Day-long workshop on “Livestock in Bangladesh: Lessons Learnt and Way Forward”
Day-long workshop entitled: “Livestock in Bangladesh: Lessons Learnt and Way Forward” 11 December, 2017
CARE Bangladesh organized a day-long workshop entitled: “Livestock in Bangladesh: Lessons Learnt and Way Forward” with different stakeholders at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh
CARE Bangladesh along with other development initiatives works for the livestock sector to support improved livestock rearing practices, better market access, quality livestock inputs and effective extension services. In order to share and discuss about its experiences and way forward with different stakeholders, CARE Bangladesh organized a daylong workshop on “Livestock in Bangladesh: Lessons Learnt and Way Forward” at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB), Khamarbari, Farmgate, Dhaka on 5 December 2017 where people from different sectors such as government officials, development professionals, farmers, representatives from research institutes, universities, companies, media, etc. were present at the event. CARE gathered considerable experience and learning through its flagship project SDVC: strengthening dairy value chain project and the USAID Agricultural Extension Support Activity (AESA) project which they wanted to share through the workshop.
The workshop was inaugurated by Mr. Mohammed Mehrul Islam, Director, Program, Evidence, Advocacy, Research & Learning (PEARL) unit of CARE Bangladesh where he discussed briefly about Bangladesh’s dairy sector. Among other speakers Mr. Mohammad Sayed Shibly, the Project Management Specialist, Economic Growth Office, USAID Bangladesh, Mr. Ahmad Sadequl Amin, Coordinator-Agriculture and Value Chain, ERPP, CARE Bangladesh and Ms. Tania Sharmin, the National Technical Coordinator of the AESA project presented project initiatives and intervention and CARE’s work on the livestock sector of Bangladesh
Dr. Md. Ainul Haque, the Director General, Department of Livestock Services (DLS) was the Chief Guest. and in his speech he mentioned that beside the dairy and beef fattening, poultry too has been playing important role in the livestock sector. Appreciating the diverse activities of CARE Bangladesh, Dr. Haque said that CARE should share its activities with other stakeholders including the innovative “digital fat testing” system. He said women empowerment is a significant factor of the sector and CARE has been working with the issue for long which is really very appreciable. Dr. Haque mentioned that the farmers though having surplus productions cannot always sell their products due to lack of market accesses, so we should work more on market accesses and the NGOs can play important roles here. Dr. Haque then formally inaugurated the workshop.
A project farmer Ms. Farida Yasmin from Jessore shared her experiences and challenges that she faced at field level with all. Appreciating project’s technical support along with gender and nutrition messaging, Farida said that she has become more knowledgeable and empowered now and her husband, family members and neighbors value her more now. She requested to arrange a yearly loan product or creating cattle farm for them which will improve their overall conditions, she said.
A plenary session on ‘Importance of Extension and Market Linkages in Livestock Sector’ was also organized at the occasion. Mr. Muhammad Nurul Amin Siddiquee, Chief of Party, Livestock Production for Improved Nutrition (LPIN) project of ACDI/VOCA moderated the next plenary session. He said that we are passing through a revolution in Bangladesh now and for a successful revolution, we need to identify the challenges first. All the speakers discussed about the importance of extension and market linkages to strengthen and develop the overall livestock sector of the country.
Mr. Bidyuth K. Mahalder, Chief of Party of the AESA project said that the project has developed an ICT application on livestock management system and to work with the private company, the project is working with the ACI limited and the Digital Green. Mohammad Mujaffar Hossain, Professor, Department of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh in his speech mentioned that all should work with an integrated approach for livestock sector so that the farmers can get any types of solutions and thus we can eventually achieve food security.
In the presentation session of other development projects and organizations on ‘Women Inclusive Livestock Development’, the LPIN project of ACDI/VOCA, Oxfam and the Solidaridad Network Asia shared their initiatives and experiences at the session.
In the closing remark, Mr. Anowarul Haq said despite moving towards achieving food security, still we are suffering from malnutrition and without the animal protein; we cannot overcome the malnutrition status from our country. He also mentioned that the private sector should come forward with their social commitment and can play vital roles in developing the livestock sector. He believed that the government; more particularly the DLS, private sector, development organizations, research institutions, universities, etc. can come to one platform and work together for the betterment of the sector.
