Manikganj is a district in the Dhaka Division of Bangladesh. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Manikganj is the poorest district in the Dhaka Division, with acute poverty impacting 19.8% of the population and general poverty affecting roughly 30.7%.

Among the difficulties confronting the locals was the fact that women's engagement as entrepreneurs and laborers had not reached the anticipated degree. The agricultural supply chain in the region imposed a considerable burden on women farmers, who were at the whim of intermediaries and lost a large portion of their revenues. In this uneven system, even customers suffered. Smallholders; predicament was compounded by an overemphasis on high-yield variety (HYV) rice monoculture, which eroded soil fertility and resulted in diminishing yields.

A ray of hope appeared in the form of Subarta Social Enterprise Limited (SSEL). SSEL, a women-owned social enterprise, has been working to improve the lives of local women since 2010. SSEL has launched an environmentally friendly agriculture project called Khati Krishi (Pure Agriculture). In response to the call for proposals for the Women's Empowerment for Inclusive Economic Growth program headed by UNCDF, UNDP, and UN Women, SSEL submitted an application to scale up the "Khati Krishi" project and engage additional disadvantaged women in the community.

This operation provided regular employment for 22 women as sorters, packers, store workers, load and unload workers, and retail salespeople.

In addition, 260 contractual farmers were recruited to work in safe food (fruits and vegetables) production and bio-pesticide production units, delivering farm inputs. These farmers implemented Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), improved production equipment, and increased the productivity of their land. The project prioritized environmentally responsible agriculture-based production, the promotion of high-value crops, and the provision of a safe food supply for the world's rising population. SSEL also began producing organic fertilizers and insecticides, while the organization and their contract farmers produced healthy vegetables and fruits.

This year, SSEL signed contracts with 260 farms and families.
SSEL purchases all food items from contractual farmers at competitive prices in accordance with the contract. This storage cum process center hub has conserved and stored the purchased merchandise. The SSEL offers this safe food through a variety of channels, including weekly agricultural markets, outlets in various cities, outlets in project areas, and mobile sales centers for garment workers.
SSEL intends to export safe vegetables and fruits to the export market beginning next year. SSEL has already established a storage hub and outlets in various places for safe food marketing and has received positive feedback from customers. Food, nutrition, and health information will continue to reach consumers in a variety of methods in order to boost market demand. The following accomplishments have resulted from this project:

• Developed respectable work and income options for impoverished women and female farmers.
• Smallholder empowerment has strengthened the agriculture value chain.
• Establishment of female entrepreneurs as input suppliers, food dealers, and members of the women entrepreneurs' network, as well as the establishment of a sustainable farming system led by women.
• Local smallholders are linked with metropolitan consumers in the major city, and farming has become a successful venture.

On July 28, 2023, representatives from the UNCDF and Bangladesh Bank participated in a joint monitoring visit in Manikganj, Bangladesh. Mohammad Ashiqur Rahman, Director of Bangladesh Bank, led the delegation, which was accompanied by other authorities. The purpose of the visit was to review the SSEL's development and impact. Various activities of the SSEL's Khati Krishi Project were inspected during the monitoring visit. During the visit, the Director of Bangladesh Bank, Mohammad Ashiqur Rahman, voiced his support for the investment initiative. "This project has enormous potential in effectively marketing the safe food produced by local women farmers, thereby making a significant contribution to market value addition," he said. The key additionality supplied by UNCDF is project creation, planning, financing, structure gaps, and building a bankable project. UNCDF provided transformative finance, helping SSEL to expand its capacity and diversify its service portfolio through service and sector expansion.

Furthermore, UNCDF has assisted SSEL in obtaining money from commercial and development finance institutions, as well as in negotiating lending terms with prospective lenders. The total project cost was USD 176494, with a private bank loan of USD 15589 and a UNCDF grant of USD 24300.