Empowering Indigenous Women and Enhancing Market Access Through Value-Added Strawberry-Based Enterprise Development.

About This Project

Implemented jointly by DAAHUK and PUMDO, this project addresses economic vulnerability and climate risks in the Barind Tract. Over 24 months, it forms a women-led cooperative, equipping 50 frontline farmers with technical training in nature-based strawberry cultivation, post-harvest processing, and enterprise development. The initiative includes leasing 2 acres of land equipped with safe workspaces, such as child play and breastfeeding corners, and establishes a Regional Alignment Center to bridge the gap between traditional farming and formal market networks.

The proposed initiative is engineered to catalyse a structured multiplier effect, directly empowering a cohort of 50 indigenous women while concurrently yielding indirect advantages for a broader network of 500 community members. Key quantifiable objectives encompass the introduction of branded, value-added strawberry produce, active engagement in six commercial trade fairs, and the deployment of a tailored e-commerce platform to facilitate direct market penetration. Ultimately, by dismantling gender-specific barriers and assimilating marginalised agricultural workers into the commercial value chain, the project formulates a sustainable and replicable paradigm for inclusive economic development and climate resilience.