Bangladesh launches project to boost indigenous women's strawberry businesses

An initiative has launched in Joypurhat, Bangladesh, to foster economic independence among indigenous women through a focus on value-added strawberry products. The project specifically targets women from the Kormokar and Pahan communities, aiming to build their capacity in entrepreneurship and market engagement.

The program, titled “Empowering Indigenous Women and Enhancing Market Access Through Value-Added Strawberry-Based Enterprise Development,” was formally established on July 30. It is designed to create a research-based cooperative model that guides safe strawberry cultivation, encourages product innovation, and strengthens links to markets.

Daahuk, a local development and research organization, is implementing the project, with the People's Union of the Marginalised Development Organisation serving as the community engagement partner. The initiative receives support from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) of the High Commission of Canada in Bangladesh.

Project Director Magfi Reza Siddique stated the project's goal is to overcome long-standing socio-economic and climate-related challenges faced by plainland indigenous communities. He believes the combination of research, cooperative leadership, and market-driven solutions can create a replicable model for other communities in Bangladesh, ultimately boosting incomes, confidence, and leadership roles for women in local development.

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We believe this initiative can become a reference model for other plainland indigenous communities in Bangladesh by demonstrating how research, cooperative leadership and market-based solutions can create lasting change.