Dhaka, 9 October 2026: Bangladesh and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have launched two projects worth a combined US$324 million to strengthen climate resilience, improve rural livelihoods and build sustainable food systems, targeting an estimated 2.5 million rural people.
The investments comprise the US$112 million Climate Resilience and Livelihood Enhancement Project (CRALEP), launched with support from the Government of Denmark, and the US$212 million Growth for Climate Resilient and Environmental Entrepreneurship and Nutrition (GREEN) project.
CRALEP, implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), will benefit around 1.45 million people across 33 upazilas in the flood-prone Haor and drought-prone High Barind regions over six years. Activities include improving rural roads, markets and boat landing facilities, strengthening climate early-warning systems, developing shelters and erosion protection, and expanding vocational training and employment opportunities for vulnerable communities.
GREEN, implemented by Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), aims to support more than 250,000 rural households across the Haor, coastal, High Barind and river char regions. It will promote climate-resilient agriculture, green technologies, inclusive financial services, skills development and market access while reducing post-harvest losses and improving food safety and nutrition.
“Together, these investments address connected priorities for rural development: infrastructure that withstands climate shocks and the finance, skills and market opportunities to build more secure livelihoods,” said Moslema Naznin, Wing Chief at the Economic Relations Division of the Ministry of Finance.
Valantine Achancho, IFAD Country Director and Representative in Bangladesh, said the projects would help women, young people and rural families strengthen their livelihoods and adapt to a changing climate.
The financing packages include US$70 million in IFAD financing and a US$10 million Danish government grant for CRALEP. GREEN includes US$51.4 million in IFAD financing, alongside other project funding.
Bangladesh and IFAD have partnered since 1978, supporting 39 projects with total investments of approximately US$4.9 billion, including US$1.1 billion from IFAD itself. Their cooperation has reached 11.7 million rural households through support for small-scale agriculture, rural finance and value-chain development.
