Livestock Production and Food Security in Bangladesh
Livestock production constitutes a fundamental agricultural endeavor within Bangladesh, exerting a substantial positive influence on equity concerning income, employment, and poverty alleviation in rural regions. Despite notable advancements across various sectors of the Bangladeshi economy over the past thirty years, poverty and food insecurity persist as significant challenges affecting a considerable portion of the populace. Although Bangladesh has achieved near self-sufficiency in food production, the prevalence of undernourished individuals remains alarmingly high (BER, 2010). A majority of farmers possess less than 5 hectares of land, positioning them as the most susceptible to food insecurity (Afza, et al. 2015). Numerous individuals experience hunger and malnutrition, not solely as a consequence of inadequate production and distribution methodologies but also owing to insufficient income to procure essential foodstuffs.
Over the past three decades, a structural transformation has transpired within the Bangladeshi economy. The nation has attained self-sufficiency in food grain production, attributable to a commendable growth rate within the sector; however, the proportion of agriculture within Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has diminished in relation to other sectors, with the livestock sub-sector's share increasing relative to crops, fisheries, and forestry. The contribution of livestock to agricultural income escalated from 7.6% in 1973-74 to 12.9% in 1998-99, with projections indicating an increase to 19.9% by 2020. Between 1973/74 and 1989/90, livestock output expanded at an annual rate of 5.2%, contrasted with a mere 1.7% for crop output and 2.6% for overall agricultural output (Hossain and Bose, 2000).
Nevertheless, the impact of the livestock sector on GDP and the growth of livestock sector output has been undervalued in prior studies, which have primarily focused on value-added or final products. In national output and income accounting, intermediate products, such as draft power and manure utilized in crop production, along with crop residues serving as livestock feed which are often disregarded based on the presumption that they offset one another. When the flows of such intermediate products across sectors are not balanced and do not effectively cancel each other, the contribution of a sector may be either underestimated or overestimated depending on prevailing conditions. In any event, the structural transformations in the agricultural sector have been catalyzed by a swift escalation in the demand for livestock products, driven by income growth, population increases, and urbanization. This phenomenon is part of a broader trend observable across the developing world. From the early 1970s until the mid-1990s, the market value attributed to the rise in meat and milk consumption in developing nations was approximately US$155 billion (in 1990 dollars), surpassing twice the market value of the increase in cereal consumption associated with the Green Revolution. While similar estimates for Bangladesh are not readily accessible, it can be reasonably inferred that the pattern remains consistent. Milk production in the nation escalated from 1.29 million metric tons in 1987-88 to 1.62 million metric tons in 1997-98, and further to 1.74 million metric tons by 2001. However, current national production is inadequate to meet demand (World Bank, 2009).
Food insecurity represents a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that has garnered increasing scholarly attention in recent decades. A widely recognized definition is provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which articulates that food security "exists when all individuals, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that satisfies their dietary requirements and food preferences for an active and healthy existence." The accurate quantification of food security poses significant challenges. As a result, the prevalence of food insecurity, particularly in terms of nutritional adequacy in Bangladesh, is markedly high. Several determinants influencing food insecurity are more comprehensively understood than others. For example, poverty and insufficient educational attainment are well-documented predictors, whereas the implications of livestock remain inadequately researched. Nonetheless, it is widely acknowledged that livestock impacts food security in numerous dimensions: it supplies essential food products, serves as a source of income, provides manure, offers draught power, and enhances social status. The majority of Bangladeshi farmers operate as smallholders who own at least some livestock, which play an indispensable role in their livelihoods.
The livestock sector occupies a pivotal position in the realm of food security by supplying food, employment, and income. However, livestock may also adversely impact food security due to the rapidly escalating demand for livestock-derived products. In developed nations, the demand for livestock products is plateauing, while numerous production systems are enhancing their efficiency and environmental sustainability. In the future, production will increasingly be influenced by competition for natural resources, particularly land and water, competition between food and feed, and the necessity to function within a carbon-constrained economy (Thornton, 2010). Future demand for livestock products may be significantly tempered by socio-economic variables, such as human health considerations and shifting socio-cultural values. There exists considerable uncertainty regarding how these factors will manifest in various regions of the globe over the forthcoming decades (ILRI, 2007). Despite extensive discourse surrounding the role of livestock in attaining food security, the subject has, in reality, only been partially addressed, and no extant documentation comprehensively encompasses the topic.
The level of livestock production is progressively declining. The primary factors contributing to this diminished level of livestock production include human population expansion, income growth, and urbanization, with production responses across diverse livestock systems being linked to advancements in science and technology. Looking ahead, production will increasingly be influenced by competition for natural resources, particularly land and water, competition between food and feed, and the imperative to operate within a carbon-constrained economy. There exists a paucity of reliable information sources concerning livestock data, and appropriate research guidelines are notably lacking (FAO, 2012). While Bangladesh has witnessed consistent advancements in food production through the implementation of agricultural technologies, chronic food insecurity persists as a formidable challenge. Analogous to other South Asian nations, food insecurity and malnutrition in Bangladesh exhibit pronounced gender dimensions.
In the South Asian context, the subordinate position of women and the prevalent gender disparities in health and educational attainment significantly exacerbate the issue of chronic child malnutrition (Smith et al., 2003) and food insecurity (von Grebmer et al., 2009), notwithstanding the advancements in other determinants of food security, such as per capita income levels. The role of livestock is pivotal in ensuring food security; however, livestock production demands substantial resources. Approximately one-quarter of the total global freshwater consumption and three-quarters of agricultural land usage is attributed to livestock production. The relentless pressure to supply increasing volumes of economically accessible meat, eggs, and dairy products is precipitating significant challenges pertaining to animal production and welfare, whilst simultaneously neglecting the profound disparities present in human dietary patterns. Furthermore, the imperative to augment production in order to satiate the dietary needs of the burgeoning global population must not perpetuate this cycle of unsustainable production and consumption practices. It is imperative to critically evaluate the trajectory of livestock production and to allocate resources towards solutions that nourish the planet while being economically sustainable, environmentally robust, and considerate of animal welfare (FAO, 2012).
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