World Bank helps Bangladesh increase dairy and livestock productivity

World Bank helps Bangladesh increase dairy and livestock productivity

The government of Bangladesh signed a $500 million financing agreement with the World Bank to improve livestock and dairy production as well as provide better market access to 2 million household farmers and small and medium-scale agro-entrepreneurs.

The Livestock and Dairy Development Project will help stimulate private sector investment and sustainable, development of livestock value chains in Bangladesh. It will help address the country’s current shortages in eggs, dairy, and meat production.

By 2021, the country will likely face annual shortages of 1.5 billion eggs and nearly 6 million tons of milk. By enhancing the availability of dairy, egg and meat products, the project will help improve nutrition for citizens, especially children, pregnant women, and new mothers.

“Through improving market linkages and ensuring good practices, Bangladesh can increase livestock production significantly,” said Dandan Chen, Acting World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. “Growth in livestock productivity potentially leads to growth in jobs for women, youth, and other vulnerable groups.”

The project will help small-scale livestock farmers—half of whom are women—adopt improved agricultural technologies. It will support basic livestock infrastructure, including processing and marketing as well as value change development. It will help the government strengthen the coverage of livestock insurance aimed at protecting the assets and livelihoods of the small and medium producers.

Original source: World Bank
Published on 19 December 2018