WAVE Foundation’s Go Green Center is making a positive impact among local farmers by conducting agroecology and integrated farming activities. Crop exhibition plots, fish farms, Black Bengal goat and Dumba breeding farms are being operated here for the sustainable development of agriculture, while agroecological farming and livestock development through available indigenous technologies have been given importance. In the meantime, many farmers and ranchers have added new dimensions to their farming by following this method.
Recently (January 22), a delegation of the International Association for Popular Cooperation-IAPC (Baobab) visited WAVE’s Go Green Center in Koshaghata, Chuadanga. The delegation included Caroline Sequeira Gobide, a visiting researcher at China Agriculture University and professor at the University of Brazil, Luiz Henrique Gomes de Moura, Latin American coordinator of IAPC, and Promesh Pokharel, coordinator of Bioinputs International School, Nepal and political coordinator of IAPC (Baobab). Mohsin Ali, founder and executive director of WAVE Foundation, welcomed the delegates.
During the visit, the delegation visited the Black Bengal Goat Breeding Farm, Agricultural Exhibition Plot, Fisheries Farm, Integrated Farming Unit, Dumba Breeding Farm and Seed Reserve and sought details about each of the activities. WAVE officials answered their questions. At the end of the visit, Executive Director Mohsin Ali handed over memorandum to the delegation.
Besides Go Green Centre, the delegation visited the sheep farm of WAVE at Baradi in Meherpur. They also visited the Black Bengal Goat Cluster, Tricompost Cluster, Fruit Production Cluster, Peking Ducks Value Chain Hub, Synchronized Rice Cultivation, Fish Farming etc. run by the farmers in Purapara, Madna, Parkrishnapur areas of Damurhuda and interacted with the concerned farmers and ranchers. They also interacted with the local farmers’ producers organization at Chhoyghoria.
At the end of the visit, the IAPC-Baobab delegation described the agricultural activities of WAVE as timely and compatible with the local agricultural system. They recommended further expansion of the initiative and expressed their commitment to explore possible ways of cooperation in which they can contribute to some areas of the initiative or implement some of the learnings in other areas.
The day after the visit, the IAPC delegation held a meeting with the representatives of ‘Right to Food Bangladesh’ and ‘Bangladesh Agroecology Forum’ at WAVE Foundation’s head office in Dhaka. In the meeting with ‘Right to Food Bangladesh’, the challenges and prospects of food security, nutrition and sustainable agricultural management of farmers were discussed. It was also discussed in detail how it is possible to ensure the right to food for the farmers with proper policy support and technical facilities. The discussion with ‘Bangladesh Agroecology Forum’ highlighted the importance of agro-climatic tolerance, eco-friendly farming practices and agroecological practices for local farmers. The delegation welcomed the efforts of WAVE Foundation and other organizations for sustainable agriculture and exchanged views on the possibility of joint ventures in the future.
For reference, the Switzerland-based International Association for Popular Cooperation-IAPC (Baobab) is a non-profit organization that works to promote socially and environmentally sound agriculture with the help of science and technology for farmers in developing regions of the world.
