Providing Value-added information services on vegetable

Goals:
To facilitate a more dynamic pro-poor vegetable market.

BACKGROUND

Rural Reconstruction Foundation has undertaken to promote an Agricultural Value Chain project namely providing “Value added information services on vegetable-focused cropping practices to farmers” partnering with CATALYST-EDGE Consulting Ltd. in Jessore, Jhenidha, Chuadanga, and Meherpur districts. This project has been kicked off in March 2015 aiming to ensure vegetable farmers’ access to information, inputs, and market. Basically, the focused intent of this project is to create a linkage among farmers with DAE and different market actors in order to work together for the sustainable development of vegetable farmers.
A significant portion of the farmers is not aware of the most profitable cropping patterns and cultivation practices that can ensure higher productivity and income. In such a situation, one of the ways is to increase vegetable production by changing and modifying the existing cropping patterns and equipping them with the knowledge of improved cropping practices such as multiple cropping in a year, early cropping, intercropping, mixed cropping, etc. In addition, vegetable production can be increased by increasing the yield of each of the vegetable crops in the cropping patterns

Objectives
� To improve access to information for vegetable farmers on vegetable-focused improved Cropping practices and cultivation techniques (vegetable production, harvesting, and storage)

� To contribute to increasing the farmer’s� income and creating more employment opportunities.

� To build the capacity of Micro Finance Institutions on vegetable-focused cropping practices so that they can provide the information as value-added service and

� To establish linkages with the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Private input companies, and existing service providers in forward markets.

Project Portfolio

Kicked off	March 2016
Donor	CATALYST- EDGE Consulting Ltd.
Number of Beneficiaries	4600 Vegetable Farmers
Working Area	Jessore, Jhenidha, Chuadanga and Meherpur District
Key Activities	= Staff (CO) Basic and Refreshers training = Farmers sharing and regular meeting. = Demonstration and field days = Workshop with DAE (Department of Agricultural Extension) = Exposure visit for farmers = Linkage workshop between trades and farmers = Promotional Material development

Accomplishments 2015-16
= In the basis of the agroecological zone, DAE approved the latest crop calendar that has been given to 4600 vegetable farmers.
= Vegetable Cropping Practice Training provide to 4600 vegetable farmers.
= Linkage Workshop has been arranged among DAE, Farmers, Traders, and Buyers.