Strengthening Environment-Friendly Micro-Enterprise in Salt Processing & Trade under Sustainable Enterprise Project (SEP)

Project Overview

Enhancing environmental sustainability and climate resilience are becoming increasingly important for sustaining Bangladesh’s economic progress. To cope with the financial and safety impact of the environmental changes at the economic system of Bangladesh, PKSF is enforcing a project titled “Sustainable Enterprise Project (SEP)” supported by The World Bank. This project is helping 40,000 Microenterprises (MEs) from the agriculture and manufacturing sectors of Bangladesh to increase the adoption of environmentally sustainable behaviors and enhance their branding and marketing potential. Thirty-Six types of sub-sectors have been selected for this project.

Strengthening Environment-Friendly Micro-Enterprise in Salt Processing & Trade is a sub–sector of SEP. In Bangladesh salt is produced from sea water in the coastal areas of the districts mainly of Chattogram and Cox's bazaar and the adjoining off-shore islands. A total of 64,000 acres of land are brought under salt production & processing and at least 45,000 farmers are engaged in production & processing of salt in seven upazilas of Cox's Bazar district and Banskhali upazila of Chattogram (Source: BSCIC). Salt production and processing is a potential sub-sector. But most of the people involved in micro-enterprises of this sub-sector are very poor and are not getting technical and financial support adequately. Large number of children is also engaged in salt processing field with health hazard. The MEs are totally unaware about the health & environmental hazards and climate change effects.

Major activities of the project

  • Revenue generating activities include environment friendly (polythene free) salt processing, salt processing through salt dryer machine, establish godown for preservation of salt and also collection, disposal and recycling of used polythene from community level and reproduction of quality polythene
  • Non-revenue generating activities are capacity building of ME’s on environmental, health issues, using of modern technology in salt processing, advocacy and awareness raising activities at community level, district and national level, establish shed at field level for providing safe drinking water and sanitation for labour who are involved in salt production
  • Provide safe drinking water through installation of deep tubewell and hand pump, installation of sanitation for ME’s
  • Extend support to ME’s in collection of product certification, environmental certification etc.
  • Capacity building of different stakeholders at local and national level as well as of Padakhep Manabik Unnyan Kendra

Project Objective

  • Provide technical and financial support to the targeted MEs.
  • Enhance capacity of MEs for addressing environmental and climate change issues.
  • Increase quality salt production and use the same land in aquaculture development.
  • Make the cluster highly profitable and sustainable by mitigating environmental hazards in the cluster.

Geographic Area

Banshkhali, Chakaria and Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila under Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar districts

Project Beneficiaries

  • - Technical and financial support to 1000 ME’s
  • - About 20000 community people, labours who are working in salt processing and also ME’s will be directly benefited through the project

Project Partners

  • 1. The World Bank
  • 2. PKSF