In this episode of LightCastle Live, Zahedul Amin, Managing Director and Co-founder of LightCastle Partners, sat down with Mohasin Kabir, Country Manager at Palladium Indonesia, to explore how Bangladesh can unlock its agricultural potential by learning from global success stories.
The conversation began by addressing a long-standing contradiction: agriculture employs over 40% of Bangladesh’s workforce but contributes less than 12% to GDP. Mohasin shared how Indonesia is overcoming similar challenges by aligning public policy, private investment, and innovation to build a more resilient agricultural ecosystem.
Both speakers emphasized that isolated fixes—like tech platforms or subsidies—rarely deliver lasting impact on their own. In Indonesia, success has come from integrated efforts that connect agritech, finance, and policy to directly support farmers and improve productivity across the value chain.
Zahedul pointed to the structural gaps holding Bangladesh back: fragmented supply chains, weak post-harvest systems, and limited access to finance. He stressed that digital tools are only part of the solution. What’s needed is a broader shift in how agriculture is approached—moving from short-term pilots to scalable, inclusive models that truly reach the grassroots.
As the session wrapped, Mohasin’s message was clear: Bangladesh doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, but it does need to act decisively. With the right collaboration and long-term thinking, agriculture can become a driver of growth, not just subsistence.
Guests
Mohasin Kabir is the Country Manager for Indonesia at Palladium, where he leads large-scale development programs focused on economic growth, agriculture, and private sector engagement. With over a decade of experience across South and Southeast Asia, he brings deep expertise in market systems development and inclusive innovation.
