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Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 9, 2007
—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and BRAC have launched a set of publications to help small poultry farmers in Bangladesh improve productivity, reduce costs, and enhance their income. The two publications on broiler farm management,
Broiler Murgi Palon Bebosthapana Shohayika (Broiler Farm Management Workbook)
and
Broiler Farm Management Register
, will help the farmers access proper farming management techniques and biosecurity measures.
The publications, available in Bangla
,
contain valuable guidance on how to raise broilers for commercial sale. The books contain photographic images, making the information accessible to farmers with low levels of literacy. Both publications include farm record forms that allow farmers to keep track of vital information, such as mortality, feed ratios, vaccinations, and profit and loss. For farmers who have never had formal education on how to manage poultry, such measures can have a significant impact on their farming practices and subsequent productivity. The content was developed with substantial inputs from the poultry farmers based on their demand.
The publications will be sold as a set to 10,000 farmers and entrepreneurs through BRAC’s distribution channel at a nominal cost. Other farmers and intermediaries, including (distributors and retailers of day-old chicks and feed, are also expected to benefit from the higher productivity of farmers using the publications. At the moment, BRAC is working with 1 million poultry farmers.
The poultry industry is the country’s fastest-growing livestock sector. With about 6 million people dependent on it for sustenance, a lack of technical knowledge is a major industry constraint that must be addressed.
In 2005, IFC and BRAC teamed up to develop a workbook for small poultry farmers. The publication was well-received by the farming community, who have requested an advanced workbook to address other challenging issues. “By making farmers understand best management practices we hope to help them take advantage of the growth opportunities in the sector, so they may improve their productivity and increase their income as well as link themselves productively with the poultry value chain,” says Deepak Adhikary, DGM and Head of IFC-SEDF.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, fosters sustainable economic growth in developing countries by financing private sector investment, mobilizing private capital in local and international financial markets, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. IFC’s vision is that poor people have the opportunity to escape poverty and improve their lives. In FY07, IFC committed $8.2 billion and mobilized an additional $3.9 billion through loan participations and structured finance for 299 investments in 69 developing countries. IFC also provided advisory services in 97 countries. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
.
IFC Advisory Services, along with the governments of the Netherlands and Norway, the European Commission, DFID (United Kingdom), CIDA (Canada), and the Asian Development Bank work towards providing increased access to finance and quality business development services to projects in Bangladesh, Bhutan, northeast India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The Advisory team also works to create a business-enabling environment and support value addition to firms through sector development, advisory services, capacity-building programs, training, and research.
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