A BDT 530 million self-funded program to boost agriculture and several social initiatives nationwide has been unveiled by BRAC. Over the next three months, 103,000 farmers and agri-entrepreneurs will receive training, agricultural inputs, and access to cutting-edge technologies as part of this initiative. Additionally, it will carry out focused activities in the areas of education, social empowerment and legal protection, migration, road safety, and climate change.
BRAC is directly supporting smallholder farmers to boost their livelihoods and increase production as food inflation and growing agricultural input costs continue to impact them. Three of the initiative’s agriculture-focused components will get BDT 328.5 million of the total allocation.
As part of this support, BRAC’s Microfinance Programme, alongside other BRAC initiatives, will distribute 5 million fish fry, 100,000 ducklings, 100,000 chicks, and 100,000 saplings, strengthening farmers’ livelihood assets. In addition, 20,000 livestock animals will be vaccinated free of cost to help safeguard rural household incomes.
To promote sustainable and climate-resilient farming, 1,000 vermicompost production systems will be established, prioritising environmentally friendly practices. These systems reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers, support long-term soil fertility, and help lower production costs. Alongside this, 50 environmentally friendly potato storage facilities and 50 onion storage facilities will be constructed to improve post-harvest preservation.
To support agricultural mechanisation and make harvesting more efficient and affordable, 20 threshing machines and 100 power tillers will be distributed among farmers. A key element of the intervention is the rollout of 5,000 water-saving irrigation technologies. Compared to conventional methods, this system can reduce water use by up to 30 per cent, lower irrigation costs, and increase productivity on the same land, thereby offering a proven response to climate-related agricultural challenges.
Additionally, BRAC will launch a number of training initiatives to improve farmers’ expertise. These will cover organic pest control, low-cost pesticide use, excellent farming practices, soil fertility management, and ways to overcome the obstacles to increasing rice production.
Supporting women’s economic inclusion is a major focus of the intervention. 7,810 young women will receive training in poultry farming, tailoring, and community health services as part of BRAC’s Swapnosarothi program, which helps rural adolescent females become self-assured and productive citizens, paving the way for sustainable livelihoods. Additionally, educational support will be provided to 5,240 Swapnosarothi individuals who are enrolled at SSC level or higher. Additionally, laboratory rooms will be supplied to four schools in the Haor region.
Speaking about the initiative, Arinjoy Dhar, Senior Director of Microfinance at BRAC, said, “A large proportion of our members come from households whose livelihoods depend on agriculture. When crop prices fall, irrigation costs rise, or natural disasters strike, providing loans alone is not sufficient to support them. Through this initiative, we are investing directly in productive capacity so that our members can achieve genuine economic progress.”
