Manav Vikas Seva Sangh in collaboration with Caritas India Launched Smallholder Adaptive Farming and Biodiversity Network (SAFBIN) launched in Vidisha and Sagar Districts of Madhya Pradesh on Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1, 2018.

The Smallholder Adaptive Farming and Biodiversity Network (SAFBIN) aims to improve the food and nutritional security of small farmers is inspired by the achievements and mutual learning process of the Caritas Partners in a successful previous phase on Agriculture Research for Development (ARD).

SAFBIN is a multi-dimensional and multi-sector programme aimed to address the agricultural development challenges of developing and emerging countries. The innovative models piloted by the smallholder farmers from four rain-fed Agro-Ecosystems (AES) in South Asia will be scalable and replicable in all similar Agro-Ecosystems.

This programme will primarily contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 of the United Nations: “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture in South Asia”.

The Program will be implemented in collaboration with Caritas India, Caritas Austria and Caritas Swiss to strengthen and bring about local food and nutritional security among small and marginal farmers in 15 most marginalised communities of Vidisha and Sagar districts.

The programme witnessed the presence of more than 300 small and marginal farmers from the targeted villages and dignitaries namely Mar James Athikalam MST (Bishop of Sagar Diocese), Mr.
Pradipta (Program coordinator, SAFBIN, Caritas India), Mr. Rajput (PRO and HOD, Sagar University), Dr S K Jain (CEO, Sagar), Mr. Suresh Motwani (DDM, NABARD, Sagar), Mr. Manoj (DDM, NABARD Vidisha), Mr. D.S. Raghuvanshi (Agriculture Extension Officer Vidisha), Mr. Harish Dubey (PO, SRLM Sagar), Mr. Gautam (P.O. Zilla Panchayat, Sagar), Mr. Mathew George (Chairman, MBGB Sagar), Dr. K S Yadav (SMS-Agronomy, KVK) and many others from Dept of Agriculture, Dept of Horticulture, Dept of Forest and Environment, and Civil Society representatives.

The programme began with lighting the lamp by chief guests, and sessions by all dignitaries and wishes. Mar James Athikalam MST (Bishop of Sagar) said: “SAFBIN program should help the farmers of this region to have a life with dignity and appropriate knowledge to cope up with the erratic climatic condition”. Further, there was also experience sharing by 4 lead farmers from Shahgarh on the occasion. They shared that SAFBIN is a wonderful program which help farmers like them access to knowledge and skill in local food security to have good food round the year for their family.