“Pearl cultivation offers significantly higher profitability compared to traditional fish farming,” remarked Dr. Akond Md. Rafiqul Islam during the ceremony. “In ponds of the same size, the profit margin from pearl farming is three times that of fish cultivation.”

The pearl harvesting ceremony took place on June 1, 2024, in Pabna, featuring pearls harvested from locally cultivated oysters. The event was attended by Dr. Akond Md. Rafiqul Islam, Deputy Managing Director of PKSF; Mr. Md. Abul Kalam Azad, District Fisheries Officer; and Md. Shafiqul Alam, Executive Director of the Programme for Community Development (PCD).

This achievement is part of the Rural Microenterprise Transformation Project (RMTP), a dynamic initiative aimed at uplifting rural communities in Bangladesh. The RMTP is financed jointly by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), and the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF).

The project currently involves 33 farmers in the Pabna district, who together have cultivated pearls valued at an impressive 8,250,000 Taka. RMTP, implemented by the Programme for Community Development, focuses on the marketing of safe fish and fish products, but the inclusion of pearl farming signifies a strategic expansion into high-value aquaculture. The project’s goal is to promote safe, value-added products that can thrive in the global market.

Mr. Azad, the District Fisheries Officer, emphasized the broader impacts of the initiative. “By diversifying into pearl farming, we are not just increasing individual farmers’ incomes but also contributing to the overall economic growth of the region,” he said.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AlnrZ9-TAk