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The Making Markets Work for the Chars (M4C) project has worked since 2012 to improve the lives of people in Bangladesh’s remote Char areas—landscapes shaped by rivers, climate risks, and economic isolation. Led by Swisscontact and Rural Development Academy (RDA), and mandated by the Embassy of Switzerland and the Ministry of Local Government, M4C has evolved over three phases. The last four years, the project has built on earlier success by deepening economic opportunities, tackling climate vulnerability, and embedding sustainable models within local institutions and markets.
Char communities have historically struggled with limited access to basic services, resources, and economic opportunities, which has exacerbated their vulnerability to natural disasters and economic instability. Gender inequality has been a significant challenge, with women often lacking decision-making authority, mobility, and economic independence. The project aimed to address these barriers while creating a more equitable and sustainable environment for all household members.
Swisscontact and RDA, in partnership with public institutions and the private sector, have guided the M4C project through each of its phases. Their collaborative approach brought together experience in rural development, market systems, policy advocacy, and financial inclusion.
M4C’s systemic approach transformed Char market development through private-sector investment, financial inclusion, and public-private collaboration. Strengthening Char Research Development Centre (CDRC) ensured sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and entrepreneurship, while diversification, particularly in livestock, empowered women and enhanced resilient livelihoods.
Additionally, at the institutional level, CDRC’s capacity-building efforts resulted in increased public-private collaboration, helping shape long-term strategies for Char development and advancing women’s economic opportunities.
M4C facilitated dynamic growth in the Char agricultural market by partnering with key agri-input and animal-health companies, supporting thousands of local service providers, and forging direct connections between farmers and institutional buyers. These efforts have not only increased sales and crop quality but also laid the foundation for sustained private-sector engagement and resilient value chains.
Before M4C interventions, Char farmers faced limited access to quality inputs, fragmented service offerings, and weak market linkages. Without reliable input suppliers or post-harvest services, producers struggled to achieve the standards and volumes demanded by larger buyers, constraining both income and local economic development.
Swisscontact, together with the Char Development and Rehabilitation Commission (CDRC), brokered long-term partnerships with six leading agri-input firms and three animal-health companies. CDRC’s role included coordinating stakeholder meetings, advocating for private investment, and embedding Char market priorities into partners’ core business strategies.
Through collaborative agreements, M4C achieved several systemic shifts:
M4C deepened partnerships with microfinance institutions (MFIs), fintech companies, and commercial banks. These efforts have broadened access to seasonal and micro-enterprise loans, reaching over half of the Char areas and supporting more than 3,200 entrepreneurs. Char communities historically lacked reliable financial services. Farmers and small traders struggled to secure credit for inputs, equipment, or working capital. This gap limited business growth, investment in sustainable practices, and resilience to economic shocks. Swisscontact, in collaboration with the Char Development and Rehabilitation Commission (CDRC), coordinated with:
M4C embedded its market-facilitation model into the Char Development and Rehabilitation Commission (CDRC). By delivering tailored technical assistance, forging multi-stakeholder collaborations, and driving resource mobilization, the project ensured that CDRC can independently carry forward Char development initiatives. Without a durable institutional host, M4C’s gains risked fading once the project concluded. CDRC needed a stronger organizational structure, strategic vision, and resource-mobilization capacity to sustain market facilitation, stakeholder advocacy, and infrastructure development in the dynamic Char environment. Swisscontact, together with M4C’s technical team, partnered closely with CDRC, leveraging its emerging role as the Char market facilitator. Collaboration extended to national research institutes (e.g., BARI, BUET), financial institutions (UCB, IFIC, BRAC Bank), and development agencies (LGED, NCA).
Since 2012, M4C has integrated disaster risk reduction into its planning. In Phase III, it expanded this to a holistic resilience approach—covering economic, climate, and environmental dimensions—and scaled market-based measures to help Char dwellers adapt to diverse risks. Char communities face frequent floods, soil degradation, and market disruptions. Traditional relief measures addressed immediate shocks but did not build long-term adaptive capacity. A broader strategy was needed to embed resilience into livelihoods, infrastructure, and market systems. Swisscontact, working through CDRC, partnered with public and private actors: research institutes, agribusinesses, engineering groups, and fintech innovators. Key collaborators included the Super Star Group, Light Engineering Association (Bogura), and Win Miaki Ltd.
Deliberate capacity building, strategic partnerships, and adaptive strategies have transformed challenges into a sustainable framework for Char development.
In Phase III from 2020 to 2025, the M4C project navigated a complex landscape of partner limitations, market gaps, and bureaucratic obstacles. Through targeted interventions—ranging from hands-on support for private start-ups to informal accelerators of public-sector agreements—M4C distilled critical lessons and set out a clear “way forward.” Anchoring these insights within CDRC ensures that the project’s legacy will endure, fostering systemic inclusion and resilient livelihoods across the Chars.
These priorities will drive lasting market-led resilience in the Chars:
This streamlined approach ensures strong institutions, innovative finance, inclusive partnerships and continuous learning—laying the foundation for sustainable, community-driven growth.