The International Fund for Agricultural Development and its partners have chosen 16 startups to bring simple digital services to rural areas, and two of those teams are from Bangladesh, offering a new way to help small farmers improve crops and find buyers. Each startup will receive an equity-free grant of $90,000 and practical support such as technical advice and mentoring so teams can shape products that fit village needs and scale up. The programme plans to reach about seventeen thousand small farming households across several countries and, for the first time in this region, to include Bangladesh in the rollout. Selected teams will work on clear, hands-on solutions that farmers can use without heavy costs or complex tools. Work will focus on four tracks: agtech tools for crop data and weather alerts, e-commerce to link farmers with buyers and reduce food loss, edtech for practical training, and fintech for savings and small loans adapted to rural life. Organizers say the model blends technology with farmer knowledge and with agroecology ideas so people can grow food in ways that protect the soil and cope better with floods and droughts. The programme puts special focus on women and young people so they can take part in new services and lead village-level changes. Small pilots and low-cost tests will be run to find what works, and teams will share learning so useful fixes can spread fast between regions and countries. Local partners, including farmer groups and rural organisations, will help match tools to local language, local crops, and local markets so adoption is easier. Leaders expect that training and simple guides for farmers will build trust, reduce waste, and open new income paths by linking local produce to wider buyers. By showing quick results in small areas, the startups can attract more support and find partners who fund wider rollout and long-term services. Mentors will help teams shape business ideas that can keep running without heavy grants while still serving low-income households. The effort also aims to build digital skills at village level so people can use the tools with confidence and fix common problems close to home. Helping farmers save, track crops, and reach buyers with clearer information can lift incomes, cut losses, and make local food systems stronger. Organisers say that simple, fair rules and small public support will help these digital services reach more people and make rural life more secure and hopeful. The selected Bangladeshi startups will work closely with farmers to test user-friendly apps, train local staff, and set up low-cost pilots that show clear gains in yield and income so more villages can adopt the tools and join markets with confidence. This work aims to reach scale.
