The KATALYST mission is to alleviate poverty by improving the competitiveness of small enterprises (including farmers) in selected economic sectors. The program develops business service markets that improve small enterprise access to knowledge, information and skills vital for growth.

KATALYST is active in Bangladesh in five low-income rural areas, two urban areas, seven service sectors and twelve productive sectors. KATALYST also builds systems for strengthening the local business enabling environment.

For example, in the maize sector, KATALYST strengthened the flow of knowledge and information in order to improve farmer response to and returns from market demand. The program cost-shared and linked lead firms with technical assistance to introduce new ideas and practices.

In its initial 4 years of operation, KATALYST has strengthened or facilitated the development of lead firms and service providers reaching 100,000 small enterprise and farmers directly. KATALYST reached another 100,000 through the media and an estimated 500,000 more indirectly. The total budget was $15,000,000. Spillover effects have yet to be fully measured.

The program was replicated among businesses in the wider market. For example:

1. A few buyers who contract farmers to produce maize received technical assistance and they began to introduce improved cultivation practices. Organic fertilizer producers improved their compost quality and knowledge about fertilizer application and distribution. Business-to-business exchange and the documentation of good practices in contract farming encouraged two other suppliers to replicate this approach.

2. New seed varieties producers received technical assistance. Adjusting cropping patterns and improving marketing and distribution practices reduced their post-harvest losses. Replication has been on an individual basis. This approach has stimulated linkages with public seed research institutions and innovative producers in other regions of Bangladesh.

KATALYST is a five-year project of jointly funded by DFID, SDC, Sida, and CIDA; implemented by Swisscontact and GTZ International Services with the Bangladesh Ministry of Commerce.

For more information see: www.katalystbd.com
Contact: Peter Rogggekamp Peter.Roggekamp@swisscontact-bd.org