from Social Services and rests were from Coop.

20 SBKJ leaders participated Seed Village and FO Mapping Workshops in Rangpur. BADC Chairman was attended as Chief Guest and declared that seed village farmers can link with BADC as contract growers and sells their seed. Chairman BADC also emphasized on seed village concept as informal sector contributes 80% of the seed. Seed Village farmers of Rangpur

Jote leaders were engaged with their own organizations for preparing strategies for providing more services to members.

SBKJ leaders met with Registrar of the Joint Stock and Exchange and requested for speedy process of their registration. Registrar Joint Stock advised SBKJ leaders to rename the alliance name as “Sara Bangla Krishak Society” owing to remove confusion with the word ‘Jote’ which sounds like a political word. The SBKJ leader then called a general meeting with presence of 30% leaders to change its name. Upon acceptance of the members new name was confirmed as “Sara Bangla Krishak Society (SBKS).

Registrar, RJSC issued a letter to DG, National Security Intelligence (NSI) as a normal protocol of getting registration.

It is registered as per the provisions of Society Registration Act 1860 and its registration number is S12749/2017. It has member organizations in 32 upazilas of 16 districts of Bangladesh.

Economic Relations Division (ERD) has signed the MMI financed ‘Increasing Access to Finance for Farmers Organizations in Bangladesh’. The project has been jointly implemented by the FAO and SBKS with its 55 member FOs.

SBKS has started activities with FAO for building capacity of member FOs in the area of financial, business and digital literacy.