Making Markets Work for Women (M2W2) Project
Innovation Project [Sep 2009-Aug 2012]
Implemented by : Integrated Development Foundation
Co-operated by : Helen Keller Int’l, Bangladesh (HKI)
Financed by: Shiree-DFID
Basic Information:
Unions: Laxmichari Sadar & Duillatoli
Upazila: Laxmichari
District: Khagrachari
Beneficiaries: 450 Extreme poor women
Project goal
Govt. of Bangladesh MDG targets one & two
on income generation, poverty reduction &
hunger achieved by 2015.
Project objectives
Elimination of extreme poverty for 450 HHs
in 30 remote tribal communities of
Khagrachari district by 2015.
Project Updates
Date: 22 April, 2012
Output-1: Ecologically appropriate land management
systems disseminated to 30 remote tribal communities.




Accomplishments:
4 advocacy workshops conducted with headmen, karbaries &
upazila administration on land arrangement for demonstrating
ecologically appropriate land management practices.
Feasibility study was conducted by local contour farm experts
and as per his suggestion 31 CFs have been established.
Basic & refresher training provided to project staff, beneficiaries,
headmen & karbaries through which they all have been aware on
ecological land management practices .
Inputs distributed to CFs like hedge plant seed/seedlings,
vegetable seed/seedlings, fruit saplings, fertilizers which helped
beneficiaries to establish 31 CFs.
Result: This year average income already came around
Tk.18000/CF and average standing resources amounting
Tk 8000/CF (source: Field Officers report)
Output-2: Beneficiaries given inputs, equipments and
training on market-oriented food production.




Accomplishments:
Inputs distributed: Turmeric seed, vegetable seed/ seedlings,
potato seed, orange flesh sweet potato vines, maize seed,
pineapple & banana sucker, fruit saplings, fertilizer etc were
provided which helped the beneficiaries to grow more crops and
had a significant income increase
Equipments distributed: Machete, spade, hoe, water cane,
shallow pump sets (10), power tillers (5) etc were provided which
increased the production of beneficiaries at least by 2 times.
Cash transfer: Grant money provided Tk 1300/HHs for poultry
birds/sheds which increased production by at least 3 times.
Training provided: Basic & refresher training on year round
gardening, field crop production, poultry rearing etc.
Result: In a recent calculation it is seen that beneficiaries
average income in last 3 months is Tk 10,200.
Output-3: Benfs given inputs, training, and equipment on
post-harvest storage, processing, and packaging.



Accomplishments:
Inputs distributed: Packaging materials like-glass/plastic jars,
poly bags, rice, oil, food processing chemicals etc. At least 80
BHHs are now being involved with processed foods by which
they are getting a good monthly income.
Equipments: 3 turmeric grinding machines & 2 cleaning
machines, 5 machine houses(cluster basis), 35 solar dryers, 70
slicers, 20 juicers, 5 sealing machines, 31 crockery sets, 25
plastic drums etc. Beneficiaries are using these in group/cluster
based and they are being benefitted.
Training: Making- banana & potato chips, pickle, jam & jelly
from locally available vegetables/fruits, puffed rice, turmeric &
chili powder etc. Trained BHHs are doing better.
Result: 80 landless beneficiaries are getting an average
monthly income of Tk. 850 (range 250-3400)
Output-4: 30 MCs formed & provided with transportation
asset, business skills, and marketing information



Accomplishments:
MC formation: Through the ‘work together in group’ approach 31
Marketing Committees (MC) have been formed in 5 clusters at
the starting of the project. Our most of the activities are MC
centered. MCs have become good platforms for all activities.
The MCs have been provided 5 trolley sets with 6 HP engines for
carrying their goods to the market place. The MC members are
having the exclusive use of the trolley sets specially in 2 weekly
hat days. Goods carrying has become easier and encouraging.
The MCs have been provided 6 donkeys to use as the steep
transportation. Rotationally they are using these donkeys.
Though 4 female donkeys still didn’t start functioning as per the
doctor’s advice but 2 male have start functioning.
Contd.







Business skill & market information:
1 day training on basic knowledge on marketing and business
skill was provided to 450 MC members through which they
could make a right choice of a suitable businesses.
31 MC leaders have been given 2 days basic and 2 days
refresher training on business management & leadership role to
be played to their MC members. They are playing a good roles.
Local & foreign experts have been hired and they made
participatory market research, MC functioning system and
provided their marketing strategies effective for the MCs.
Local vendors/buyers/suppliers have been linked with the
MCs/MW through meeting/workshop/individual contracts. BHHs
are getting suggestions on production & marketing from them.
The local vendors/suppliers are now connected with the MCs by
mobile phone. Information exchanged everyday.
A front side market place has been selected in the Laxmichari
bazar for sitting altogether of M2W2 BHHs



Results:
Beneficiaries bargaining capacity increased radically
Product sale increased by at least 60% for easy transportation
and group marketing opportunities.
Beneficiaries’ storage practice increased by at least 50% for
processing knowledge and flow of market information
Output-5: 30 communities provided with nutrition edn, gender
awareness for men & linked with UNDP & govt health services.



Accomplishments:
450 BHHs have received basic & refr training on nutrition
education & they are now well aware on maintaining family
nutrition either for cooking or food distribution.
450 BHHs and their husbands have received gender awareness
training & husbands now share domestic works with their wives.
2 big workshops were organized by M2W2 project where Govt &
UNDP health personnel have attended including the UNO &
UHFPO. The main objective was to make linkage among our
BHHs and the other service providers.
Contd.



Results:
Till date we have ensured 180 health cards for our beneficiaries
from the UNDP’s health services and remaining 270 BHHs have
been linked with District Council health services from where
they are getting extra care by showing their identities.
Till date 91 BHHs have been taken under different Govt safety
nets program
For increasing the nutrition and health awareness egg
consumption rate is increased by at least 40% and vegetable
consumption rate is increased by at least 60% found in a recent
survey.
Lessons Learned:
1. Seed production & preservation: Our staff and
beneficiaries have received training on seed
technology from RDA Bogra. They have got some new
ideas on biological seed treatment during seed sowing
and seed preservation. They have disseminated their
learning to other beneficiaries. Now at least all middle
women and some of their group members have started
these practices.
2. Market oriented crop production for getting more
benefit: Previously beneficiaries practiced to produce
traditional crops with traditional varieties. They were
not concern about market demand or market rate. So
very often they had to suffer for marketing their
produces. But after practicing the seasonal market
survey and regular linkage with the local vendors they
have learnt on choosing the valuable crops or varieties.
For example: previously beneficiaries produced green
bottle gourd and green yard long bean which market
demand and price was comparatively low so vendors
demanded for white bottle gourd & white yard long
bean. This year most of the beneficiaries followed it
and got a very good market price.



It is reported that about 60% of the beneficiaries have increased
their gardening land in this season even if some beneficiaries
have taken lease land for vegetable cultivation.
At least 25 beneficiaries had to miss their lease land due to having
a remarkable income in the last summer season. Earlier the land
lords kept their lands fallow for years after years but when our
beneficiaries have took those lands as leased and produced a
bumper production and earned good money then the land lord
cancelled their lease agreement and started to cultivate
themselves.
The hill people has some superstitions that up to the ‘Durgah Puja’
of the Hindu community there will be heavy rainfall and flood so
most of them are not agreed to start their gardening activities
before the puja.


Hedge rows in contour farms can control soil erosions
effectively in the rainy season.
Creep feeding can protect chicks from predators and can
contribute to increase number of poultry birds. ]