Livestock is an integral component of Bangladesh agriculture and makes multifaceted contributions to the growth and development of agricultural sector. Small scale cattle fattening is an important avenue and alternation livelihood option for small farmers. It gives the farmers year round work and provides them with extra income to reduce vulnerability to natural disaster, distress sales and climatic hazards. Although farmers used to cattle rearing, their productivity is low mainly due to traditional rearing practices -inadequate and non-quality inputs (feed, medicine, and vaccine), poor on-farm management, etc. As a result their productivity and profit are very poor.
Alternative Livelihood Options (ALO) is a four-year project. Under this project, co-financed by Big Lottery and Traidcraft Exchange (TX), co-implemented by TX and Development wheel (DEW), the project is working in five sub-districts under Mymensingh, Netrokona and Sherpur District. The project seeks to ensure sustainable livelihoods for poor and marginal communities, particularly women, in North-East Bangladesh through improvements to small-scale agriculture.
The project is based on the recognition that small and marginal farmers in the project area face a number of problems and challenges in their production system which means that productivity, quality and prices are low, while costs are high. So naturally, ALO, within its integrated approach to increase productivity, efficiency, market access and negotiation capacity of producers, is working in the improved production practice issues to ensure sustainable and profitable agricultural.
