How one farmer's papaya revolution lifted a Bangladesh village from poverty

A young farmer from Bangladesh has transformed his village's economy by growing papaya. Remrachai Marma started with just 200 trees in 2021, but his success has now spread across 12 upazilas. By March 2026, his farming model had inspired widespread adoption in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and beyond. Remrachai Marma first planted 200 papaya trees in Durchhari village, Khagrachari district. Within three years, his farm grew to 3,000 trees across 10 acres. By 2024, he had earned Taka 20 lakh from sales, with another Taka 5 lakh worth of fruit still on the trees.

His success quickly caught on. Neighbours like Rabai Marma invested Taka 40,000 in papaya farming, expecting profits in the lakhs. Others, such as Joyram Chakma and Kalparanjan Chakma, turned 4.5 acres of unused land into a thriving papaya farm, selling produce worth Taka 65 lakh. Debabrata Chakma now cultivates papayas on 30 acres, earning between Tk 5,000 and Tk 8,000 weekly.

The local Agriculture Department has supported the shift, helping around 350 farmers in the district. Currently, 436 hectares are dedicated to papaya farming, with a 2024 production target of 6.5 metric tons. According to Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, Deputy Director of DAE, this growth has also reduced unemployment in Durchhari.

By 2026, Marma's model had spread to 12 upazilas, mainly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. What began as a small experiment has now reshaped farming practices across the region. The expansion of papaya farming has brought economic changes to Khagrachari and surrounding areas. More farmers are earning steady incomes, while unused land is being put to productive use. The model's success continues to attract new growers, strengthening the local agricultural sector.