HSBC supports agricultural reach across southwest coastal belt

FE Team | Published: August 27, 2025 00:25:07

HSBC, in collaboration 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. This initiative aims to foster the sunflower value chain and promote adaptive vegetable farming, benefiting communities in the Satkhira district, says the bank in a statement.
The project addresses key agricultural challenges faced by smallholder farmers,particularly impacted by salinity and limited access to financial services, quality input, and adaptive farming techniques. It focuses on the highly climate vulnerable yet agriculturally rich regions, Kalaroa and Tala Upazilas of Satkhira district. Currently, over 26,000 hectares of fallow land in the area remain underutilised due to soil salinity. SURJAMONI seeks to turn this challenge into an opportunity by promoting the cultivation of saline-tolerant sunflower varieties, ensuring proper storage of sunflower seeds, and enhancing local and national value chains for edible oil production.
Since its launch in 2024, SURJAMONI has reached more than 600 households, supporting themin adopting climate-smart agricultural practices. In its first year, about 100 farmers cultivated sunflowers in around 27 acres of seasonal fallow land and producedaround 25 metric tons of sunflower. This yielded over three times more profit than traditional mustard cultivation.
Md. Abdul Moti from Tarulia village, Satkhira shared, "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 (33 decimals) and got an unexpectedly good yield and profit which will help me to expand my agricultural activities. This success has not just helped me to expand my agricultural activities, but also motivated others to cultivate sunflowers in the future."
Ram Das, Country Director of CARE Bangladesh said, "The SURJAMONI project is poised to drive long-term economic and environmental resilience of the target groups and inspire many more in Southwest Coastal Bangladesh.
By equipping farmers with climate-smart agricultural practices, enhancing market access, and fostering sustainable value chains, this initiative will continue to create lasting impacts. As CARE Bangladesh and HSBC remain dedicated to scaling innovative solutions for climate adaptation, this project serves as a model for future interventions that empower communities, strengthen food security, and promote sustainable livelihoods in the face of aggravating climate change risks."
MdMahbub ur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Bangladesh mentioned, "At HSBC, our philanthropic support aims to build inclusion and resilience in communities with long term impact. Through this partnership with CARE Bangladesh, the SURJAMONI project will strengthen local economies and empower farmers with climate-resilient agricultural solutions. By fostering sustainable practices today, we are helping build a more secure and prosperous future for generations to come".