Dhaka Food System Urban Gardening Programme (FAO)
Dhaka, Bangladesh · Operator: UN FAO (Dhaka Food System project) with local NGO Proshika and partners; funded by the Government of the Netherlands
Overview
FAO's Dhaka Food System project (2019–2023) trained and equipped 440 mostly-female residents of poor Dhaka neighborhoods to grow vegetables and fruit on rooftops and small surface plots. Local NGO Proshika supplied seeds, saplings, tools and fertilizer, and participants received gardening and nutrition training. It is a citizen/community gardening program, not agritech.
Citizen participation
Low-income urban residents (almost all women) join training cohorts, receive seeds, saplings, tools and fertilizer, and tend their own rooftop and small-plot gardens. Community federations are involved in needs assessment.
Operating model
A donor-funded development program (Netherlands government via FAO). Training and inputs are provided free to participants, and surplus produce can be sold by households for extra income. It is not for profit.
Impact
Improved access to fresh, nutritious food for hundreds of poor families, with reported gains in nutrition, income, mental wellbeing and community bonds. The results are documented in FAO and CGIAR reporting.
Crops
- leafy greens
- gourds
- vegetables
- fruit saplings
Scale
440 community members (almost all women) trained and resourced; rooftop and surface household gardens across the capital, plus ~20 rooftop demonstration plots
Sources（2）
This entry is compiled from the public sources, official sites and research below.
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