Coast Foundation wraps up five-year cooperative farming project

COAST Foundation organised a national-level wrap-up workshop in Dhaka today (29 November) marking the completion of a five-year programme on cooperative-based agricultural development.

Held at the Lakeshore Hotel, the event brought together government officials, academics, development partners and farmer organisations to review progress and outline future strategies for supporting small-scale farmers.

Speakers underscored the crucial role of farmers' cooperatives in strengthening sustainable agricultural production and contributing to rural economies. Despite producing 60–70% of the country's food, small-scale farmers continue to face malnutrition and food insecurity, participants noted.

S M Sohrab Uddin, Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension, stressed the importance of proper crop planning and careful product selection ahead of cultivation. Mariel Zimmermann, Programme Officer of IFAD's Asia and the Pacific Division, highlighted the need for documenting best practices to enable wider replication. Md Mohsin Ali, Executive Director of WAVE Foundation, emphasised the adoption of agroecology, organic fertilisers and safe food production to protect both farmer livelihoods and consumer health.

Moderating the session, COAST Foundation Executive Director M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said Bangladesh must shift back to ecological agriculture to avoid long-term harm caused by chemical-based farming. Deputy Executive Director Sanat Kumar Bhowmik presented the keynote, reporting that the programme disbursed Tk2.08 crore as revolving finance to six farmer organisations and that youth participation in farming increased by more than 25% during the intervention period.

Gawher Nayeem Warha, Member Secretary of the Disaster Forum and Acting Chairperson of COAST Foundation, urged the wider sharing of success stories to inspire more youth involvement in agriculture. Hunger Free World Country Director Ataur Rahman Miton said cooperatives enable farmers to secure fair prices, access markets collectively and build resilience.

Ahmed Borhan, Director of the Centre for Social Research, drew attention to the ageing demographic in rural areas, with 20–25% of residents being elderly. He stressed the need for research and advocacy to ensure fair pricing for agricultural products. Cooperative leader Alauddin Sikder highlighted the role of farmer groups in seed preservation, monitoring fertiliser and pesticide prices, and coordinating commodity pricing, while youth representative Mahfuza Akter called for expanding saline-tolerant seed varieties in coastal regions.

Young cooperative members also shared personal accounts of improved productivity, income gains and stronger market linkages. Examples included collective mustard oil production, women-led duck rearing and paddy farming, safe vegetable cultivation, and honey cooperatives in Koyra supporting marginalised honey collectors in the Sundarbans.

The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen farmers' cooperatives, advocate for their inclusion under the Ministry of Agriculture, and promote broader participation of women and young farmers.