Dairy Farming in a Selected Char Area of Northern Bangladesh: Prospect of Profitability and Contribution to Livelihood Improvement

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess the profitability of dairy farming in a char area of Northern Bangladesh and to evaluate the role of dairy farming to improve farmers’ livelihood. A total of 200 poorest households with dairying (100 treated and 100 controlled) and 200 with non-dairying were selected out of 520 households using simple random sampling technique. Majority of respondents in both the groups were males, aged between 36 and 50 years and had no primary education. Sixty five and 56 percent dairy households had 5 decimal homestead and 10 decimal cultivable land, respectively but 66 and 75 percent nondairy households had 10 decimal homestead and 20 decimal cultivable land, respectively. The status of homestead area and cultivable land of dairy farmers were better than the nondairy farmers. Significantly higher percentage of dairy household had access (P<0.05) to sanitation and drinking water facilities than the nondairy households. Average self-declared daily cash income of each dairy household was Taka 129±11.2. Profitability of dairy farming was measured in terms of gross return (GR), gross margin (GM), net return (NR), and benefit cost ratio (BCR) (undiscounted). Difference in differences (DID) approach was applied for analyzing the impact of dairy farming. Annual GRs from dairy farming was estimated at Tk. 18029 and Tk. 26003 before and after the project intervention, respectively. The estimated NR per cow per year stood at Tk. 537 and Tk. 6060 before and after intervention of the project, respectively. In the study area, BCR before the intervention of the project was 1.03 and 2.04 while it was 1.30 and 2.51 after the intervention on the basis of the full cost and cash cost, respectively. After the intervention of the project, there was a significant fall in the percentage of the farmers engaging with farming and day labourer whereas there was an increase in the percentage of the farmers engaging with only farming. On an average, family male members spent about 5 h a day on dairy cattle while the female members spent about 4 h a day over the study areas. Average total income had increased by 49% after the project intervention but it increased by only 17% in case of the controlled farmers. The highest (34%) treated group’s dairy income level was Tk. 10001.00–15000.00 followed by 33% and 18% of dairy income level of Tk. 15001.00–20000.00 and above Tk. 20000.00, respectively of respondent farmers. Income and expenditure of the treated group increased by 50% and 29%, respectively whereas it was increased by 18% and 8% in the case of control group. The length of time spent (working days) had increased by 100% in the study area. At last the sustainable livelihood framework including the asset pentagon was used to assess the impact of dairy farming on livelihood pattern.

Keywords: Char, farming, livelihood, agricultural, dairy

Cite this Article

Ahmed JU, Raha SK, Rahman MH. Dairy Farming in a Selected Char Area of Northern Bangladesh: Prospect of Profitability and Contribution to Livelihood Improvement. Research & Reviews: Journal of Dairy Science and Technology. 2016; 5(2): 1–20p.