Little grains, big gains

Rajshahi's Godagari upazila lies in Bangladesh's Barind region, a drought-prone area that receives considerably less rainfall than much of the rest of the country. 

Yet, thanks largely to extensive irrigation, the region with its distinctive reddish-yellow clay soil has become one of Bangladesh's major agricultural zones, producing large quantities of Aman and Boro rice.

Just a few years ago, this region was one of the country's leading lentil-producing areas. Over time, however, farmers moved away from cultivating masur lentil.

Hasan Mia, a smallholder rice farmer from Godagari's Basantapur village, works on 120 decimals of land. For more than a decade, Hasan has been growing Aman paddy from July to December and Boro from January to May.

Between the harvest of Aman and the planting of Boro, there is a window of about 3-3.5 months. Hasan has been leaving his land fallow during this period to allow the soil to recover naturally.

Little did Hasan, a father of three, know that instead of keeping his land idle, he could cultivate a unique variety of lentil during this window, one that is particularly rich in protein and essential micronutrients.

For lower-income households, lentil is one of the most accessible and affordable sources of protein.

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) quotes the World Health Organization (WHO) as recommending that an adult should consume approximately 45 grams of lentil per day. However, data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) show that the average Bangladeshi consumed only 18.5 grams of lentil per day between 2022 and 2024. 

For a smallholder farmer like Hasan though, it is enough to know that he can grow an affordable, protein-rich crop on his own land to help nourish his three children while making productive use of a season that once lay idle.

Hasan received some seeds through a friend who knew the local agriculture officials.

"When I planted it for the first time, I saw good results. We usually harvest around 12–15 kilograms, sometimes even more. Since then, I've continued cultivating this variety," he said.

Recognising Bangladesh's twin challenges of climate change and malnutrition, scientists at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) developed BARI Masur-8 (BM8), a biofortified lentil variety bred for higher yields, greater resilience and enhanced levels of essential micronutrients.

But developing an improved crop is only the first step. Farmers need access to quality seed, practical training and confidence that adopting a new variety will be worth the investment. 

This is where GAIN stepped in.

Since its launch in 2002, GAIN has been working to address one of the world's most persistent challenges—malnutrition—by expanding access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food, especially for vulnerable populations.

Although BARI developed this variety, awareness campaigns or outreach initiatives were lacking.

So, through the Climate-Smart Nutrition Initiative Project, GAIN began working closely with the government to increase farmers' confidence in these biofortified seeds and encourage their adoption.

The project is being implemented across eight districts: Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, Natore, Pabna, Faridpur, Rajbari and Kushtia. Among these, the Barind region — which includes Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj and Natore — is particularly well suited to the cultivation of BARI Masur-8.

But why lentil in particular?

Ahmed Shihab Zaman, project manager of GAIN's Climate-Smart Nutrition Initiative Project, said, "Lentil is widely known as 'poor people's protein' because it is affordable, rich in protein and packed with essential nutrients. BARI Masur-8 stands out for its high levels of three important micronutrients: zinc, iron and selenium.

"Zinc deficiency remains a significant public health concern in Bangladesh. Selenium is particularly important for pregnant women, as it plays a vital role in the healthy development of a baby's spine and overall growth during pregnancy," he added.

Ashek Mahfuz, GAIN's portfolio lead, speaks on the importance of biofortification.

"Biofortification is the process of increasing the nutrient content of crops through biological methods, such as conventional plant breeding or modern agricultural techniques; just as vitamin A is added to edible oil or iodine is added to salt. These are foods that almost everyone consumes. Rice is another example, as there are biofortified rice varieties, including zinc-enriched rice.

Scaling up

The crop was developed in 2015. However, many farmers back then were unaware of a lentil variety that offered so many benefits.

"As a research institution, BARI's primary role is research and development. But promotion and distribution of these varieties among farmers require specific intervention," said Ashek.

"The Department of Agricultural Extension [DAE] plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between the development of improved crop varieties and the dissemination of knowledge to farmers. GAIN has worked closely with senior DAE officials to advocate for the promotion of this crop variety at the field level. As part of this effort, GAIN has trained farmers and local agricultural extension officials on good agricultural practices," Ashek added.

Both the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and DAE had the technical expertise, infrastructure and farmer databases needed to identify growers and expand adoption. Leveraging this partnership, GAIN worked with BADC and DAE to organise farmer training programmes and improve access to quality seeds.

Farmers across the Barind region are once again embracing the cultivation of lentil, particularly the BARI Masur-8 variety.

A high-yielding variety

"Conventional lentil varieties produce around 5 tonnes per bigha, whereas demonstrations conducted by DAE have shown that BARI Masur-8 can yield approximately 7 to 7.5 tonnes per bigha. As a result, farmers who switch from conventional lentil varieties to BARI Masur-8 can earn higher returns from the same amount of land," Shihab Zaman said. 

"Today, we are witnessing a remarkable revival. Farmers across the Barind region are once again embracing the cultivation of this crop. They are rediscovering its value and recognising its potential to improve their livelihoods," he added.

