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News & Events
January 4, 2023

ToT on GGAP and HACCP organized

PKSF, IFAD and DANIDA supported Rural Microenterprise Transformation Project (RMTP) is going to introduce Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) protocols in agricultural productions and agro-processing to promote safe and nutritious food in the country. Trained experts need to be developed to attain this objective. In this regard, The Training of the Trainers course was organised on 8-10 May 2022 at ESDO training centre, Dhaka on the said topics.

The Training of the Trainers course discussed general concepts, protocols, and certification processes regarding GGAP and HACCP.  The course emphasized ensuring safe and nutritious agro-products for the consumption of people and expanding their demands in national and international markets. Globally accepted certification is a must to export agro products in international markets.    

In his inaugural speech, the Project Coordinator of RMTP Dr Akond Md. Rafiqul Islam, Senior General Manager (Programme), PKSF informed that RMTP is intervening in the value chains of high-value agricultural commodities of three major sectors viz. livestock & poultry, crops & horticulture, and fisheries & aquaculture. RMTP would focus on ensuring safe agro-products for the greater interest of protecting human health, which requires following internationally accepted production and processing procedures like GGAP and HACCP.      

A total of 20 participants from different partner organizations of PKSF, universities, and service providing organizations participated in the Training of the Trainers course. Dr Arif Mahmud and Ms Basetsana Thabane GGAP and HACCP specialists conducted the sessions in the training course. 

By Ehsanul Habib
News & Events
January 3, 2023

MoU Signing on farm mechanization and modernization of the processing sector

A memorandum of understanding was signed in Dhaka on Saturday between the eight POs of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and Trade Global Limited for increasing the production of animal products and reducing production costs to make it a profitable sector. The main objective of the agreement is to transform the related businesses into profitable businesses through the development of sales and service centers in 36 Upazilas of 12 districts in the area of PKSF’s Rural Microenterprise Transformation Project (RMTP) through the modernization of the farm mechanization, dairy and meat processing sector at the village level.

 

At the MoU signing event, Dr. SM Niaz Mahmud, Sector Value Chain Specialist (Livestock) of PKSF, Managing Director of Trade Global Limited Golam Rabbani and Executive Director Mr. AQM Shafiqur Rauf, and the Executive Heads of eight POs of PKSF.

SM Niaz Mahmood said at the meeting that we are collaborating with the government to address the SDGs’. Our main goal is to ensure safe and nutritious food and eradicate poverty. Rural Micro Enterprise Transformation Project (RMTP) aims to extend the financial services of microenterprises to increase the income, food security, and nutrition status of marginal farmers, entrepreneurs, and other market actors involved in value chain interventions of agricultural products. And with this initiative, Trade Global Limited will provide modern technology products for farm mechanization at affordable prices to small entrepreneurs.

RMTP project is implementing eight value chain sub-projects on “Market system development of safe meat and dairy products” in the livestock sector. 

 

By Ehsanul Habib
News & Events
January 3, 2023

Project participant selection through KoBo App

The RMTP is currently implementing 65 value chain sub-projects across the country. In order to select project participants effectively and appropriately, data are being collected through the project-implementing POs using KoBo Toolbox. The project participants are chosen from diverse segments of society, including men, women, youths, socially excluded individuals, extremely poor, poor, transitional poor and enterprising poor. The data gathered through KoBo can be utilized to track the individual progress of participants throughout the project’s lifecycle.  

By Ehsanul Habib
News & Events
December 28, 2022

Progress of RMTP Project Evaluated as Satisfactory

An IFAD Supervision Mission expressed its satisfaction over the progress of the Rural Microenterprise Transformation Project (RMTP).

They revealed it in a pre-wrap-up meeting of the 3rd Supervision Mission of the RMTP project on 10 November 2022 at PKSF Bhaban. PKSF’s Additional Managing Director Mr Md Fazlul Kader chaired the meeting. PKSF’s Senior General Manager (Program) and Project Coordinator of RMTP, Dr Akand Md Rafiqul Islam, and PMU officials of RMTP was also present in the meeting. Mission Leader Mr Dewan A H Alamgir shared the Mission’s findings and recommendations. The Mission highly praised the successes of the project. Moreover, the Mission stressed for proper documentation of the project’s success and smooth implementation of all the cross-cutting issues of the project on time.

