SDG 2: Zero Hunger
In rural Bangladesh, CARE’s SHOUHARDO III Plus program encourages and trains women to set up sustainable homestead gardens that support their families’ nutritional needs. Often, these gardens produce more than one family requires, creating a small surplus that could be sold for additional income. Transportation to commercial markets is costly and difficult, however, due to the remoteness of many villages as well as social barriers women face.
To remove this barrier, CARE Bangladesh introduced Local Service Provider (LSP) collectors who connect women in rural areas to commercial markets. The collectors purchase fruits, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, and other goods directly from the women for a fair price. They then sell the items at market for slightly higher prices, ensuring the collectors also benefit from the partnership.
“Before I engaged with SHOUHARDO, I didn’t care about collecting very small amounts of vegetables from women,” says Mohammad Soleman Khan, an LSP collector. “Now I know that, by selling homestead vegetables, women contribute to family income.”
One of the women Soleman Khan collects produce from is Nurjahan, a wife and mother of three. “I am a woman farmer. My husband is sick, and my only adult son works in Dhaka,” she says. “I can’t take my vegetables to the market because it’s too far and unusual in our village for the women to sell their products directly in the markets. So, I depend on Soleman to sell my products.”
By connecting women like Nurjahan with collectors, CARE is helping build sustainable partnerships that strengthen nutrition and livelihoods for rural families.