What is basin-South Asia

The ‘building advisory service and information network’ (basin), was set up in 1988 to provide information and advice on appropriate building technologies to habitat practitioners. Based on the changing needs of its client base, the network was decentralized in November 2004. basin-South Asia (basin-SA) was thus born with the aim of facilitating access to knowledge on rural habitat and livelihood solutions for such seekers in South Asia.

basin-SA Regional Knowledge Platform, aspires to be“the leading network committed to developing knowledge systems and promoting collaborative action within South Asia to enable access by the poor to sustainable habitat and livelihoods.” Managed by a network of 13 agencies from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, itis a neutral platform for knowledge consolidation, dialogue and dissemination on workable solutions for sustainable habitat and livelihoods in the region.

The platform targets habitat practitioners, researchers and policy makers from the governments, donor community, international and national NGOs, private sector and research institutions to use their scarce resources effectively and in synergy, for the benefit of the rural poor in the region.

Key objectives of the platform are to:

• Promote collaboration between basin – South Asia partners, as well as organisations and agencies dealing with habitat and livelihood-related issues in South Asia. This is aimed at knowledge exchange on specific themes in the form of services and products which include a website, newsletters, case studies, exposure visits such as LokAwaasYatra, thematic papers and facilitation and moderation of strategic thinking
• Facilitate dialogue with grassroots actors and decision-makers; create and consolidate knowledge on practical solutions available to implementing and decision making agencies across the South Asian region , enabling them to bridge the gap between policy and practice. The vision is that good policy facilitates multiplication of good practice and good practice informs and influences good policy.
• Provide links to expertise and knowledge on technology, finance, institutional development and capacity building for sustainable habitat and livelihoods