For this edition of Contenders at Cannes, Bangladesh-based independent agency POP5 highlights two projects that address local challenges through practical, scalable solutions.
The agency shares the thinking behind Shopnodhora Plot Farming and DBL TileChalk, two initiatives developed to tackle issues ranging from land use and agricultural livelihoods to industrial waste and education.
Shopnodhora Plot Farming
Bangladesh is one of the world’s fastest urbanising nations. As cities expand, large amounts of residential land remain vacant for years while waiting for development. At the same time, millions of landless farmers struggle to secure sustainable livelihoods.
Plot Farming by Shopnodhora Assets Development was created to connect these two realities.
The initiative transformed idle residential plots into productive farmland by enabling landowners and landless farmers to participate in a modern sharecropping model, a model that was supervised by Shopnodhora. Vacant land became a source of food production, employment, and income generation.
DBL TileChalk
DBL TileChalk addressed another challenge rooted in Bangladesh. The country’s ceramic industry generates significant amounts of sludge waste every year. Managing this waste is both costly and environmentally challenging. At the same time, educational materials such as classroom chalk continue to require affordable and sustainable sources of raw material.
Developed with DBL Ceramics, TileChalk transformed ceramic sludge into classroom chalk, creating value from industrial waste while supporting education and circular manufacturing.
POP5 on the Significance of the Work
Pop5 writes: “The significance of Shopnodhora Plot Farming and DBL TileChalk extends beyond awards. Both projects demonstrate that globally recognised creativity does not need to originate from global trends. Instead, it can emerge from local realities, local insights, and local challenges.”
They add: “Neither idea was created with international juries in mind. Both were designed to solve real problems affecting Bangladeshi communities, industries, and livelihoods.
