Swiss Embassy revisits Bangladesh chars to assess M4C legacy

Two officials from the Swiss Embassy in Bangladesh recently visited remote char areas in the country to assess how farmers and market actors are building on opportunities created through the Making Markets Work for the Chars (M4C) project.

The M4C project, which was completed in December 2024, supported farming communities in some of Bangladesh’s most climate-vulnerable and hard-to-reach areas by helping strengthen livelihoods, improve market access and build resilience.

During the recent visit, the embassy officials observed how farmers and other market actors have continued to use knowledge, business connections and opportunities developed through the project.

The visit also provided an opportunity to assess what has endured and evolved since the completion of the initiative, while identifying challenges that communities continue to face and exchanging experiences and lessons.

Across the riverine chars, farmers are continuing to turn improved knowledge and market connections into stronger livelihoods and greater resilience, the Swiss Embassy said in a statement.

The embassy thanked the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division for partnering with Switzerland on the initiative and supporting efforts to create sustainable opportunities for communities living on the riverine islands of northwestern Bangladesh.

The M4C initiative focused on improving the functioning of markets in char areas, where communities face recurring challenges linked to climate vulnerability, remoteness and limited access to economic opportunities.