The overarching goal of this project is to co-create a cost-effective storage, packaging, and cooling innovation bundle and introduce a lean business model that reduces post-harvest (PH) and nutrition loss in fruits, vegetables, and fish value chains in Bangladesh by integrating multidisciplinary research and building capacity through training. The project will identify areas along these value chains needing improvement in terms of cost-effectiveness, PH and nutrition loss, and fine-tune the training programs based on a co-created innovation bundle and lean business model.
The research component has three distinct subcomponents. The first subcomponent deals with co-creation of cost-effective storage, packaging, and cooling innovation bundle by evaluating existing technologies, market structures, and policies of fruits, vegetables, and fish in Bangladesh (covered in objectives #1 and #2a). The second subcomponent develops a lean business model emplacing access to market (A2M) mobile app incorporating small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs), farmers, and other value chain actors (objectives #3). The cost-effectiveness of innovation bundles and the lean business model will be evaluated through appropriate financial and economic analysis (Objective #2b and #3). The third subcomponent uses extensive training programs to improve human and institutional capacity (Objective #4). The training component will be based on the findings of the co-creation of innovation bundles as well as a lean business model with the aim of improving capacity at the universities and government agencies in imparting the most relevant training to fruits, vegetables, and fish value chain actors, including farmers, processors, distributors, and SMEs in the domestic market. In addition to the involvement of Ph.D. and MS students, collaboration among educational institutions (BAU, DU, IUB, and PSTU), public organizations (DAE, DoF, BFRI), and private organizations (Hortex Foundation, Farmers Organizations) will help to enhance the institutional capacity. The project will investigate the technical approach for each of the objectives and the implications of findings through the lens of various cross-cutting themes, including gender and youth, nutrition, climate change, and resiliency.
Thus, the project integrates the human dimensions of cost-effective PH technologies with the natural sciences. A multidisciplinary team of business management experts, computer scientists, economists, fisheries technologists, food scientists, horticulturists, nutritionists, and social scientists will manage the project. The Project Management Team (PMT) includes individuals from academia as well as government departments such as the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and the Department of Fisheries (DoF), Bangladesh, and this broadens the scope of the outcomes of the project. Moreover, a Project Advisory Committee (PAC) will guide the PMT in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the project. PAC will comprise stakeholders from public and private sectors, including the fruits, vegetables, and fish industries, scientists, and representatives of governmental agencies. Please refer to the letter of support (LOS) from DAE, DoF, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI), Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters Association, and Hortext Foundation. The project is articulated to meet the FSN-IL objectives and Bangladesh-specific research priorities as well as align with the agricultural development goals of the Government of Bangladesh and USAID’s Bangladesh Country Development Cooperation Strategy. The integrated, multidisciplinary, and cost-effective value chain approach of the project can also be generalized to other developing countries and other perishable product value chains.
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Prof Md. Takibur Rahman
Md. Takibur Rahaman is a professor at the Department of Accounting and Information Systems of Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh. He received his PhD in Environmental and Resource Economics from the University of Copenhagen. He is an applied economist with deep interest in sustainable development of agribusiness sector in developing countries. His research focuses are on (i) examining economics of agricultural production (especially aquaculture, fisheries and livestock); (ii) evaluating policies and programs geared toward improving the lives of the small-scale producers of crop, fisheries and livestock in developing countries; and (iii) understanding behavior of consumers and producers of food markets. His research is funded by various national and international agencies like Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (DANIDA), The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Bangladesh Academy of Science /United States Department of Agriculture (BAS/USDA), and World Bank. He has published around 30 articles in peer reviewed indexed journals. Read more…
Samina Luthfa
Dr. Samina Luthfa is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Dhaka. She is an activist researcher interested in studying the environmental justice movement, political ecology, agriculture, gender, and media. With a general geographical focus on South Asia, she currently works on labour rights in the apparel industry, food safety-related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP), gender analysis of theatre actors, and Mandi peasants; popular culture and youth preference in music, ‘extractivism’ in South Asia; slow fashion in Bangladesh and creative musings in political protests. She is a part-time Senior Research Fellow of BRAC University’s CED. Read more…
Prof Mahmud Hossain Sumon
Experienced Professor with a demonstrated history of working in the environmental services industry. Skilled in Life Sciences, Data Analysis, Lecturing, Biogeochemistry, and Soil Science. Strong education professional with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) focused in Geochemistry of Arsenic from University of Aberdeen. Currently working on biovolatilization of trace elements from soil. Read more…
