Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) has launched a $211.7 million initiative titled Growth for Climate Resilient and Environmental Entrepreneurship and Nutrition (GREEN) to combat climate change, build safe and nutrition-rich food systems, and foster eco-friendly enterprise.
The six-year project, spanning 2026 to 2031, was inaugurated on Thursday at PKSF Bhaban in Agargaon, Dhaka, with Managing Director Md. Fazlul Kader in the chair.
More than 258,000 households across Bangladesh's most climate-vulnerable regions -- including Haor wetlands, coastal belts, Barind tracts, and riverine chars -- will directly benefit. Priority will go to climate-hit communities, women, youth, ethnic minorities, socially marginalized groups, and micro-entrepreneurs. Key focus areas include climate-resilient agriculture, green technology adoption, sustainable enterprise development, inclusive financial services, and capacity building for partner organisations.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is providing $70 million for the project, with PKSF and its partner organisations funding the remainder.
Outlining the vision, PKSF Managing Director Md. Fazlul Kader said the project aims to shift focus from traditional microcredit to growth-driven financing, turning micro-enterprises into drivers of inclusive growth.
"We will prioritise digital financing, agro-ecological farming, agri-enterprises, value addition, safe food systems, solar energy, and the circular economy," he noted, adding that untapped opportunities in the creative and blue economies will also be tapped to generate eco-friendly jobs.
Earlier, PKSF Deputy Managing Director Dr. Akond Md. Rafiqul Islam delivered the welcome address, while Deputy General Manager and Project Coordinator Md. Habibur Rahman detailed project features. Deputy Managing Directors A.K.M. Nurul Islam, Md. Moshriar Rahman, and Muhammad Hasan Khaled also spoke on various PKSF initiatives.
In the open discussion, partner organisation representatives recommended cottage-industry training and market linkages for coastal women, tech-driven solutions for industrial pollution and carbon emissions, AI-powered early warning systems for the Haor region, and risk insurance funds for farmers.
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