Goals and Objectives

The overall objective of this assignment is to equip Community-based Local Market Agents (CbLMAs) with basic business knowledge, technical skills, hands-on training, and initial capital inputs to start and operate micro-businesses effectively and profitably.

The primary objectives are to transform selected leaders of Women Livelihood Groups (WLGs) into 515 CbLMAs, thereby bridging the gap between 25,425 women producers and market actors. The initiative aims to develop contextualized, gender-inclusive training modules on business planning, financial literacy, and leadership. Additionally, it seeks to establish 10 climate-smart seedling nurseries and provide capital support to 505 CbLMAs to foster sustainable, commercial incentives.

Background

Coastal communities in the Khulna and Satkhira districts of Bangladesh are grappling with severe climate change-induced salinity, which threatens their livelihoods and food security. The Gender-responsive Coastal Adaptation (GCA) project targets over 719,000 beneficiaries in these regions to promote resilient livelihoods. Currently, Women Livelihood Groups (WLGs) are engaged in adaptive livelihood options such as crab farming, hydroponics, and homestead gardening, but they face significant challenges due to a lack of market information and disconnected links with market actors and agricultural advisory services.

Rationale suggests that without commercial incentives and proper market linkages, these livelihoods cannot remain sustainable. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop CbLMAs as "last-mile service providers" who can facilitate access to quality inputs and markets for women producers, ensuring year-round farming activity and economic empowerment.

Approach

The project adopts a participatory, evidence-based, and gender-responsive approach, leveraging the consortium's extensive experience in qualitative assessments and curriculum development. The strategy focuses on market system development, ensuring that CbLMAs are not just trained but are integrated into a commercial model where they earn commissions on inputs and outputs.

The implementation methodology is structured around four key principles: Participatory, Context-Based, Learning-Focused, and Collaborative approaches. The process begins with a rigorous assessment of the local business environment through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) to inform the design of demand-driven interventions.

To ensure practical skill acquisition, the project utilizes a "Training of Trainers" model where private sector actors—such as input companies and output traders—deliver technical training. This unique approach turns dealers into paid trainers, reinforcing commercial relationships and trust between the CbLMAs and the private sector. Furthermore, the project emphasizes hands-on learning by establishing climate-smart seedling nurseries equipped with resilient infrastructure like poly-tunnels and irrigation systems. By combining soft skills training (leadership, financial literacy) with hard assets (capital inputs, nursery infrastructure), the project aims to create a self-sustaining ecosystem of women micro-entrepreneurs.