Webinar highlights jackfruit developments in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Bangladesh – FAO hosted a webinar and a fair to promote the processing and marketing of jackfruit in Bangladesh. The event took place from July 4-6 at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), aiming to foster entrepreneurship in both fresh and processed jackfruit products. Jackfruit has been designated as a Special Agricultural Product (SAP) under FAO's One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative.

The webinar covered a range of topics, including the implementation of the OCOP initiative across the Asia-Pacific region, a detailed overview of jackfruit research and its value chain, and strategies for developing micro and small-scale entrepreneurship in this sector. Private sector engagement in the jackfruit value chain was also discussed. Notable participants included Jingyuan Xia, Executive Secretary of the OCOP Secretariat, and Wahida Akter, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Chairperson of the OCOP National Task Force.

Jiaoqun Shi, FAO Representative in Bangladesh, stated, “Since launching the OCOP initiative last year, FAO Bangladesh has taken significant steps to promote jackfruit. We aim to enhance the livelihoods of jackfruit farmers while minimizing resource use, reducing waste, and lessening environmental impacts.”

Wahida Akter emphasized the importance of jackfruit, noting, “As our national fruit, jackfruit is crucial for nutrition in Bangladesh, providing essential vitamins, minerals, and calories. It has immense potential for processing and value addition, especially given the growing demand in both domestic and international markets.”

The webinar also highlighted research advancements, including six jackfruit varieties developed by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), such as BARI Kathal 3 and BARI 6, which bear fruit year-round. BARI has also created technologies for processing jackfruit into various products like fresh cuts, chips, pickles, jams, and jellies. Over 300 jackfruit farmers and market participants have been trained on improved production, post-harvest management, and value addition techniques.

The event attracted agronomists, researchers, industry practitioners, and representatives from the private sector, as well as government officials. The OCOP Webinar aimed to raise awareness of the initiative and promote sustainable technologies for the development of SAPs, showcasing successful case studies and fostering entrepreneurship in the jackfruit market.

This forum served as a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences in the sustainable production, processing, and marketing of jackfruit in Bangladesh. It also provided insights for other countries interested in implementing and promoting coffee or other SAPs through the OCOP initiative. Launched in September 2021, the OCOP initiative aims to support the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, promoting inclusive, profitable, and environmentally sustainable agrifood systems through the development of Special Agricultural Products.