Broiler rearing helps ensure food security in N-region
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Munni Khan
RANGPUR, July 17: Broiler rearing has become one of the most popular income generating activities in the rural areas of Rangpur and Dinajpur districts because of the short time required for it and could play a vital role in poverty reduction, ensuring food security and as a shield against the debilitating effects of climate change.
Broiler rearing has been taken up mostly by vulnerable women at the household level as an additional income generating activity. In addition to her regular household activities, a woman can easily rear 100-200 of those broiler chicks in a small house and make a profit of around Tk 3000-5000 in a month or so. And she can do this about 7 to 8 times in a year.
There is a huge potential for broiler rearing in the poverty-hit region as most of the houses in rural areas are suitable for this business. February to November is the best time to rear broiler chicks to avoid the cold, according to the findings.
Bangladesh is a densely populated agricultural country with an acute shortage of meat, milk and eggs. About 24.08 million cattle and buffalo, 23.43 million goat and sheep and 245.97 million poultry birds are the major source of meat, milk and eggs, according to the District Livestock Services, 2006-07. Most of the livestock are indigenous and the production is less in comparison to improved breed and variety. So, the country is running with a massive shortage of 82.21% milk, 83% meat and 63.28% eggs.
Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service [RDRS] Bangladesh has been providing the vulnerable rural women with training on broiler farming in 14 Farmer Field Schools [FFS] under 356 union federations in the region for the last three years.
Head of Agriculture, RDRS, MG Neogi said, - RDRS provided 53,305 day-old broiler chicks (100 to 200 broilers per households) to 318 vulnerable women in eight districts of the northern region. As it is one of the shortest duration Income Generating Activity [IGA], so, the technology is much more appropriate for climate change adaptation after any natural disaster. The technology is not only viable for its economic return but also for household nutrition. The demand of broiler chicks in remote areas of the region has been increasing over the past years.
Krishna Rani, a vulnerable housewife of Gurguri Hindupara under Kundupukur union in Nilphamari district whose husband is a day labour having no farm lands said, they along with three kids had to pass hard days even two years back. Then she joined FFS and received training on broiler rearing. RDRS helped her to build roofed place adjacent to her house and provided her with 200 quality day-old chicks as well as poultry feed on credit. After 35 days of rearing, the chickens weighed 1.5 kilogram on average. She sold them all and earned Tk. 3500 in one cycle after expenses: poultry feed, day-old chicks, vaccines and housing. Needless to say, she is very happy with the results and is now an experienced broiler farmer. Within a year she returned the money owed to RDRS.
Lipi Begum, a housewife living at Mohammadpur village under Borunagaon union of Thakurgaon district with her husband, two children and her aged mother-in-law, had a similar story to tell.
The RDRS Director Azizul Karim said the vulnerable families in rural areas of the districts were getting benefit from broiler farming. It is a women friendly technology as it can be carried out in addition to her household activities. It can also bring sustainable development in rural life ensuring food security.
RANGPUR, July 17: Broiler rearing has become one of the most popular income generating activities in the rural areas of Rangpur and Dinajpur districts because of the short time required for it and could play a vital role in poverty reduction, ensuring food security and as a shield against the debilitating effects of climate change.
Broiler rearing has been taken up mostly by vulnerable women at the household level as an additional income generating activity. In addition to her regular household activities, a woman can easily rear 100-200 of those broiler chicks in a small house and make a profit of around Tk 3000-5000 in a month or so. And she can do this about 7 to 8 times in a year.
There is a huge potential for broiler rearing in the poverty-hit region as most of the houses in rural areas are suitable for this business. February to November is the best time to rear broiler chicks to avoid the cold, according to the findings.
Bangladesh is a densely populated agricultural country with an acute shortage of meat, milk and eggs. About 24.08 million cattle and buffalo, 23.43 million goat and sheep and 245.97 million poultry birds are the major source of meat, milk and eggs, according to the District Livestock Services, 2006-07. Most of the livestock are indigenous and the production is less in comparison to improved breed and variety. So, the country is running with a massive shortage of 82.21% milk, 83% meat and 63.28% eggs.
Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service [RDRS] Bangladesh has been providing the vulnerable rural women with training on broiler farming in 14 Farmer Field Schools [FFS] under 356 union federations in the region for the last three years.
Head of Agriculture, RDRS, MG Neogi said, - RDRS provided 53,305 day-old broiler chicks (100 to 200 broilers per households) to 318 vulnerable women in eight districts of the northern region. As it is one of the shortest duration Income Generating Activity [IGA], so, the technology is much more appropriate for climate change adaptation after any natural disaster. The technology is not only viable for its economic return but also for household nutrition. The demand of broiler chicks in remote areas of the region has been increasing over the past years.
Krishna Rani, a vulnerable housewife of Gurguri Hindupara under Kundupukur union in Nilphamari district whose husband is a day labour having no farm lands said, they along with three kids had to pass hard days even two years back. Then she joined FFS and received training on broiler rearing. RDRS helped her to build roofed place adjacent to her house and provided her with 200 quality day-old chicks as well as poultry feed on credit. After 35 days of rearing, the chickens weighed 1.5 kilogram on average. She sold them all and earned Tk. 3500 in one cycle after expenses: poultry feed, day-old chicks, vaccines and housing. Needless to say, she is very happy with the results and is now an experienced broiler farmer. Within a year she returned the money owed to RDRS.
Lipi Begum, a housewife living at Mohammadpur village under Borunagaon union of Thakurgaon district with her husband, two children and her aged mother-in-law, had a similar story to tell.
The RDRS Director Azizul Karim said the vulnerable families in rural areas of the districts were getting benefit from broiler farming. It is a women friendly technology as it can be carried out in addition to her household activities. It can also bring sustainable development in rural life ensuring food security.