The UKAID-funded 'Alleviating Poverty in North East Bangladesh' (APONE) project ends this month (March), providing farmers with technical knowledge and financial assistance in greater Mymensingh and Sherpur districts.
The project has encouraged the farmers to be in groups and collectively raise their demands and voice.
The Tk 106.6 million project, in its three years' duration, has directly benefited 8,130 farmers and has doubled their annual incomes.
This was disclosed at the "Final Project Dissemination Workshop," organised by the project implementing organisation, APONE, in the city on Saturday.
Director (training) of the Department of Agricultural Extension Banik Ram Krishna was the chief guest in the meeting of evaluating three years' achievements and information dissemination while director (extension) of the Department of Livestock Services Bishwazit Bhattacharjee was present as the special guest.
Country director of the implementing organisation Traidcraft Exchange, a British development charity, Shahed Ferdous and representatives of other partner organisations were present in the meeting.
The evaluation report said a good number of women farmers, particularly the Garo women, were empowered among the direct beneficiary farmers.
It said farmers in Mymensingh (Phulpur, Haluaghat, Dhobaura) and Sherpur districts (Sherpur Sadar, Jhinaigati and Nokla) were supported with money, training, agricultural tools and other things.
The specific objective of the project is to ensure sustainable livelihoods for poor and marginal communities, particularly women, in Northern Bangladesh.
Shahed Ferdous said the project has achievement in maintaining communal, equal participation among genders and has improved their productions.
The project has benefited 6,000 households and 300 service providers.
A project evaluating source said at least 40 per cent of the beneficiary farmers are women of which 30 per cent are from Garos, an ethnic minority group.
The service providers are benefited through increased capacity to provide appropriate and affordable services to farmers.
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