The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Department of Livestock Services under the ministry of fisheries and livestock, on Thursday, announced the creation of 5,500 farmer groups to boost the country’s livestock sector.
These groups will receive investment to help them become more productive, provide them with better access to markets, and improve their resilience to climate change and other risks said a statement from the FAO.
They will be formed across 61 districts and will include dairy cattle, dairy buffalo, beef, goats, sheep, and poultry.
These were released at a workshop organised Thursday, attended by S M Rezaul Karim, Minister, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, and Dr Monjur Mohammad Shahjada Director-General, Department of Livestock Services.
FAO Representative in Bangladesh Robert D Simpson said, “Producer groups present a key opportunity to drive the transformation of the livestock sector in Bangladesh. They empower their members economically and socially, and create sustainable rural employment through business models that are resilient to economic and environmental shocks.”
He added, “Producer groups are also of great benefit to women and youth who make highly valuable contributions to the groups they belong to and lead. With the right training and investment opportunities, producer groups can fulfil their potential, generating more wealth and producing more nutritious food while reducing their carbon footprint”.
In both developed and developing countries, livestock contributes from between 20 to 40 per cent of agriculture, supporting 1.3 billion people worldwide. A total of 34 per cent of the global food protein supply comes from livestock.
FAO’s Livestock and Dairy Development Project (LDDP), funded by the World Bank, is working with the Department of Livestock Services to establish and mobilise the farmer groups which will receive technical and financial support. LDDP is also working to create a national management strategy for the livestock sector, supporting livestock farmer field schools, and assisting in drafting national policy. These interlinked measures will contribute to the transformation of livestock and dairy development in Bangladesh, the statement said.
