Smallholder Adaptive Farming and Biodiversity Network (SAFBIN)SAFBIN is a regional action research programme in South Asia aiming at building resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change and natural disasters while conserving nature and ensuring food security and sustainable income.

We are guided by the UN - Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the global vision of the Caritas Confederation to create a world without hunger.

The future of agriculture is in the hands of smallholder farmers. They are not only the target group of SAFBIN but they are part of the solution

Small-scale farmers are becoming researchers in their own farms. They exhibit higher productivity and cropping intensity while using the simplest means like improved varieties, shifting of sowing dates,setting up seed banks etc. and optimise resource use for achieving higher income.

Though they are the hardest hit by climate change, they are also the best adaptors of the phenomenon through the local practices that are unique to them. Bringing them together, SAFBIN banks upon the smallholder farmers' collectives to achieve the global goals of SDGs in the five countries of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the South Asian region. The cooperation and the exchange of knowledge across the political boundaries of the five countries are also unique. The programme is conceptualised and implemented by Caritas organisations in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka with continuous accompaniment and support of Caritas Austria, Caritas Asia and other global partners who believe in the potential of smallholder farmers to create a better world.

Why SAFBIN?

Worldwide one third of malnourished people live in South Asia.
More than 70 percent of farmers in South Asia are subsistent smallholders
Smallholders produce more than 70% of food worldwide from 40% of land
Future agriculture and the wellbeing of the region lies in the hands of smallholders

Smallholder farmers are the largest community in South Asia. They are the most affected by climate change and natural disasters.

SAFBIN's story

SAFBIN (Strengthening Adaptive Farming in Bangladesh, India and Nepal) began its journey in 2009 as a regional programme initiated by the local Caritas organisations in Bangladesh, India and Nepal to address the development challenges of smallholder farmers. Caritas Austria came forward to support this initiative and mobilise funding for the programme titled "Building Resilience to Climate Change through Strengthening Adaptive Small Scale farming system in Rainfed Areas in Bangladesh, India and Nepal" in 2011. The five year programme was co-financed by Caritas Austria and European Union "EU" under the EU Global Programme for Agricultural Research for Development (GPARD), funded through the European Union's Food Security Thematic Programme (FSTP). The programme was implemented by Caritas Bangladesh, Caritas India, Caritas Nepal, BOKU (The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna) in association with AFPRO (Action for Food Production), BRRI (Bangladesh rice research Institute), SHIATS (Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences) and LI-BIRD (Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development).

This initiative proved to be an effective solution for more than 10,000 smallholder farmers in South Asia that helped them to address climate change and food security challenges. This farmer-led action research initiative contributed in addressing the climate change challenges and food & nutritional security of more than 10000 smallholder farmers in South Asia. This action was an attempt to fill the gap in research and extension support to Smallholder farmers (SHF) while improving their Food Production, Distribution and Consumption System (FPDCS) in the context of climate change.

After the successful completion of the European Union co-financed programme in 2016, Caritas organisations in Pakistan and Sri Lanka also join the efforts and expanded the programme in the entire South Asia. Furthermore, Directors of Caritas organisations in South Asia came together with Caritas Asia and decided to continue SAFBIN as a major programme focusing on the smallholder farmers in their respective organisations. Caritas Austria came forward to support this intend of partners in South Asia and supported in developing a new programme in collaboration of CRS, Cordaid and Caritas Switzerland. Global Caritas organisations like Caritas Austria, Caritas Switzerland, Caritas Luxembourg and Caritas Italiana came together to continue the work with the Smallholder on a larger scale. Thus, SAFBIN, renamed “Smallholder Adaptive Farming and Bio-Diversity Network” continue its journey in the Indian Subcontinent reaching out to more Smallholder farmers to improve their resilience to climate change and disasters, improved food and nutritional security, reduce poverty, access to rights and entitlements, improved market access and income, and better connections with stakeholders and consumers.

Presently, SAFBIN Programme is being implemented in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Our Global partners Caritas Austria and Caritas Finland is continuing to support us to address the issues of smallholder farmers. We invite all likeminded organisations to come together to upscale this initiative.