Govt plans Tk 303cr livestock, poultry project

The government is planning to undertake a Tk 303-crore project to increase milk, meat and egg production in char areas under Dhaka division by at least 15 per cent to 20 per cent and subsequently improve living standards.

The project aims to donate livestock and poultry alongside early-stage feed, vaccine and medicine among 65,290 families in 31 upazilas of Manikganj, Dhaka, Munshiganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Madaripur and Shariatpur.

Proposed by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and to be implemented by the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) from July this year to June 2027, the project will run under 10 packages, according to planning commission documents.

One poultry package involves providing 25 one-week-old chicks of either Egyptian Fayoumi or Sonali breeds, including two males, Tk 8,800 for a coop, and three months' feed and necessary vaccines and medicines.

The project aims to donate livestock and poultry alongside early-stage feed, vaccine and medicine among 65,290 families in 31 upazilas of Manikganj, Dhaka, Munshiganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Madaripur and Shariatpur.

In this way, around 1,650 families will each get calves, 8,220 goats, 4,110 sheep, 16,450 ducks and 32,900 chickens.

The calves will be hybrids and around one year old, worth some Tk 90,000, said Md Shamim Hossain, focal point officer of the project, on being contacted by The Daily Star.

"To make it sustainable, we will provide feed grain, necessary vaccines and medicines only for the first 12 months," he said, adding that information would also be shared on feeding different types of grass and silage.

Each goat or sheep will be worth around Tk 11,200, he said.

On ensuring proper selection of beneficiaries, Shamim said a five-member committee would be formed in every upazila headed by the upazila nirbahi officer and comprising the upazila agriculture officer, fisheries officer, union chairman and DLS officer.

"We have set up some criteria for the beneficiaries. The selection body would verify the list properly. Nobody outside of the char areas has any scope to be included in the beneficiary list," he said.

A feasibility study has been conducted by Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, he said.

The project has been scrutinised through two project evaluation committee (PEC) meetings, said Md Sayduzzaman, additional secretary to the agriculture, water resources and rural institutions division of the planning commission.

"We have proposed a raise of Tk 30 crore from an initial proposal of Tk 273 crore taking into consideration the high prices of feed grain and other materials," he said.

This project may soon be placed before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for approval, he said.

The char people always remain neglected and this project may make their lives a little better. But the authorities should ensure proper implementation, he said.