On 18-20 October, representatives from FAO and CIAT went on a field visit to the High Barind Tract of northwest Bangladesh, an area which faces severe environmental problems due to water scarcity and depletion of groundwater. The area is characterized by low and erratic rainfall coupled with decline in soil fertility due to unsustainable agricultural practices. The field trip focused on improving understanding of farmers’ livelihoods in the region and collecting data that will support the development of a project on climate-smart agriculture and sustainable land management. During the field visit, the team met with representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Barind Multipurpose Development Authority, Wheat Research Center and members of a Farmers Field School. Farmers of High Barind Tract highlighted the fact that the level of groundwater has lowered and the number of hot days have increased, while winter has become shorter. To cope with climate variability, farmers of the region are currently shifting from boro rice to wheat cultivation using improved crop varieties. Mr. Didier Lesueur, a Soil Microbiologist and Ms. Felicitas Roehrig, a Climate Policy Analyst from CIAT-Asia stated the need for developing climate-smart villages in the region for increasing food and nutrition security and addressing the climate change challenges.