Project Notice |
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| PNR | 698 |
| Project Name | Agri-business for trade competitiveness project |
| Project Detail | Bangladesh has experienced steady economic growth of between five and six per cent per annum over the last ten years, despite being subject to frequent natural disasters, increased fuel and food prices and the effects of the global financial crises. During that time, private sector contributions to the country’s GDP have increased, although the share derived from agriculture has fallen. The future growth of the economy will depend on raising the productivity of agriculture, a transition to higher value manufactured products, and improvements in the collaboration between public and private sector actors. Objective The incomes of poor men and women in rural areas have increased as a result of changes in services, inputs and product markets, and the increased competitiveness of farmers and small enterprises. Approach The underlying premise of the Katalyst project is that, by enhancing business services delivered by the private and public sectors, while at the same time establishing a more enabling environment, enterprises will become more competitive, leading to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction. The project works indirectly by encouraging sustainable changes in the market system. Its wide range of partners include private and public sector intermediaries with long-term business interests and a mandate to work in a particular sector. Working together with these market players, Katalyst designs and implements measures that harness market incentives for a large number of beneficiaries, thereby addressing underlying market constraints. The project applies a rigorous system of monitoring and impact assessment which gathers information that enables the design of better interventions in the future. It uses a practical framework for gender mainstreaming, aligning gender interests with commercial interests in sector strategies and interventions. The project is currently working in areas of maize and vegetable production, as well as the farmed fish sector; it is devising information channels, and supporting women’s economic empowerment, local agri-business networks and capitalisation. GIZ International Services is collaborating with Swisscontact in the project implementation. Results achieved so far Katalyst has formed successful partnerships with public and private sector actors, and has supported the formation of effective public-private initiatives. The changed and improved services and systems have helped raise the competitiveness of farmers and small enterprises. This, in turn, has encouraged more people to get involved, thereby promoting inclusive economic growth and a reduction in poverty. Some successful Katalyst interventions include: promotion of integrated pest management technology, judicious pesticide use, better composting technologies and the cultivation of high-value fish species development and expansion of the contract farming model in the maize sector dissemination of information on the balanced use of fertilisers introduction of mini-packets of quality vegetable seed and ICT services for farmers and small businesses. Between 2002 and 2013, Katalyst reached over 2.37 million farmers and small enterprises, increasing their collective income by USD 320 million. |
| Funded By | Other Funding Agencies |
| Sector | Food & Agriculture |
| Country | Ghana , Western Africa |
| Project Value | Plz Refer Document |
Contact Information |
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| Company Name | German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) |
| Address | Postfach 12 03 22, 53045 Bonn, Germany, Tel: +49 / 228 / 9 95 35-0, Fax: +49 / 228 / 9 95 35-35 00. |
| Web Site | http://www.bmz.de/ |