Prof Dr. Md. Shaheed Reza
Dr. Md. Shaheed Reza is a Professor in the Department of Fisheries Technology at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), located in Mymensingh. He was an Adjunct Faculty at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Gazipur, Bangladesh during April-December, 2010 and Visiting Professor at Kitasato University School of Marine Biosciences, Kanagawa, Japan during 2018-2019. He obtained his Ph.D. in Aquatic Bioscience from the University of Tokyo, Japan in 2009. Prior to that, he completed his M.S. in Aquatic Bioscience and another M.S. in Fisheries Technology, both from the University of Tokyo and BAU, respectively. Since 2002, Dr. Reza has been involved in teaching Fishing and Post-Fishing Technology at BAU. His teaching responsibilities are complemented by extensive research activities, both in the field and laboratory. His research areas encompass seafood biochemistry, quality and safety, biotechnology and metagenomics. Dr. Reza has contributed to various research projects concentrating on fish drying, post-harvest fishery loss assessment and food safety issues related to microorganisms, heavy metals and pesticides. He is experienced in training of Department of Fisheries (DoF) Officials as well as fishermen, fish processors, middlemen, retailers and other value chain actors engaged in inland and coastal fisheries sector of Bangladesh. He has served as a consultant for projects funded by FAO and Katalyst, and prepared more than 12 technical reports. Additionally, he has published 69 scientific publications in national and international peer-reviewed journals, and 7 book chapters, making a significant contribution to the scientific community. Read more…
Prof Dr. Mohammed Nasir Uddin
Dr Mohammed Nasir Uddin who has been serving as Professor in the Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymenisngh, Bangladesh since 2004. Prof Uddin is 20 years experienced mainly in agricultural (crop, livestock and fisheries) extension, technology transfer and capacity development of farmers. Earlier Prof Uddin did PhD in Environmental Management at Kyoto University, Japan and MS in Agricultural Extension (BAU) and Rural Development (Belgium). Prof Uddin experienced in conducting research projects especially national and international projects while Ministry of Science of Technology and Ministry of Education, Government of Bangladesh, UNDP and FAO of UN, European Commission, UKRI-BBSRC, UK; IFPRI and Harvest Plus, USA etc. are funded. Read more…
Md. Salauddin Palash, PhD
I have more than 16 years of teaching and research experience at Bangladesh Agricultural University. I have published books, research articles and seminar proceedings on an array of agribusiness, supply and value chain issues. My research work focused on economies, marketing, value and supply chain activities of a variety of commodities, including crops, livestock and fish. I have the experience of working with USAID, FAO, ACIAR, Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Krishi Gobeshona Foundation (KGF), Bangladesh, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), etc. I did Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the Justus-Liebig University in Giessen, Germany. I have a fluency in Bangla as a native speaker and English as a second language, has workable skills in German. My date of birth is 01.03.1980. Read more…
Prof Dr. Md. Kamrul Hasan
My research mainly focuses on postharvest biology and technology and food quality and safety. By this time, 23 students have completed their MS degree under my supervision. Presently, 12 MS and 2 PhD Students are pursuing their research under my supervision. I also worked as Principal Investigators of several research projects funded by national (UGC, MOSICT and BAURES) and International (EC, USAID and FAO) Donors. To date 35 research articles have been published in national (28) and international (8) journals. Read more…
Prof Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman Khan
Professor Md. Akhtaruzzaman Khan is an Agro-Economist of Bangladesh. Having PhD in Economics, his research focuses on various aspects of agricultural economics that includes fisheries and livestock economics, environmental economics, value chain and supply chain of agricultural commodities, efficiency and risk modeling at farm level, post-harvest losses, poverty and livelihood of vulnerable people etc. His research is funded by various national and international agencies like United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Bank (WB), International Development Association (IDA), Asian Development Bank (ADB) etc. He has published over 97 research articles, 24 monographs, one book and a book chapter. Read more…
Madan Mohan Dey
Professor Madan Dey is an agricultural economist with more than 28 years of post-Ph.D. experience in teaching, research, outreach, and governance in a variety of agricultural and natural resources contexts. He began his career in the economics of agricultural development focusing on rice. Dr. Dey completed his post-doctoral research on the agricultural economy of Asia under the mentorship of Professor Robert Evenson of Yale University from 1991 to 1993. He has worked in various academic and research organizations and has conducted research on several sub-sectors of agriculture and natural resources, including crop, livestock, and fisheries.
Professor Dey has published widely in several fields of agricultural development and policy, including 90 referred journal articles, several books, and 45 book chapters and reviewed proceedings. Over the past 25 years, he has led and implemented a number of pioneering, innovative, and inter-disciplinary agricultural projects in the U.S., Asia, and Africa.
Dr. Dey has a demonstrated record of leadership and administrative success. As a regional director of WorldFish (2004 – 2007), he provided strategic vision and direction to the Asia regional operation, and managed an annual budget of approximately $6 million and led a team of 30 specialists from various disciplines in a matrix management system. He has secured grant funding of more than $10 million during the last 20 years. Read more…
