320 poor families get calves in Rajshahi

647

RAJSHAHI, Nov 8, 2018 (BSS) – Some 320 poor and distressed families
received calves free of cost in Paba upazila area in Rajshahi district.

Area Development Program (ADP) at Paba under World Vision Bangladesh
distributed the calves as grant at its office premises yesterday with the
main thrust of improving living and livelihood condition of the marginalized
families.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Zahid Newaj and District Livestock Officer Dr
Zulfikar Akhter Hossain attended and addressed the programme as the chief and
special guests respectively with World Vision APC Manager Liton Mondal in the
chair.

Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Khandaker Sagar Ahmed, World Vision Regional
Technical Coordinator Ashraful Islam, APC Technical Expert Iftekhar Ahmed,
Programme Manager Lorance Mondal and Programme Officer Ratan Kumar Bhowmik
also spoke.

The speakers mentioned that the Rajshahi region has started becoming
enriched with animal resources by dint of house to house cattle farming
during the last couple of years.

UNO Zahid Newaj said many of the rural families have been rearing and
fattening calves and bulls commercially and earning huge profits every year.

He urged the service providers to reach the livestock related necessary
services to the grassroots growers for boosting the animal resources,
particularly dairy farming. Necessary services like production, primary
treatment, deworming, vaccination and farm management should be given on
priority basis to boost animal health.

Dr Zulfikar Akhter Hossain stressed the need for uplifting the livestock
sector for food security, self-employment and poverty reduction. He also
called for adopting modern technology, promotion of high yielding varieties
and farmers training.

Besides, large-scale farming of fodder could further develop the
livestock sector to contribute immensely in fulfilling the protein deficiency
in the country.