State Minister for Finance Waseqa Ayesha Khan, MP, has stated that PKSF is working tirelessly to build a Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty, as envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She noted that this apex development agency, established by the government, is working for sustainable development of the microenterprise sector. PKSF has gained national and international recognitions for its efficiency and capacity in poverty alleviation through employment generation. She made these comments at the closing ceremony of a project titled ‘Promoting Agricultural Commercialization and Enterprises (PACE)’, organized at PKSF Bhaban today.

In her speech, the Chief Guest also remarked that PKSF’s outstanding work is undoubtedly playing a crucial role in realizing a Smart Bangladesh by 2041, as envisioned by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

PKSF implemented the PACE project from 2015-2023 to develop the microenterprise sector, particularly focusing on the commercial expansion of agri-related enterprises. The project – with a budget of USD 129 million – was funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The Special Guest at the closing ceremony was Dr Arnoud Hameleers, the Country Director of IFAD Bangladesh. He stated that Bangladesh has reached the level of an ‘almost developed’ country and highlighted that PACE is the second highest quality project among nearly 700 IFAD-funded projects worldwide. He pledged that IFAD will continue to collaborate with PKSF to make Bangladesh’s agricultural sector more productive and sustainable.

PKSF Chairman Dr. M. Khairul Hossain, also the Chair of the program, said that besides creating employment, the PACE project has increased people’s technical knowledge and given them the dream of a new life. He noted that PACE has furthered the country’s stride to realize Bangabandhu’s dream of economic prosperity, and freedom from discrimination and deprivation for the people of Bangladesh.

The Managing Director of PKSF, Dr Nomita Halder ndc, said that under the PACE project, 88 sub-projects were implemented in 15 agricultural and 15 non-agricultural sub-sectors. A noteworthy intervention was to protect the ecosystem of the Halda River, thereby increasing production and expanding markets for carp fishes that spawn in the river. She added that 60% of the micro-entrepreneurs supported by this project are women.

PKSF’s Additional Managing Director Md Fazlul Kader gave a presentation on the success, achievements, and lessons learned from the PACE project. Board Members of PKSF, representatives of different development partners and PKSF’s Partner Organizations expressed their views during the open discussion session. Additionally, project participants shared their experiences, and a documentary on the project activities was showcased at the event.