BRAC announces Tk 53 crore self-funded initiative for agriculture, social welfare

BRAC has announced a Tk530 million self-funded initiative to support agriculture and a range of social programmes across the country.

Under the initiative, 1.03 lakh farmers and agri-entrepreneurs will receive training, agricultural inputs and access to modern technologies over the next three months. The programme will also include targeted interventions in climate change, road safety, migration, social empowerment and legal protection, and education.

As food inflation and rising agricultural input costs continue to affect smallholder farmers, BRAC said it is providing direct support to strengthen livelihoods and improve productivity. Of the total allocation, Tk328.5 million will be channelled into three agriculture-focused components of the initiative.

As part of the support, BRAC's microfinance programme, alongside other BRAC initiatives, will distribute 50 lakh fish fry, 1 lakh ducklings, 1 lakh chicks and 1 lakh saplings to strengthen 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, with priority given to environmentally friendly practices. BRAC said these systems would 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 built 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 part of the intervention is the rollout of 5,000 water-saving irrigation technologies. Compared with conventional methods, this system can reduce water use by up to 30%, lower irrigation costs and increase productivity on the same land, offering what BRAC described as a proven response to climate-related agricultural challenges.

BRAC will also implement a series of training programmes aimed at strengthening farmers' knowledge and skills. These will cover soil fertility management, low-cost pesticide use, good agricultural practices, organic pest control, and ways to address the challenges of improving rice production.

The initiative places particular emphasis on women's economic inclusion. Under BRAC's Swapnosarothi programme, which supports rural adolescent girls in becoming confident and income-generating citizens, 7,810 young women will receive training in poultry farming, tailoring and community health services, creating pathways to sustainable livelihoods.

In addition, 5,240 Swapnosarothi participants studying at SSC level and above will receive educational support. Four schools in the haor region will also be provided with laboratory rooms.

Speaking about the initiative, BRAC Senior Director of Microfinance Arinjoy Dhar 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."

In addition to seed and sapling distribution, climate-resilient storage models and livestock support, BRAC has also been supporting farmers in different districts through training in floating vegetable cultivation, mushroom farming, improved bee rearing, honey production and marketing, vermicompost production, and cluster-based integrated crop cultivation management.