: Fisheries & livestock
In recent years. the fisheries and livestock sector
has been playing an increasingly important role
in the economy uplift efforts of Bangladesh. It
is a labour-intensive and quick-yielding sector
which augments growth and alleviates poverty. Around
1.3 million people are directly employed in the
fisheries sector alone.
The country has immense natural potential for developing
the fisheries sub-sector. The sector contributes
3.3% of the GDP and 10.33% of the agriculture sector.
The sector includes open water bodies such as rivers,
canals,lakes, etc. And closed water bodies such
as ponds and flood-control polders totalling 4 million
hecteres. Almost 80% of the country's protein requirement,
around 70% of exports in the primary commodity category
and almost 9% of toral exports come from this sub-sector.
The sub-sector marked a continuous annual growth
of 8.6% since 1996. This increase is due to both
Government and private initiatives. Fish production
increased to over 1 .4 million during 1997-98.
The Government is providing various incentives to
the sector like offerings infrastructure, credit,
research and extension facilities. Different NGOs
are also undertaking programs to motivate and train
fishermen and thereby raise production. Hatcheries
are being set up through private initiatives. Bangladesh
Fisheries Development Corporation is providing marketing
and storage facilities to the fishermen and fish
With an annual growth rate of over 8% since 1993,
the contribution of the livestock sub-sector to
GDP and the agriculture sector as a whole is currently
3.2% and 10.11% respectively. Showing much potential
to develop as a commercial sector with employment
and income generating opportunities both in the
rural and urban areas. A large number of enterprises-cattle,
poultry and dairy farms have grown in the private
sector in recent years.
Shortage of Livestock products is attributed to
the prevalence of diseases, poor quality of animals
and feed shortages. Under the public sector, improvement
of the genetic quality of existing stock is currently
carried out through establishment of breeding stations
and cattle raising units and a wide network of artificial
insemination services. An extensive program has
been undertaken for fodder cultivation under which
much improved seeds and seedlings are being distributed
to the farmers, the NGOs and the private farms.