The story from Bangladesh is one of a series of FAO features celebrating the 60th anniversary of the FAO Investment Centre, showcasing decades of partnerships, initiatives and investments that have transformed agrifood systems
Salma Akter Aduri’s family once believed that growing cash crops could be their solution.
“We were cultivating a special type of potato called the ‘sunshine potato,’ which grows quickly and yields well,” Salma recalls. “But we had such a small amount to sell that we couldn’t get a profitable price.”
Salma and her family are potato farmers from Rangpur in northwestern Bangladesh, a region plagued by destructive monsoon floods and seasonal droughts. Farmers here increasingly rely on cash crops to cope with these frequent weather-related challenges, but even that wasn’t working. “Many of our neighbours faced the same struggle. They leased land to grow these potatoes but couldn’t even earn enough to repay the lease.”
The situation grew dire. It seemed they would either have to give up their land or take high-interest loans from moneylenders. Salma worried about her family’s farming future and even considered leaving agriculture altogether.
A Breakthrough
The turning point came when Salma’s family joined the Birahim Farmer’s Cooperative. This producers’ organisation received essential support through the Missing Middle Initiative, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and funded by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP).
In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Sara Bangla Krishak Society (SBKS), a national federation of farmers’ organisations in Bangladesh, including Birahim, this FAO initiative worked with farmers to expand their access to finance, markets, technology, and information.
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“This support was crucial,” Salma says. “We learned the importance of selling our produce in bulk with other farmers, allowing us to access markets offering higher prices. We finally gained access to finance at competitive rates, and with these benefits, Birahim’s membership grew!”
In 2018, fresh out of high school and awaiting university admission, Salma stepped in to help with Birahim’s record-keeping. With FAO’s support, Birahim made a breakthrough by connecting with the Bangladesh Potato Exporters Association.
“Seeing our potatoes being exported was a dream come true for me and my family,” Salma exclaims. “It inspired me to support other communities in exporting as well.”
Innovation Amidst Adversity
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted Birahim to innovate. With support from SBKS and FAO, Birahim and other producer organisations established a Virtual Call Centre (VCC) to keep their community’s farming business operational.
The VCC became a critical hub, providing agricultural advice, market information, and financial services to farmers remotely. Recognised for her dedication, Salma was appointed a VCC Operator in 2020.
“My family was resistant due to our conservative background, but the president of the producer organisation convinced them. After the training, I was taken more seriously,” Salma explains.
Crucially, she was paving the way for more women in her community and inspiring other young people. “Now they are asking me about opportunities to get involved in agriculture. It’s exciting,” she says enthusiastically.
Rising to Leadership
Salma’s skills and expertise as a VCC operator led to her appointment as an accountant for Birahim. She also became a farmer business facilitator, overseeing the management, finances, and business plans of other producer organisations.
Initially, she faced some teasing and scepticism, especially when working with older male leaders in other communities. However, her strategic approach helped her overcome resistance. “Over time, they came to respect my knowledge and experience!”
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Meanwhile, FAO and SBKS, with further funding from GAFSP, launched the ACCESS project, working with producer organisations in climate-affected areas to access local value chains.
ACCESS builds on the successes of the Missing Middle Initiative, where 10,000 smallholders saw an average 35 per cent increase in annual incomes.
Financial Stability and a Vision for the Future
Now, the Birahim cooperative continues to successfully export potatoes and has started a vegetable seed business. “We received help to access credit and market our seeds, and we are working with reputable partners across Bangladesh, producing quality vegetable seeds,” Salma says with pride.
Banks are also getting involved in developing modern technologies for vegetable seed production. The Dutch-Bangla Bank is funding SBKS and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, enabling Birahim farmers to produce five tonnes of vegetable seeds annually.
“It’s been a significant journey for our community, from struggling to repay loans to achieving financial stability,” Salma reflects. Salma has recently joined SBKS’s Secretariat as an accountant. She has risen to become a community leader in agricultural innovation and empowerment. “I want to help other communities access export markets so they can benefit from financial stability and higher incomes,” she says. “I want to see more women empowered through ACCESS and for our network of smallholder farmers, SBKS, to grow to national recognition.”
Photo: Salma Akter Aduri (left) with a smallholder farmer. Photo Credit: ©FAO/Saikat Mojumder
