Krishi Gobeshona Foundation

What Krishi Gobeshona Foundation does

Krishi Gobeshona Foundation (KGF) is a non-profit agricultural research funding foundation established in 2007 by the Government of Bangladesh under joint sponsorship of the World Bank. It operates as a Competitive Grants Program (CGP) administrator that channels funds from a US$50 million endowment trust (BKGET, created 2008) to roughly 2,500 active research projects across Bangladesh, covering crops, livestock, fisheries, natural resources, and climate resilience. Its primary "customers" are public sector National Agricultural Research System (NARS) institutes (BARI, BRRI, BLRI, BWMRI), agricultural universities, NGOs, and private sector entities that apply for and execute competitively awarded research grants.

KGF's product surface consists of grant programs (CGP, Basic Research, Technology Piloting, International Collaborative Program, Capacity Enhancement Project, Commissioned Research) and digital tools built or co-developed through its grant portfolio. Notable technology outputs include the Rice Solution mobile app, an AI/ML-based rice pest and disease image detection system trained on approximately 56,000 images using artificial neural networks; the Khamari mobile app and CZIS software for GIS-based crop zoning and fertilizer recommendations, deployed across 420 upazilas; and the Geospatial Agriculture Knowledge Repository (AKR). These are funded outputs rather than KGF's own commercial products.

The revenue model is non-commercial: KGF draws income from the BKGET endowment (initially supplemented by NATP-1 project funding until endowment income was sufficient) and disburses it as grants. Go-to-market is community- and institution-led, operating through a peer-reviewed online proposal system, a Project Management System, and dissemination partnerships with government extension departments (DAE, DLS, DoF) and NGOs (notably PKSF). With a 16-person headquarters staff at the BARC Complex in Dhaka, KGF functions more as a grantmaking institution than a product company, with pricing models not applicable.

Name

Krishi Gobeshona Foundation

Legal name

Krishi Gobeshona Foundation

Website

https://kgf.org.bd

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KGF is a Bangladesh government and World Bank-backed non-profit foundation that administers competitive agricultural research grants through a US$50M endowment, funding ~2,500 projects across crops, livestock, fisheries, and natural resources for NARS institutes, universities, NGOs, and the private sector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research Funding

NAICS

Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Technical Assistance (BPADAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nutrient Management Planning & Fertility Programs (AFACABAB), Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL), Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Agricultural research funding
• Competitive research grants
• Non-profit foundation
• Agriculture technology development
• Capacity building programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Endowment Fund Income: KGF is a non-profit foundation funded primarily through an endowment trust fund (BKGET) created by the Government of Bangladesh with support from IDA/World Bank. The endowment fund of 350 crore taka (US$50 million) was established in 2008, with income used to fund KGF activities including competitive research grants.
2. Project-based Funding: Initially received funding from National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP-1) for implementation of research projects under Competitive Grants Program (CGP) until the endowment fund income was sufficient.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Krishi Gobeshona Foundation (KGF) is a non-profit research foundation that funds and coordinates agricultural research and development in Bangladesh through multiple competitive grant programs, including the Competitive Grants Program (CGP), Basic Research Program, Technology Piloting Program (TCP), International Collaborative Program (ICP), and Capacity Enhancement Project (CEP). It supports research projects across crops, livestock, fisheries, natural resources, and climate adaptation, while also piloting digital tools such as the Rice Solution AI pest-detection app and the Khamari crop-zoning app for farmer use.