 

The Supervision Mission was conducted from 30 October to 22 November 2022. The kick-off meeting of the Mission was held on 30 October 2022 chaired by Dr Akand Md Rafiqul Islam, Senior General Manager (Program) and Project Coordinator of RMTP project. The Mission visited various microenterprises and value chain activities in Sirajganj, Chapainawabganj, Bogura and Jaipurhat districts. They reviewed progress of various value chain interventions and cross cutting activities like gender, environment, nutrition, and sustainability of different value chain interventions under the RMTP project.

 

The wrap-up meeting of the Mission was virtually conducted on 21 November 2022 chaired by Mr Mafiz Uddin Ahmed, Additional Secretary (Project Management), Financial Institutions Division of the Ministry of Finance. Mr Md Fazlul Kader, Additional Managing Director of PKSF, was also present in the meeting. The Mission again expressed satisfaction over the progress of the project. The chair congratulated the PMU for overall achievements of the project, and suggested that the PMU document the best practices of the project. 

By admn_rmtp
News & Events
December 28, 2022

IFAD Support Mission: Progress of RMTP Project Observed as Satisfactory

An IFAD Support Mission expressed its satisfaction over the progress of the Rural Microenterprise Transformation Project (RMTP).

They revealed it in a warp-up meeting of the Support Mission of the RMTP project on 7 June 2022 at PKSF Bhaban. PKSF’s Managing Director, Dr Nomita Halder ndc chaired the meeting. PKSF’s Additional Managing Director, Mr Md Fazlul Kader, PKSF’s Senior General Manager (Program) and Project Coordinator of RMTP, Dr Akand Md. Rafiqul Islam, and PMU officials of RMTP,  IFAD country Director, Arnoud Hameleers, IFAD mission lead Dewan AH Alamgir, IFAD officials were also present in the meeting.

IFAD mission lead Dewan A H Alamgir made a presentation on the overall progress, plan, implementation strategy, finding, and recommendations of RMTP project. The Mission also praised the overall progress of the RMTP project. They urged the project is new, and we can incorporate the learning of PACE project for RMTP. The Mission addressed the satisfaction of the systematic vaccination campaign of livestock sub-project, partnership with the private sector, and Tulip flower cultivation. The mission was recommended for the commercialization of animal health services, oil seeds and pulse products, and waste management in livestock sectors.

The Managing Director of PKSF Dr Nomita Halder ndc urged “I found the IFAD website they invest in the rural communities to improve the livelihoods of marginal peoples. I am happy that PKSF is working for the rural communities to create income generation for the rural micro-entrepreneurs to expand business opportunities through the selected sub-sectors. PKSF will explore the best engagement opportunities for this project with the government and private sector for branding, certification, promotion, and marketing.”

In the concluding remarks, IFAD country Director Arnoud Hameleers gave his vote of thanks to the PKSF management for implementing these projects.   

By admn_rmtp
News & Events
December 5, 2022

MoU signing for developing livestock sectors in the southern region of Bangladesh

PKSF and IFAD funded Rural Microenterprise Transformation Project’s implementing partner Grameen Jano Unnayan Sangstha (GJUS), and the Department of Microbiology and Public Health of Patuakhali University of Science and Technology (PSTU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 05 December 2022.

Professor Dr. Farzana Islam Rumi, Chairman of the Microbiology and Public Health Department of PSTU, and Dr. Md. Khalilur Rahman, Deputy Director (Technical) of GJUS signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.  

Under the MoU, the Microbiology and Public Health Department of PSTU and GJUS will work together to develop livestock sectors in the southern region of Bangladesh by applying modern research. 

In addition, PSTU will ensure the diagnosis of diseases in cattle and buffalo; play a significant role to produce safe food (milk, meat, and dairy products); and provide technical and technological training to the project participants and GJUS staff.    

Dr. Swadesh Chandra Samanta, the Vice-Chancellor of Patuakhali University of Science and Technology (PSTU); Professor Dr. Farzana Islam Rumi, the Chairman of the Microbiology and Public Health Department of PSTU; Zakir Hossain Mohin, Executive Director of GJUS; and Dr. Md. Khalilur Rahman, Deputy Director (Technical) of GJUS were present in the MoU signing ceremony.   

By Ehsanul Habib