StanChart extends Tk 29m to uplift 800 apiculture entrepreneurs

The Standard Chartered Bangladesh will contribute Tk 29 million to implement a joint project with the BASA Foundation to help enhance food hygiene and safety; promote job and value creation; increase sustainable mechanisation; safeguard pollination; promote sustainable agriculture; and empower local actors with end-to-end support.
The bank and the BASA Foundation are collaborating to foster environment-friendly agriculture and apiculture processes.
As part of their recently-launched initiative, the two organisations will assist the local honey producers and create opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to sell and market honey-related products.
By investing in apiculture - which is focused on increasing the local bee population - the bank is playing a key role in safeguarding our nation's agriculture sector, as bees are an essential part of the agricultural cycle.
This initiative between Standard Chartered and BASA Foundation focuses on three core goals. The first is to teach approximately 800 honey farmers - both new and old - about honey production, processing essentials, and maintenance of hygiene parameters.
The second aim is to build income generation capacity for all beneficiaries via the provision of mechanisation support and quality management tools.
Finally, the project will focus on enhancing the marketability of honey products by providing access to certification and forward market linkages.
Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bangladesh, said, "Apiculture investment not only fosters the growth of honeybee populations but also cultivates a flourishing impact on our nation's agriculture sector by enhancing crop pollination, biodiversity, and overall agricultural productivity. We are also excited to uplift 800 beekeepers and apiculture entrepreneursand provide them with new opportunities to innovate and improve their livelihoods. Standard Chartered is proud to partner with BASA Foundation to promote sustainable practices that safeguard our food systems while simultaneously contributing to broader goals of environmental conservation and ecological harmony."
AKM Shirajul Islam, Executive Director, BASA Foundation, said, "BASA Foundation has been working with beekeepers and associated entrepreneurs for the development of apiculture business cycle for the last two decades."