HSBC, CARE’s SURJAMONI project drives climate-smart agriculture in southwest coastal Bangladesh

HSBC, in partnership with CARE Bangladesh, is expanding its climate-resilient agriculture initiative in Southwest Coastal Bangladesh through the "Sunflower Radiance Journey towards Adaptation in a Market-oriented and Nature-based Initiative" (SURJAMONI) project. 

The initiative aims to strengthen the sunflower value chain and promote adaptive vegetable farming, directly benefiting communities in the Satkhira district, reads a press release yesterday (26 August). 

The project tackles critical agricultural challenges faced by smallholder farmers who are heavily impacted by soil salinity and limited access to finance, quality inputs, and climate-smart farming techniques. It focuses on the highly climate-vulnerable yet agriculturally rich Kalaroa and Tala upazilas of Satkhira. Currently, more than 26,000 hectares of fallow land in the region remain underutilised due to salinity. 

SURJAMONI seeks to transform this challenge into an opportunity by encouraging the cultivation of saline-tolerant sunflower varieties, ensuring the proper storage of seeds, and strengthening local and national value chains for edible oil production.

Md Mahbub ur Rahman, CEO of HSBC Bangladesh, added, "At HSBC, our philanthropic support aims to build inclusion and resilience in communities with long-term impact. Through this partnership, the SURJAMONI project will empower farmers with climate-resilient agricultural solutions and foster sustainable practices for a secure and prosperous future."

Ram Das, country director of CARE Bangladesh, noted, "The project is poised to drive long-term economic and environmental resilience. By equipping farmers with climate-smart agricultural practices, enhancing market access, and fostering sustainable value chains, this initiative will create lasting impacts. It serves as a model for future interventions that empower communities, strengthen food security, and promote sustainable livelihoods in the face of climate change."

Md Abdul Moti, a farmer from Tarulia village, said, "For 13 years, my field near the mango orchard remained unproductive and seasonal fallow due to salinity and lack of irrigation. With SURJAMONI's support, I cultivated sunflowers on one bigha and got an unexpectedly good yield and profit which will help me to expand my agricultural activities. This success also motivated others to cultivate sunflowers in the future."

Since its launch in 2024, SURJAMONI has supported over 600 households. In its first year, around 100 farmers cultivated sunflowers on 27 acres of fallow land, producing about 25 metric tonnes of sunflower, generating more than three times the profit of traditional mustard cultivation.