1. Sub sector: Sesame
1. Situation:
Sesame is produced in specific locations of Bangladesh, mainly northern part. However in the southern
part sesame also growing in Barisal and Patuakhali districts. In few locations of Hizla and Muladi upazilla
under Barisal district farmer is growing sesame as cash crop. As sesame is treated as minor crop, thus
research, DAE, NGOs and private companies are not pay much importance for improving the
productivity of the crop. Recently we found that some national level big buyers and exporters are
interested to buy bulk volume of sesame. The buyers have some specific demand but they didn’t
transmit those requirements to the producer level.
Muladi is the main selling point of sesame. Big buyers come up to this market and buy sesame from local
small traders or arotders. Some selected traders (Arotder, bepari, foria etc.) holding this business and
trading to oil extraction mills, cake manufacturer and other big buyers. Mostly the local traders buy
sesame with pre settled prices either from the farm gate or local hat. Framers get Tk4-5 per kg less than
what bepari/arotder buy from the faria. Advance selling is very common in the areas with lower rate
compare to market normal selling rate. No extension support is found for improvement of this product
and transport is costly, time consuming and risky due to crossing the cannel/river from farm gate to the
muladi bazar. There are two color and size of sesame; one is black and grain is bigger compare to red
color grain. Buyers preferred black and bigger grain of sesame
W e found that in these two upazillas of Barisal district, approximately 3500 farmers are producing 1900
tons of sesame in 630 hater of land in a year. The present yield is ---------ton /hac and they used local
variety of seed. As the buyer preferred to buy black color bigger grain, so there is an opportunities for
increase the productivity and supply volume of sesame. It is noticed that demand is so high that force to
increase the supply volume.
2. Objectives for working in the sub sector:
• Increase yield
• Improve market linkage
• Increase farmer’s income
3. What has been done and impact so far:
The RED team has explored the opportunity for developing better marketing system of sesame and
connects with Green Beez Int. - big buyer of sesame with the assistance of EDGE consultant Ltd. The
field staff analyzed the production and market situation of the crop and share with buyer. Based on
further interest of buyers the field staff organized producers and form a sesame “collection point
management committee- CPMC”. Organized discussion session with buyers and the CPMC and set some
conditions for transaction. Last season the system transacted 19 tons of sesame form one location.

2. The RED team facilitated the following activities with the sesame value chain actors, so that farmer can
get access to input market, increase land productivity and finally income:
Activities # of events # of framer attended Outcome
Linkage workshop with
producer, buyers, input seller
2 52 Benefited farmer: 377 (Gr. farmer - 97,
Non gr. farmer- 280)
Land coverage: 6543 decimal
Preseason planning workshop 2 50 Production increased: 2-3 kg/decimal
Informal meeting with
producers
9 214
Decrease transport cost:2-3 Tk/kg
Increase product selling price: 3-4 Tk/kg
• Facilitate collection point for aggregation of soybean and sold to the distant big buyers
4. Strategy for reaching the target beneficiaries (High importance)
Farmer Upazila Land coverage Yield Selling price
550 Barisal: Hizla & Muladi 150 hectors increase yield 3 kg
per decimal
Increase price 3-4
Tk/decimal
It is expected that each farmer will cultivate sesame in 20 decimal land, and through the interventions
the additional income will Tk. 1,375,000 (Av increase income is Tk 125 per decimal, total land coverage
45 hectors/11000 decimal, increase productivity 3 kg/dec, reduced cost Tk 2-3/kg and selling price Tk 3-
4/kg)
Specific activities to support the strategies:
• Provide direct assistance to the sesame producers (training, linkages, demonstrations, market
visit)
• Targeting two locations (MIDPCR selected Nasokati and Nazirpur market) of two upazilla
• Facilitate collection point managed by the committee (CPMC), who will negotiate with the
buyers
• Linkage with big buyers for getting higher price
• Introduce improve quality seed for increase productivity
5. Scale up strategy (secondary importance)
• Contract farming with big buyers
• Buyers will develop the relation with CPMC and provide support to the sesame producers
6. Constraints matrix:
Areas Constraints Interventions
Input market • Farmers lack access to better quality seed
• Farmers lack access to credit
Access to quality seed and credit for
sesame production
Farm
production
• Farmers lack knowledge about commercial
cultivation techniques of sesame
Improve technical knowledge of
sesame producer

3. Output market • Lack of access to market information
(demand and price)
Access to market information
Main Intervention areas are availability and uses of improve seed, production technology, market linkage
7. Activity plan:
Activity Subject Total Year wise activity distribution Respon
sibility
Year 1 Year 2
Ba Bh Pa No Ba Bh Pa No
Primary focus:
1.Access to
quality seed
and credit
for sesame
production
Organize linkage workshop among
farmers, DAE and buyers for ensuring
good quality seed
4 2 2
Organize training on contract farming
terms with input or credit support
2 2
Facilitate business plan training for sesame
production
8 4 4
2.Improve
technical
knowledge
of sesame
producer
Linkages workshop with CPMC and
company for ensure technical support for
production
4 2 2
Organize technical training for the
producer
14 8 6
Preseason planning meeting 12 6 6
Marketing visit 6 4 2
Demonstration of sesame production 8 4 4
3.Access to
market
information
Organize linkage workshop among CPMC,
sesame producer and buyers (Arotder &
company rep.)
4 2 2
8. Activity Budget:
Activity Cost/b
atch
Part/
batch
Y1 (Jan- Dec 2011) Y2 (Jan-Dec 2012) Total
batch
Total
cost
batch T. part T. cost batch T. part T. cost
Marketing training 23,000 20 12 240 276,000 12 240 276,000 24 552,000
Linkage workshop 4,575 25 6 150 27,450 6 150 27,450 12 54,900
Marketing visit 33,000 15 4 60 132,000 2 30 66,000 6 198,000
Demonstration & FFD 2,500 100 4 400 10,000 4 400 10,000 8 20,000
Preseason planning
meeting
500 30 6 180 3,000 6 180 3,000 12 6,000
Feasibility study 25,000 2 50,000 0 2 50,000
Impact study 25,000 1 25,000 1 25,000 2 50,000
523,450 407,450 930,900
9. Monitoring Indicators:
• # of farmers directly involved with project
• Area under improved cultivation
• Increase productivity

4. • Name of the improve/new technology and # of participants using those technologies
• Enter in to new markets
• Reduced cost (transport, post harvest losses, carrying cost etc)
• Increase product selling prices
• Increase income