‘Boost livestock sector to ensure food security’

RAJSHAHI, Oct 22 (BSS): The State Minister  for Fisheries and Livestock  Narayan Chandra Chanda asked the field level officials and other dairy and poultry farmers to boost the livestock sector for ensuring food security.

He was addressing as the chief guest the award giving ceremony at a function titled "Third Livestock Award, Seminar and Livestock-Poultry Fair-2017" at Rajshahi Medical College auditorium.

Fourteen people received "Livestock Award-2017" for their outstanding contribution to the development of livestock sector in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Livestock Society (BLS) organised the function on Saturday with the main thrust of devising ways and means on how to expedite the promotional activities of the promising sector.

The state minister handed over the awards to the recipients.

The people who got the awards in four categories are Dr Khandakar Alamgir  Hossain, Dr Kazi Komor Uddin, Dr Saiful Islam, Dr Azmat Ali, Dr Jahirul  Islam, Dr Abdullah Al Mahmud, Dr Abdul Mannan, Ershad Ali, Mollah Rejaul  Karim, Dewan Siraj, Dr Aynal Haque, Shahin Sarker, Abdul Awal Haque and Zillur Rahman Chowdhury.

State Minister Narayan Chandra Chanda asked all concerned to boost the livestock sector for ensuring food security. He observed that the contribution of the sector is immense in terms of meeting up the protein deficiency and employment generation and socio-economic development and said there is no alternative to elevate the sector.

Convener of the conference Professor Khalequzzaman and BLS General Secretary Dr Hemayetul Islam delivered welcome speeches.

Vice-chancellor (VC) of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh Prof Ali Akbar, Director General of Department of Livestock Services Dr Aynul Haque, Director General of Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute Dr Talukder Nurunnahar and Registrar of Bangladesh Veterinary Council Dr Imran Hossain Khan spoke as special guests.

BLS President Prof Dr Jalaluddin Sarder presided over the discussion.

Dean of BAU's Veterinary Science Faculty Prof Prio Mohan Das presented a keynote paper titled "Protein for all" on the occasion.

Narayan Chandra said substantial and sustainable expansion of livestock farming is very important for removing the existing protein deficiency along  with cutting the poverty rate in the region.

The unemployment problem in the rural areas could be reduced to a greater extent through making the dairy farming popular at the grassroots level.

Moreover, the dairy sector, having huge prospects, can bring about a  revolutionary change in the socioeconomic condition of the poor by alleviating poverty.

In addition to the awards distribution, Narayan Chandra visited different stalls of the livestock-poultry fair on the auditorium premises.