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This letter was originally sent to LightCastle Bimonthly Newsletter subscribers.
Over the past decade, Bangladesh has made major strides in economic growth and export diversification but one sector still holds untapped potential: agriculture. Despite employing over 40% of the workforce, agriculture contributes just 12% to GDP. The sector faces several bottlenecks, fragmented value chains, limited access to finance, poor post-harvest infrastructure, and rising climate risks.
But with the right mix of interventions, agriculture can evolve from a subsistence activity into a high-growth, high-impact sector that creates jobs, drives exports, and improves rural incomes. At LightCastle, we believe the time to rethink agri-development is now. Here’s how we can unlock the opportunity.
To move the needle, we must shift from a production-first mindset to a value chain approach. That means:
Agri-SMEs and startups also play a key role here. With the right support, they can drive innovation, reduce post-harvest losses, and introduce climate-smart practices. Digital agri-tech, traceability tools, and climate-resilient inputs all need to scale.Financing the Ecosystem
Access to finance remains one of the biggest challenges. Traditional agri-lending often doesn’t align with seasonal cycles or value chain realities.
Innovative models can bridge this gap:
These solutions can make agriculture bankable for smallholders, processors, and investors alike.Scaling Agri-Exports
The global agri-food market continues to grow and Bangladesh has a competitive edge in products like mangoes, shrimp, aromatic rice, Hilsa, and jute composites.
But export volumes remain low due to compliance gaps, packaging issues, and weak trade facilitation.
To compete globally, we need:
Countries like Vietnam have done this successfully Bangladesh can too.Looking Ahead
To make this shift happen, three steps are critical:
Final Thoughts
Agriculture doesn’t just feed the nation, it can also fuel its growth. With the right mix of value chain efficiency, financing innovation, and export readiness, Bangladesh can turn agriculture into a 21st-century success story.
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