The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Bangladesh’s Economic Relations Division (ERD) have signed two project agreements providing US447,000ingrantassistanceforagriculturalsafetyandruralenterprisedevelopment,includingUS247,000 dedicated to supporting women’s environmentally friendly businesses.
The agreements were signed in Dhaka on 18 October 2026 by Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky, secretary of the ERD under Bangladesh’s Ministry of Finance, and Dr Jiaoqun Shi, FAO representative in Bangladesh.
The funding covers two separate initiatives. The first will strengthen pesticide management and food safety, while the second, known as Green Roots Women’s Farm Labs, will help rural women establish and expand green micro-businesses.
Green Roots Women’s Farm Labs is a 24-month sub-programme being piloted in Bangladesh and Uganda. Bangladesh will receive US$247,000 to support its implementation.
Building on FAO’s Farmer Field School approach, the initiative will provide rural women with coaching, appropriate technology and connections to finance and markets. The programme is intended to help participants develop environmentally friendly income-generating activities and strengthen their capacity to operate and expand their businesses.
The initiative brings together agricultural development and women’s economic participation, with support designed to help rural women access practical knowledge, suitable technologies and commercial opportunities.
Its national partners in Bangladesh include the Ministry of Agriculture, the Department of Agricultural Marketing, the Department of Agricultural Extension and Sara Bangla Krishak Society.
The project comes as Bangladesh continues efforts to strengthen rural livelihoods and create economic opportunities through agriculture. For women seeking to establish small businesses in rural communities, access to markets, finance and relevant technical knowledge can be important factors in developing sustainable commercial activities.
The Green Roots initiative is intended to address some of these needs by combining business support with appropriate technology and market connections. However, the project announcement does not specify how many women will participate, how many businesses are expected to be established or the number of jobs the initiative aims to create.
The second agreement provides US$200,000 for a four-year project titled Strengthening Capacities for Lifecycle Management of Pesticides. Funded by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs through the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme, it also covers Ethiopia, Ghana, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan.
The project will support updated pesticide regulations, digital registration systems, stronger enforcement and improved laboratory capacity for testing pesticide residues. It will also raise farmers’ awareness of safer pesticide use.
According to the project document cited in the announcement, more than 30 per cent of vegetables in Bangladesh are reported to contain excessive pesticide residues. The initiative aims to strengthen the systems used to manage pesticides throughout their lifecycle and improve food safety.
Under revised implementation arrangements, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Agriculture will lead the project task force, while the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute will participate in implementation. The national project coordinator will be based in Bangladesh.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, FAO representative Dr Jiaoqun Shi said the organisation was pleased to support the Bangladeshi government in building safer agrifood systems and creating opportunities for rural women.
ERD secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky said the two projects reflected a shared commitment to food safety, climate-resilient livelihoods and women’s economic empowerment. He also emphasised the ERD’s role in coordinating implementation so that the benefits reach farmers and rural women.
The signing coincides with the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, which places additional attention on women’s contributions to agriculture and rural economies.
Through Green Roots Women’s Farm Labs, the partners intend to support women in developing environmentally friendly businesses, while the pesticide management project addresses agricultural safety and regulatory capacity.
The combined US$447,000 grant assistance therefore covers two distinct priorities: improving pesticide management and strengthening economic opportunities for rural women. The women’s business component will be particularly relevant to entrepreneurs seeking practical support, technology and stronger links to finance and markets.