Farmer Hasan Mia agrees, "My plan is to expand production. Right now I grow it on several plots covering about 150 decimals. God willing, I'm getting good yields and good returns, so I'll continue growing it."

"Our ultimate goal is to encourage farmers to adopt this biofortified lentil variety on a large scale," Ashek Mahfuz added.

"The key now is to scale up seed production, ensure that quality seeds are readily available and continue providing training and support to farmers," he further said.

"Conventional lentil varieties produce around 5 tonnes per bigha, whereas demonstrations conducted by the DAE have shown that BARI Masur-8 can yield approximately 7 to 7.5 tonnes per bigha. As a result, farmers who switch from conventional lentil varieties to BARI Masur-8 can earn higher returns from the same amount of land."  Ahmed Shihab Zaman, Project Manager, Climate-Smart Nutrition Initiative Project, GAIN

Ensuring a fair price for farmers

Producing a successful harvest is only one part of the journey. Once the crop has been harvested and taken home, farmers face another significant challenge: securing a fair price for their produce.

"If they are unable to sell their harvest at a reasonable price, their confidence in cultivating the crop the following season is inevitably undermined. Ensuring fair market opportunities is therefore essential to sustaining farmers' interest in BARI Masur-8 and encouraging the continued revival of lentil cultivation across the Barind region," said Shihab Zaman.

"The existing agricultural supply chain is neither well organised nor efficiently managed. It involves numerous intermediaries and market actors, making it difficult for farmers to secure fair prices for their produce. At the same time, consumers often end up paying more than they should for their food," he added.

With DAE's support, GAIN linked farmers to BMC Group, opening doors to reliable markets and better incomes.

To address this challenge, GAIN piloted a market linkage initiative in the Barind region, particularly in Rajshahi and Natore. Through the support of DAE, GAIN connected 100 farmers with a private company, BMC Group.

"DAE already had the farmer database. GAIN helped connect selected farmers with BMC Group, creating an opportunity that neither could have achieved alone," said Shihab.

Determining a fair market price required strong institutional support as well. DAE played a crucial role by providing historical data on the prices at which farmers had sold lentil in previous years. In addition, the Department of Agricultural Marketing maintains detailed records of crop prices across different seasons and years. Drawing on this information, GAIN was able to establish a transparent and equitable pricing mechanism that benefited both farmers and the buyer.

BMC Group purchased the lentil directly from the farmers, after which the produce was cleaned, processed and packaged for sale under the brand name Shakti Daal.

How it is helping the climate

The benefits of BARI Masur-8 extend beyond higher earnings and better nutrition.

Growing BARI Masur-8 also improves soil health. Lentil is a legume, and like other leguminous crops, they fix atmospheric nitrogen through a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their root nodules. While the plant uses some of this nitrogen for its own growth, a significant portion remains in the soil after harvest, enriching it naturally.

"When farmers plant rice after harvesting lentil, the improved soil fertility can contribute to better rice yields. The naturally enriched soil also reduces the need for additional nitrogen fertiliser, lowering production costs while promoting more sustainable farming practices," Shihab explained.

As a winter legume, BARI Masur-8 is well suited to drought-prone conditions and requires very little supplementary irrigation. This makes it a climate-smart crop that consumes less water than many other crops.

The lower irrigation requirement also contributes to reduced greenhouse gas emissions associated with agricultural production, making it a more environmentally sustainable option.

As part of GAIN's Climate-Smart Agriculture training, farmers were also introduced to sustainable cultivation practices, including appropriate fertiliser application, efficient water management and improved agronomic techniques. 

Challenges remain

Although GAIN's interventions have demonstrated promising results, they have so far been implemented on a limited scale. Expanding these efforts will require farmers to have reliable access to quality seed.

"Seeds obtained through government channels generally meet certified quality standards, whereas seeds supplied through informal or unregulated private sources often vary in quality. Strengthening quality assurance and monitoring mechanisms is therefore critical to maintaining farmers' confidence and ensuring consistent yield," Shihab said.

Findings from the project suggest that if farmers receive consistent technical and market support over a period of five years, the gap between the country's lentil demand and domestic production could be significantly reduced.

"The government's long-term vision is to replace existing lentil varieties with biofortified ones. As a result, unless consumers purchase imported lentils, the lentil available in the domestic market would eventually be biofortified BARI Masur-8," said Ashek.

Awareness initiatives, however simple they are, could make a meaningful difference.

"Displaying information on the nutritional benefits of BARI Masur-8 on TCB distribution trucks, for example, could help raise public awareness and encourage greater consumption. Government procurement programmes could also prioritise BARI Masur-8 for use in public institutions such as hospitals, universities, prisons, orphanages and other facilities where food is regularly purchased and distributed. 

"Such measures could help ensure fair prices for farmers and strengthen domestic demand for the crop. Additionally, these measures will contribute to improved nutrition," said Shihab.