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“All Citizens are Equal before Law and are Entitled to Equal Protection of Law”-Article 27 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh



Issue No: 55
February 9 , 2008

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Human Rights analysis

Ensuring poor farmers' right to services

Z A M Khairuzzaman


Livestock are a form of currency. For many people, animals represent savings. The sale of livestock and manure can mean quick cash in hard times.

Food insecure poor farmers who do not possess adequate land for subsistence, find poultry and livestock rearing as their only livelihood option. But, they have no access to basic livestock services and technologies.

Their service needs are defined in a top-down approach by the policymakers. The government machinery is not equipped to address their needs adequately. The average distance to government upazila livestock offices from their villages is about 15 to 30 km. Many government centres are not adequately manned. It is practically not convenient for poor farmers to take their animals or poultry birds to upazila livestock offices. Inability of governmental institutions to deliver effective support services to the rural poor was identified as a factor limiting development of agricultural activities, especially in livestock sector.

To build awareness on poor farmers' rights and strengthening their ability to claim their rights, ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB), an international NGO, came forward with a new project in 2005. 'FoSHoL ActionAid Project,' was aimed at improving livelihood and food security of poor households by increasing availability and to food.

Co-financed by the European Commission (EC), the project was targeted to equip poor farmers in such a way so that they can claim their rights on Khas lands and ponds, rights of share croppers, rights to services from government agriculture, fisheries and livestock offices.

Under the project, 18 livestock service centers were established in the Union Parishad (UP) complexes of nine upazilas. They are providing all sorts of livestock management and technical support to project participant households as well as other community members and collecting charges against their services. This has become their new options of livelihoods on one hand while on the other communities are greatly benefited as they are getting services at their doorsteps.

The right kind of livestock services made all the difference to poor livestock keepers struggling to reduce their own poverty.

At present, FoSHoL Bird Flu Awareness Cell has been created to make people aware about the hazard. It also started an awareness campaign at village level with local government livestock and health personnel. The cell instructed all its project offices to take necessary initiatives and keep close touch with Upazila Avian Influenza Management Committee and Upazila Multi-sectoral Coordination Committee.

Necessary instructions were given to involve all vaccinators in searching and monitoring every household and farm of the community and informing immediately to local livestock offices if any abnormal or suspicious mortality of birds are defected.

Instructions were also given to organize community mobilization in every unions under their project area inviting upazilla livestock officers, veterinary surgeons and health personnel to clarify the problem suggest steps.

Z.A.M.Khairuzzaman is a working journalist of The Daily Star
 
 
 


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