RAJSHAHI, June 19, 2020 (BSS)- A model sheep slaughterhouse and lamb meat sale centre has been opened for the first time in the city for the sake of public interests.
The Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (DVAS) in Rajshahi University (RU) set up the centre on its Narkelbaria campus in association with the ‘Validation of good practices of on-farm lamb production systems’ project.
From now on, any of the nearby and the project beneficiary farmers can sell their reared lambs and meat at the centre through maintaining proper hygiene.
Earlier, 59 farmers were given 600 lambs besides imparting them with need-based training on how to rear those in three categories in Paba and Godagari Upazilas in Rajshahi district on behalf of the project which is being implemented with financial support of Krishi Gobeshona Foundation.
The project intends to boost the supply of high nutritious lamb meat side by side with improving the living and livelihood condition of the marginal farmers through rearing lambs.
The opening session was arranged through maintaining social distancing and other health guidelines amid the Covid-19 pandemic on Thursday afternoon.
On the occasion, each of the 20 new marginal farmers was given two lambs and another 13 old farmers were given financial support.
Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation AHM Khairuzzaman Liton attended and addressed the opening ceremony as chief guest with Principal Investigator of the project Prof Jalal Uddin Sarder in the chair.
Prof Abul Hashem from the Department of Animal Sciences in Bangladesh Agricultural University, DVAS Professor Akhtarul Islam and its Deputy Chief and co investigator of the project Dr Hamayetul Islam were present on the occasion.
Mayor Liton urged the rural people to boost commercial sheep farming to meet up the nutritional demand through boosting production of meat and milk.
He said quick economic growth of the region can be possible through proper uses and development of livestock resources.
Besides, sheep farming has a vital role towards women empowerment and poverty reduction in the grassroots level.
The issue of improvement and conservation of native sheep in society-based and commercial farms should be given priority for the greater interest of poverty reduction and self-employment after the best uses of enormous opportunities in the sector.