Gazipur:The government has launched a significant initiative to establish 20,000 agricultural entrepreneurs across the nation, focusing on processing and exporting agricultural products. This effort aims to enhance food security and generate employment by tapping into the agriculture sector's potential.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, The Programme on Agricultural and Rural Transformation for Nutrition, Entrepreneurship and Resilience in Bangladesh (PARTNER) Project, managed by the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) under the Ministry of Agriculture, will oversee this initiative. It will cover 208 upazilas across 64 districts, with 60 percent of the entrepreneurs being women and 40 percent men.
Officials from the Agriculture Ministry have indicated that the project will focus on various subsectors, including agriculture, product processing, seeds, nurseries, mushrooms, vermicompost, jute, and dairy products. Value-chain-based organizations are also being formed for five key agricultural products potatoes, mangoes, jackfruit, tomatoes, and aromatic rice.
Entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35 will benefit from on-the-job training and incubation support, aimed at promoting employment creation and enhancing processing and export capabilities. A matching grant support system is in place, offering a 70 percent subsidy for food-processing equipment, with the entrepreneurs covering the remaining 30 percent.
Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Al-Farooq, Agency Programme Director of PARTNER-DAM, reported that 6,875 people have already been trained under the project, with a goal to train around 7,000 entrepreneurs this year. The training emphasizes developing business skills, management knowledge, and market linkages.
Additionally, 767 Market Actors Business Schools have been established to support these efforts. These schools focus on locally dominant products and bring together various market stakeholders to streamline the market system.
Abul Kalam Azad, PARTNER Project Coordinator, emphasized the importance of entrepreneurs in driving economic progress, noting their potential to become self-reliant and create further opportunities for others. He highlighted that the project aims to modernize and dignify the agricultural profession, thereby enriching the national economy.
Tamima Akter Nancy, an entrepreneur from Gazipur, exemplifies the initiative's potential. After training with the Department of Agricultural Marketing, Nancy started producing and selling various processed agricultural products. Her business, Nancy Agro and Food, now employs four people, showcasing the project's impact on local entrepreneurial development.
Agriculture sector analysts believe that this initiative could significantly bolster food security, employment, and exports, addressing previous challenges of inadequate planning and modernization. The government's proactive approach aims to transform agriculture into a cornerstone of economic growth.