New producer groups to be formed to boost livestock sector

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MoFL) today announced the creation of 5,500 farmer groups in a bid to boost the country's livestock sector.

A workshop in this regard was held in the capital on Thursday, attended by Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim, MP, and Department of Livestock Services Director General Dr Monjur Mohammad Shahjada

The groups, to be formed across 61 districts of the country, will be provided with investments, better access to markets, and improve their resilience to climate change and other risks, reads a press release.

The sector-based investment will include areas like dairy cattle, dairy buffalo, beef, goats, sheep, and poultry.

FAO's Livestock and Dairy Development Project (LDDP), funded by the World Bank, is working with the Department of Livestock Services to establish and mobilize the farmer groups which will receive technical and financial support. Livestock & Dairy Development Project (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 are expected to contribute to the transformation of livestock and dairy development in Bangladesh. 

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." 

"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," he added.

In both developed and developing countries, livestock contributes from between 20% to 40% of agriculture, supporting 1.3 billion people worldwide. A total of 34% of global food protein supply comes from livestock

Around the world, FAO supports the transformation of animal production systems, small and large, in ways that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. The organisation provides policy advice, technical support, advocacy, information, knowledge and guidance to help produce high-quality animal products, safely, efficiently and responsibly, while improving poor people's livelihoods and meeting consumers' needs.