Japan Assists Agricultural Training and Food Processing Centers in Chittagong Hill Tracts
Dhaka: 24 March 2014
Press Release
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Government of Japan has decided to donate US $ 121,946 to Integrated Development Foundation (IDF) and US $ 121,939 to Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB) to implement two agricultural development projects in Chittagong Hill Tracts area.
The grant contracts for the projects were signed today at the Embassy of Japan in Dhaka by H.E. Mr. Shiro Sadoshima, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, and the heads of the two organizations. Both of the grant allocations are made from the scheme of Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects (GGHSP) of Government of Japan.
A national NGO, IDF, will construct an agro based vocational training center equipped with demonstration farms in Matiranga of Khagrachari District and organize applied trainings for the local farmers. The trainings will be coupled with the post-training monitoring by IDF thereby facilitating the farmers to effectively use their acquired skills to enhance productivity. The trainings will cover livestock rearing, fish farming, horticulture, growing spices etc.
Mr. Zahirul Alam, Executive Director of IDF, mentioned, “Farmers of the hilly areas need special attention as farming problems are more acute there than the plane areas. We hope to contribute in this sector by providing training and direct support services to farmers.”
Another organization, CCDB, will construct a Food Processing Center for Tribal Groups in Bandarban Hill District. The center is designed to process fresh fruits (banana, mango, tamarind, lime, pineapple and olive) and horticulture products (ginger and turmeric) grown by tribal farmers to further develop their marketing. The lead tribal growers will be engaged in part/full time food processing in this project.
Executive Director of CCDB, Mr. Joyanta Adhikari said in the ceremony, “Most of the tribal farmers are bound to sell their harvests to the middle men due to inappropriate market linkage which hinders farmers to access the growth centers. They are deprived of getting fair prices and become frustrated.” ED also mentioned, “This project will certainly contribute to overcome this problem in the targeted areas since it is a participatory project of tribal farmers.”
Japanese Ambassador encouraged both organizations in their efforts saying that the majority of Hill Tracts people live in difficult conditions and agriculture is one of the most important sectors of their livelihood. The Ambassador also mentioned, “I am sure that these two projects will contribute to the betterment of the livelihood of local people and the agricultural development in the area by which peace in the area will be further consolidated.”
In the previous year, the Government of Japan extended assistance to Khagrachari Hill District Council for small scale irrigation project amounting to US $ 122,961 titled “The Project for the Development of Water Management System for Poverty Reduction in Khagrachari District”.
The Government of Japan began assistance to the Hill Districts in 2005 under GGHSP through a project by BRAC namely “Strengthening the Community Based Health Care Programme in Chittagong Hill Tracts” and a project by UNDP titled “The Construction of Mult-Purpose Community Center in Hill Tracts”.
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