Product overview

Krishi Gobeshona Foundation (KGF) operates as a non-profit foundation that provides funding and coordination for agricultural research and development in Bangladesh. Established in 2007, KGF functions primarily as a funding body rather than a product company, managing multiple grant programs including the Competitive Grants Program (CGP), Basic Research Program, Technology Piloting Program (TCP), International Collaborative Program (ICP), and Capacity Enhancement Program (CEP). The foundation funds research across crops, livestock, fisheries, natural resources, and climate adaptation. KGF also publishes the KGF Journal of Agricultural Innovation and Development and technical bulletins to disseminate research findings. Currently, KGF is funding approximately 2500 projects across Bangladesh involving public institutions, universities, NGOs, and private sector entities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,500 research projects funded across Bangladesh covering crops, livestock, fisheries, and natural resources
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKGF is closely linked with mainstream agricultural research through BARC. Executive Chairman of BARC serves as Chairman of KGF's General Body and Board of Directors.
• National Agricultural Research System (NARS) InstitutescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNARS institutes including BARI, BRRI, BLRI, BWMRI are primary research performers receiving KGF funding for competitive grants. KGF facilitates integration of pluralistic agricultural research system.
• Technology Dissemination Departments (DAE, DLS, DoF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment departments responsible for technology dissemination to farmers. KGF promotes linkages with these departments for effective research-extension-farmer linkages.
• International Agricultural Research Centers/UniversitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKGF promotes partnerships with international research centers and universities dealing with agricultural research, development, and extension activities through co-financing agreements.
• Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPKSF partnered with KGF for distribution of BAU-Bro chicken day-old chicks to farmers. PKSF distributes DOCs through its partner NGO organizations across Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh Academy of AgriculturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead organization for KGF capacity building projects for field level extension officers and progressive farmers.
• CIMMYT (ACIAR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Collaborative Program (ICP-VI) with CIMMYT funded by ACIAR for wheat blast research and management in Bangladesh.
• Private Sector EntitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKGF promotes involvement of private sector in agricultural research to create competitive environment. Local partners section shows logos of various private agricultural companies.
• Farmer OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKGF promotes linkages with farmer organizations for making agricultural research more demand-driven and ensuring technology uptake at farm level.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CIMMYT: International maize and wheat improvement center co-financing KGF's wheat blast research (ICP-VI with ACIAR). Directly comparable as a CGIAR center running grant-funded, multi-country agronomic research in Bangladesh.
• IRRI (International Rice Research Institute): International rice research center with which KGF partners (BRRI rice projects, Rice Solution app). Highly comparable as a rice-focused R&D funder/performer, especially for South Asian smallholder contexts.
• WorldFish: CGIAR center for fisheries and aquatic food systems, comparable to KGF's fisheries and aquatic resources directorate. Both fund and coordinate research across South Asian and broader developing-country fisheries.
• Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture: Non-profit foundation funding smallholder agricultural innovation in developing countries. Operates a similar model of grant-funded, multi-stakeholder R&D with a focus on technology adoption by smallholders.
• Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC): Parent-coordinating agency for the National Agricultural Research System in Bangladesh. Executive Chairman of BARC serves as Chairman of KGF's General Body and Board, making BARC the closest institutional peer.
• ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute): International livestock research center analogous to KGF's livestock directorate (e.g., Newcastle Disease Virus vaccine project). KGF Executive Director Dr. Sarker is a country focal point for GRA on livestock, strengthening the linkage.
• IFDC (International Fertilizer Development Center): Non-profit focused on soil fertility, fertilizer, and nutrient management research in developing countries. KGF's Khamari app (crop zoning and fertilizer recommendations) makes it a directly comparable operating model.

Broad incumbents

• CGIAR System Organization: Global partnership of international agricultural research centers (IRRI, CIMMYT, ILRI, WorldFish, etc.) operating as a coordinated R&D network. KGF partners with several CGIAR centers; comparable as a multi-center research funding/coordination platform.
• FAO Bangladesh: UN agency supporting agricultural development, food security, and nutrition in Bangladesh. KGF's mandate on agricultural research, food security, and natural resource management overlaps with FAO's country program.
• ACIAR (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research): Australian government agency funding agricultural research for developing countries, analogous to KGF's role in Bangladesh. Both disburse competitive grants, broker international collaborations, and pursue impact on smallholder productivity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/krishi-gobeshona-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Krishi Gobeshona Foundation