Bangladesh Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge, BARCIK is a non-governmental non-profit development organization. Established in 1997 by a group of development practitioners, researchers and social workers, BARCIK has been working in the fields of environment and development with utmost commitment and purpose.
Agroecology is a key thematic area for BARCIK’s work. It promotes agroecology–-an economically viable and socially just resilient approach to sustainable agriculture and food systems which integrates the science of ecology in agriculture rooted in traditional indigenous knowledge and practice of peasants, fishers and forest-dwelling communities’ sophisticated way of land use based on an understanding of our reciprocal relationship with the earth. By taking a holistic approach to farming, agroecology encompasses not only its biophysical and ecological, but also its social, economic, political, cultural and spiritual dimensions, where peasants, agricultural workers, community-based processors and consumers are at the centre of decisions. People and communities are thus recognized as part of the agro ecosystem. BARCIK believes agroecology is an approach, also as the path towards food sovereignty and the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food.
Under agroecology and food sovereignty thematic area BARCIKfacilitates number of interventions includes on-farm experimentation and dissemination of local/traditional crop varieties adopted in local and regional context through farmer-led research, promotion of community seed banks where farm saved seeds are kept, seed library of traditional crops at schools, arrange seeds fairs of farm-saved seeds and local cultivars, farmer-led plant breeding, strengthening of local seed systems and community-based seed growers, linking peasants with safe food agro-business activities, activities related to crop agro-biodiversity conservation, farmers-farmers seed exchange and knowledge sharing exposures, equip peasants by providing training and supports on different practices and systems of agroecology. Raising national understanding of seed-related laws, policies and practices, campaign and advocacy work towards changing policies and laws to enhance food sovereignty and fight against rural hunger–through environmentally sustainable agriculture as the effective and ecological meansputting farmers at the fore-front.
In line with the theme area- annual action plans are prepared by POs (Peoples Organizations- community based organizations directly address their immediate concerns.) through consultation with the community considering needs, resources and local socio-ecological context. Then the area annual action plan is shared with local level administrators, elected representatives and wider community people for sharing, necessary adjustment, avoiding duplication and finalization. All interventions included in the annual action plan is managed and maintained by POs and for assuring quality, monitoring during operation and evaluation at the end, PO members and community people play the central role. Throughout the process, BARCIK staff members play a facilitating role.
In order to harvest the maximum results, people from different stakes like teachers, youth, students, journalists, researchers, development workers, environmental activists, social workers, local administration, elected representatives are involved in interventionsat various forms.
