30-day notice: AR Malik and DFCD

A R Malik Seeds (Pvt.) Ltd., the fourth largest potato seed supplier in Bangladesh, is partnering with the DFCD Origination Facility (OF) to address critical vulnerabilities in the country’s agricultural value chain. Operating primarily in the climate-stressed northwest region, the company serves approximately 1.25 million farmers annually. Despite providing high-yielding, climate-resilient varieties, the company faces significant post-harvest hurdles, losing an average of 30% of potato seeds and 60% of onion seeds during storage due to inadequate infrastructure.

To mitigate these losses, the project focuses on a €2.41 million investment in modern, climate-adaptive cold storage facilities. This expansion aims to increase potato storage capacity from 3,500 MT to 10,000 MT and onion capacity from 80 MT to 400 MT. The DFCD grant of €237,300 will support technical feasibility assessments, business restructuring, and the integration of Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS).

The anticipated impacts are substantial: serving 65,000 additional farmers, bringing over 82,000 hectares under climate-resilient management, and potentially increasing farmer net income by up to 183% per acre. Furthermore, the project addresses gender disparities by implementing a GESI Action Plan to increase women’s participation in the value chain to 40-45%. By preserving seed quality and genetic integrity, this initiative aligns with the Bangladesh National Adaptation Plan and Delta Plan 2100 to strengthen food security against escalating climate shocks.