আমাদের কার্যক্রমঃ টেকসই উন্নয়ন লক্ষ্য অর্জনে আমাদের কার্যক্রমের বিষয়ে কিছু প্রবন্ধ

My name is Putuli Kheyang. I am 57 years old and a member of the Kheyang Indigenous community. I live in a remote part of Bandarban, where we have no electricity or mobile network.I have farmed this land for more than 25 years. Today, I cultivate around four acres, growing cashews, bananas and mangoes. Farming is my main source of income.For many years, farmers here worked individually. I sold my cashews mainly to informal buyers and had very little information about market prices. I had no real bargaining power and often had to accept whatever price the buyers offered.We were producing cashews, but we didn't have much control over what happened after production. I had never even tasted the cashew nuts I grew. Things began to change in September 2025 when an organization called Tazingdong came to our community and brought cashew farmers together to form a cooperative.I received training in how to care for my cashew trees, process the nuts and market what we produced. I also learned about managing a cooperative and negotiating with buyers.Before, I mainly followed what other farmers were doing. Now I understand why and how different farming practices work. I can plan my farming for myself, and the quality and quantity of my harvest have improved.Before, I mainly followed what other farmers were doing. Now I understand why and how different farming practices work.Putuli Kheyang, cooperative leader and cashew farmer When my fellow farmers chose me to become president of our cooperative, I felt proud, but I also felt a great responsibility.For me, becoming a cooperative leader is not only about having a position. It means having the confidence to speak, negotiate and help other farmers move forward with me. Before, I was mainly focused on my own farm. Now I want to help the other cooperative members, especially the women, understand that we can work together, make our own decisions and have a stronger voice in the market.Many women in my community have had limited access to training, markets and opportunities to earn an income. I believe that by taking part in cashew farming and the cooperative, women can increase their income, build their confidence and play a bigger decision-making role in their families and communities.I want to help women understand that we can work together, make our own decisions and have a stronger voice in the market.Putuli Kheyang, cooperative leader and cashew farmer Before, we depended on local buyers and often had to accept whatever price they offered. Now, we have connections with bigger buyers. We understand the value of what we produce, and we have more choices about where and how to sell it.In 2025, I harvested around 720 kilograms of cashews. I received around 6,500 Bangladeshi taka (US$54) for 40 kilograms, compared with around 2,500 taka (US$21) before. I earned around 117,000 taka (US$959) from cashews that year. Cashews are my main source of income during the season, and I also grow bananas and mangoes. Life in our village is still difficult. We have no electricity or mobile network, and there is a shortage of drinking water. Transport is also a problem, which makes it difficult for us to reach markets and stay in contact with buyers.Sometimes I travel almost 10 kilometres by motorbike just to reach the market. We still need better connections to markets and better infrastructure. What I have achieved has encouraged my family to continue what I have started. For me, this is not only about income. It is about dignity, confidence and building something that my children can benefit from in the future.   Fast factsThe Promoting Gender-Responsive Enterprise Development and TVET Systems (ProGRESS) project, implemented by the ILO with funding from the Government of Canada, aims to increase women’s access to skills, enterprise development and decent work opportunities in Bangladesh.Tazingdong, an implementing partner of ProGRESS in Bandarban, has helped bring women and men cashew farmers together in cooperatives. Farmers have received training in entrepreneurship, business planning, financial literacy and how to negotiate collectively, as well as agricultural practices to improve cashew production, processing and quality.The project has also helped cooperative representatives meet potential buyers, understand market requirements and explore opportunities to sell to larger markets.The pilot initiative has supported 1,157 cashew farmers through 34 cooperatives across Bandarban and other communities in the Chattogram Hill Tracts.Empowering women farmers means placing rights, dignity and equality at the heart of agri-food transformations. The ILO Policy Guidelines for the Promotion of Decent Work in the Agri-Food Sector provide policy guidance to help ensure that agri-food systems are not only productive and sustainable, but also equitable and rights-based.The United Nations designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to recognize women’s vital role in agrifood systems and highlight the barriers they face in accessing finance, technical support, services and education.