RAJSHAHI, Nov 11, 2020 (BSS)- Forty marginalized women involved in sheep and goat rearing were given fodders for improving their living and livelihood condition through rearing and fattening their domestic livestock animals .
They were given the fodders free of cost on behalf of a project titled “Action Research on Understanding the Effectiveness of the Selective Livestock (Goat, Sheep) Rearing and Fattening Models for Poverty Reduction in Northern part of Bangladesh”.
The Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (DVAS) in Rajshahi University (RU) has been implementing the two-year project with financial support from Heifer International Bangladesh for the last couple of months.
The basic objective of the project is to enhance the supply of animal protein through transforming the women into self-reliant, poverty reduction and livestock development.
Under the project, 340 women farmers will be given grass-cutting and grains foods in different parts of the district.
The project implementing authority hosted the fodder-giving ceremony at Darusha High School premises under Paba Upazila in the district today.
District Livestock Officer Dr Ismail Haque addressed the meeting as chief guest with DVAS teacher and Team Leader of the project Prof Jalal Uddin Sarder in the chair.
Officer-in-Charge of Kornahar Police Station Anwar Ali Tuhin, Heifer International Programme Officer Dr Harun Or Rashid, Upazila Vice-chairman Arjia Begum and Coordinator of the research works and DVAS Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Hemayetul Islam also spoke.
Prof Jalal Sarder gave an overview of the project along with its aims, objectives and implementing strategy.
In his remarks, Ismail Haque stressed the need for uplifting the livestock sector for food security, self-employment and poverty reduction.
He also emphasized for due importance in adopting modern technology, promotion of high yielding varieties and training for farmers to overcome the crisis.
The contributions of the livestock sector were immense in terms of meeting up the protein deficiency and socio economic development and there was no alternative to elevating the sector, he added.
He said that large-scale farming of fodder could further develop the livestock sector to contribute immensely in fulfilling the protein deficiency in the country.