Feed the Future Bangladesh Rice and Diversified Crops (RDC) Activity FY2018 Quarter 1 Report

The initiative targets 500,000 farmers from the FtF zone in southwestern Bangladesh and has a budget of US$24.5 million. The project started in July 2016 and will end in July 2021. Market Accelerator Program progress is a key focus of the RDC activity. The program is currently managing six market actor agreements (MAA), including four that were signed in the previous quarter. Three additional MAAs are ready for submission to USAID for approval, and a fourth is close to being finalized. RDC is currently developing proposals with four other companies, and expects to manage 14 active MAAs by the end of quarter two. Important achievements during the quarter include facilitating links between companies and USAID-supported development programs, providing farmers with services such as training, and facilitating links between procurement companies and input companies, resulting in farmers obtaining guaranteed supplies of seeds at discount prices. Capacity Building Support is another key area of focus for the RDC activity. In response to the problem of limited useful information, products, and after-sales service reaching farmers, RDC identified Eco-Dev, a consulting company that has developed a psychometric sales analysis tool for companies to improve the management of their sales and distribution forces. The tool was customized for firms in Bangladesh to assist them in identifying dealers, retailers, commissioned agents, and local service providers in whom they can invest to improve customer services, sales, brand loyalty, and familiarity with products. The psychometric sales analysis tools were tested with over 70 staff, dealers, retailers, and local service providers from the Lal Teer and Krishibid Farm Machineries sales forces and scored according to their capacity to market products, develop networks, and engage with customers. The results of the tests were shared with company managers at two workshops, highlighting key findings such as weak links in the chain of intermediaries from company down to retailer, primary training needs, and incentives that will improve the performance of supply chain actors. Explore the Use of Point of Sale (POS) is another area of focus for the RDC activity. If companies, dealers, and retailers possessed more information about customer purchasing habits and preferences, they could better tailor their products and services to meet the needs of farmers. RDC is exploring the use of POS systems to provide companies with more detailed information about customer purchasing habits and preferences. This information could be used to improve the management of sales and distribution forces, identify areas for improvement, and develop targeted marketing strategies. Cross-cutting activities are also an important aspect of the RDC activity. The project is committed to promoting gender equality and improving nutrition outcomes for farmers and their families. The project is also working to improve the operation and finance of the market system, and to recruit and train staff to support the project's activities. Key lessons learned during the quarter include the importance of facilitating links between companies and USAID-supported development programs, and the need to support companies in developing and testing incentive schemes for sales staff and dealers.