Standard Chartered and KMSS empower 1,200 female farmers in Jashore

Standard Chartered Bangladesh has partnered with Khulna Mukti Seba Sangstha (KMSS) to promote entrepreneurship among 1,200 marginalised female farmers in Jashore through high-value flower cultivation.

The initiative will support the development of environmentally conscious floriculture practices by setting up 11 protective flower sheds and providing access to essential cultivation tools. Beneficiaries will receive training on post-harvest flower processing, product diversification, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. The programme aims to build commercial linkages between the women farmers and potential buyers, exporters, and flower-based product manufacturers.

The initiative is designed to create sustainable livelihood opportunities while promoting agricultural diversification and economic resilience in rural communities.

Bitopi Das Chowdhury, Country Head of Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing at Standard Chartered Bangladesh, said, "Our goal for this project is to unlock economic opportunities in underserved communities through flower cultivation by enabling entrepreneurial skills and capacities. Jashore has long been at the heart of Bangladesh's agricultural traditions. Now, through our joint effort with KMSS, we are supporting 1,200 women entrepreneurs to cultivate high-value flowers, diversify incomes, and serve as role models for the next generation of climate-savvy, commercially driven farmers."

The programme is part of the bank's wider commitment to sustainable development and its promise to remain "Here for good." Standard Chartered, with over 120 years of presence in Bangladesh, continues to focus on inclusive growth, responsible commerce, and impactful community engagement.

KMSS, which has been active for nearly two decades, works with remote and underserved populations across the country to promote social and economic progress through improved organisational practices and community-focused initiatives.