At Unilever Bangladesh, we believe that long-term sustainability cannot be achieved in isolation. It requires partnerships, innovation, and a deep commitment to the communities we serve.
‘Shohojatra: Co-Creating Impact’ was an event created in this spirit that brought together our partners, industry peers, academia and opinion leaders to celebrate what becomes possible when we work together. Across the pillars of our Growth Action Plan (GAP) 2030: Climate, Nature, Plastics and Livelihood, each partner story reflected the transformative potential of co-creation.
Under the Nature pillar, was highlighted the story of DeshiFarmer - a Bangladeshi agri-tech social enterprise driving regenerative agriculture practices and inclusive growth among rural farmers.
The Need for Action
At Unilever, we recognise the vital importance of nurturing and preserving resilient natural and agricultural ecosystems for the wellbeing of our planet and the growth of our business. Globally, we are committed to contributing to the protection and regeneration of nature within and beyond our value chain.
In Bangladesh, smallholder farmers form the backbone of the rural economy, yet most operate without access to soil health data, climate information, or technical advisory services, leaving decisions dependent on guesswork. Inefficient supply chains, dominated by multiple middlemen, also reduce farmers’ earnings and increase post-harvest losses. Addressing these challenges calls for initiatives rooted in partnership and co-creation.
A New Model for Smallholder Farmers
At Shohojatra, Syed Md. Fahim, Co-founder and CEO of Deshifarmer, shared how the organisation is co-creating impact with Unilever in supporting smallholder farmers with digital tools and climate-smart insights.
DeshiFarmer received funding and mentorship under the TRANSFORM Climate Challenge - an initiative in partnership with the SAJIDA Foundation and the British Asian Trust, launched under the TRANSFORM platform. This support has helped the enterprise refine its business model, strengthen its farmer engagement, and expand pilots that demonstrate how climate-smart agriculture can improve both productivity and resilience.
DeshiFarmer is building a ‘Seed to Market’ agri-tech platform that supports farmers end-to-end — from improving production to selling their produce hassle-free. On the pre-harvest side, the model focuses on farmer onboarding, data collection, agricultural inputs, and tailored advisory services to help ensure higher-quality and greater-quantity harvests. Post-harvest, DeshiFarmer supports in sorting, grading, and packaging, while operating a farm-to-business supply chain that empowers both farmers and small enterprises by creating direct, fair-priced market access.
For too long, smallholder farmers have been excluded from financial systems. Many falls into cycles of debt due to high-interest loans. To address that, Deshifarmer is piloting green finance solutions such as ‘buy-now, pay-at-harvest’ models and weather-based insurance schemes, reducing vulnerability to climate shocks. Furthermore, the programme is also designed to be inclusive. Over 1,000 women farmers have been directly empowered, with tailored training and market access.
Impact So Far
- 3,000 farmers trained in regenerative agriculture
- 12,500 people supported across farming households
- 1,048 women empowered through training and inclusion
- 39.8 tonnes of food waste reduced through better post-harvest management
- 16.3 million litres of water saved through sustainable practices
- Farmers reporting up to 20% higher incomes thanks to improved yields and fairer markets
Looking Ahead
Our partnership with DeshiFarmer illustrates what is possible when digitisation, sustainability, and collaboration come together. And through this Shohojatra, we were reminded that every partnership is a seed — one that can grow into solutions and contribute towards a more sustainable and resilient future for Bangladesh.