Ispahani Agro to work for USAID's rice, diversified crops activity

The Ispahani Agro Ltd (IAL) will work together with the USAID-funded Feed the Future Bangladesh Rice and Diversified Crops (RDC) to develop market systems that will provide farmers in south-west region of the country with improved access to inputs, markets and rice production advisory services.

In this regard, the IAL signed a Market Actor Agreement (MAA) with the US nonprofit international economic development organisation ACDI/VOCA in the capital recently, says a statement.

Under the agreement, the IAL will act as a partner for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)'s Feed the Future Bangladesh Rice and Diversified Crops (RDC) activity.

Fawzia Yasmeen, Director of Ispahani Agro Ltd, and Tim Russell, Chief of Party, RDC, signed the MAA on behalf of their respective organisations.

Officials of Ispahani Agro Ltd and RDC project were present at the agreement-signing ceremony.

IAL will use a 'One Stop Service Centre' model to help farmers produce aromatic and fine grain rice for their premium quality rice brand. This model will strengthen distribution channels for agricultural inputs (seeds and bio-pesticides) and establish a crop collection process at upazila level in FtF zone.

Through the 'One Stop Service Centre', IAL will improve the technical knowledge and skills of small holder farmers and other value chain actors through training programmes, mentoring by IAL technical staff and links to local service providers.