Project Name: Shamerto – Sustainable Skill and Employment in Small Scale Agro-Food Processing Project

Project Introduction:

SHAMERTO is a project designed by a consortium composed with HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation, Traidcraft Exchange, Dhaka Ahshania Mission, Bangladesh Agro Processors’ Association (BAPA) and Jamalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI). SHAMERTO is co-funded by the European Union under its Poverty Reduction through Inclusive and Sustainable Markets (PRISM) portfolio.

The overall goal of the project is to strengthen the skills, employability and income of workers and entrepreneurs in agro-food processing Small, Micro and Cottage Enterprises (SMCE) with focus on scaling-up value addition and increasing the competitiveness of these enterprises in the wheat, rice, groundnut, lentil, mung bean, spice and mustard value chains. Specifically, the project aims to increase gainful employment of workers and job seekers, who will be counseled, trained and skill-tested, and receive satisfactory job placement. Simultaneously the competitiveness and capacity for employment of the targeted SMCE will be enhanced through better integration in the selected sub-sector value chains and improvements in the business environment. The focus will be on scaling-up value addition and increasing competitiveness of SMCE in the selected value chains.

The project is working in seven districts of Northern West Bangladesh: in Barisal, Shariatpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Sherpur, Mymensingh and Jamalpur during the years 2017-2020.

Project Agreement Number: Europe/Aid/150658/DD/ACT/BD

Overall Objective:

The overall goal of the project is to strengthen the skills, employability and income of workers and entrepreneurs in agro-food processing Small, Micro and Cottage Enterprises (SMCE) with focus on scaling-up value addition and increasing the competitiveness of these enterprises in the wheat, rice, groundnut, lentil, mung bean, spice and mustard value chains.
Specific Objectives:
R-1:: An increased number of Training and Employment Service Providers (TESP) which are capable and incentivised to respond to the skills and job placement demands of job seekers and the targeted SMCE
R-2: An increased number of SMCE experience business growth and create employment and income through improved efficiency and integration in the targeted product sub-sector value chains
R-3: An increased number of women and men from poor and disadvantaged groups obtain gainful (self-) employment in agro-food processing SMCE
R-4: An improved enabling environment for skills development, employment, decent work conditions, and promotion of environmental standards in SMCE
R-5: National skills development system actors and professional associations endorse and adopt products, approaches and models generated and innovated by the Action

• 35 Training and Employment Service Providers (TESP) capable and incentivised to respond to the skills and job placement demands of job seekers
• 4500 SMCEs capacity building, competitiveness add value addition of selecctive 07 value chains and business growth through gainful and productive employment with the support of Business Intermediaries organizations
• Graduate 25000 skilled workers and jpb placement in SMCEs

Project Components:
An increased number of Training and Employment Service Providers (TESP) which are capable and incentivised to respond to the skills and job placement demands of job seekers and the targeted SMCE
An increased number of SMCE experience business growth and create employment and income through improved efficiency and integration in the targeted product sub-sector value chains
An increased number of women and men from poor and disadvantaged groups obtain gainful (self-) employment in agro-food processing SMCE
An improved enabling environment for skills development, employment, decent work conditions, and promotion of environmental standards in SMCE
National skills development system actors and professional associations endorse and adopt products, approaches and models generated and innovated by the Action

Major Activities:
R-1: An increased number of Training and Employment Service Providers (TESP) which are capable and incentivised to respond to the skills and job placement demands of job seekers and the targeted SMCE
Mainline of activity 1 – Competitive procurement of TESP services; support for local labour markets appraisals and organisational capacity building
Mainline of activity 2-Development of occupational/skills profiles and standards
Mainline of activity 3: Adaptation of business/technical skills training packages, delivery models, and skills testing and certification systems.
Mainline of activity 4: Training of trainers
Mainline of activity 5: Delivery of skills training & development and provision of job placement services
Mainline of activity 1: Support for value chain analysis and identification of skills gaps in forward and backward linkage industries
R-2: An increased number of SMCE experience business growth and create employment and income through improved efficiency and integration in the targeted product sub-sector value chains
Mainline of activity 1: Support for value chain analysis and identification of skills gaps in forward and backward linkage industries
Mainline of activity 2: Business Development Services and supply chains (access to raw material)
Mainline of activity 3: Facilitation of market-led innovation development
Mainline of activity 4: Capacity building of SMCE on labour rights and environmental issues
R-3: An increased number of women and men from poor and disadvantaged groups obtain gainful (self-) employment in agro-food processing SMCE
Mainline of activity 1: Community and SMCE cluster mobilization
Mainline of activity 2: Participatory gender analysis of agro-processing activities
Mainline of activity 3: Awareness building campaigns & information dissemination on skills development and employment   
Mainline of activity 4: Production of low cost mass-media programmes
R-4: An improved enabling environment for skills development, employment, decent work conditions, and promotion of environmental standards in SMCE
Mainline of activity 1: Support to BIO for sector analysis and advocacy
Mainline of activity 2: Support to BIO to adapt and extend support and information services to SMCE    
Mainline of activity 3: Facilitation of stakeholder platforms and networks
R-5: National skills development system actors and professional associations endorse and adopt products, approaches and models generated and innovated by the Action
Mainline of activity 1: Development of monitoring systems for verification of training quality and employment/income status of graduates
Mainline of activity 2: Knowledge/evidence sharing on innovative skills training and job placement products and models across target areas
Mainline of activity 3: Facilitation of inter-institutional dialogue for harmonisation and integration of products in national frameworks

Project Participants (Direct):

Project Duration: February 2017-January 2020
Financial partner (Donor): European Commission
Project Location/s and number of Field offices:  07 districts, 07 district offices
Project Budget: 3.9 million EUR
Number of project staffs and volunteers :

Contact Person:
Md. Shadiqur Rahman, Sr. Program Manager,
Cell no: 01717433487, mdshadiqurrahman66@gmail.com,  shadiqur@ahsaniamission.org.bd