EMPOWERMENT FACTORS OF RURAL WOMEN THROUGH HOMESTEAD POULTRY REARING IN SOME SELECTED AREA OF KAHAROLE UPAZILLA UNDER DINAJPUR DISTRICT

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the status of women income & family poultry in selected area of Kaharole upzilla under Dinajpur district) of Bangladesh. Beside this, socioeconomic condition of the farmers, feeding system and availability of feed for raising poultry, productive performance of scavenging poultry and profitability of raising those were evaluated. Information was collected by direct interview method using a questionnaire from 50 house holds (mostly women) who rear poultry in this locality. 55% farmers had a patch of cultivable land (Average 20 decimal). The average farm size was 7.2 and it always remain variable with the poultry’s loss attributed to different causes. Around 57% of the farmers reared duck with hen. 68% of the farmers housed their poultry in bamboo made cage while the rest of the farmers kept in house made of wood, tin, straw or mud. 89%of the farmers used single or combination of materials (straw, polythene, chat, ash) as liter where the rest of the farmers kept ducks without using any litter. The mature ducks were highest (74.2%) in October –December and lowest (45.2%) in April-June. The mature chicken were highest in March- June and lowest in October- December.Duck reaches first laying at 6 months of age, produces average 110 eggs per year. Egg production reaches peak during winter specially after crop-harvesting season. Duck consumption by the household specially in winter is highest (52.3%) in Kaharole upazilla than other area of Bangladesh . The highest number of duck/chick(32.2%) were consumed by the large farmers while the lowest number of eggs (12.4%) were consumed by the landless farmers. Around 78% of the respondents fed their birds with mixture of boil rice and rice polish as it is available and cheap. 92%respondents said that they do not spend any money on supplementary feed. The mortality rate was 19% and it is highest in winter (27%). Family wise Total annual expenditure and annual income per bird were on an average 127.84Tk. and 289.29Tk. respectively. The result of BCR (Benefit Cost Ratio) was 2.26 .Its indicate that if backyard poultry rearer invest tk.1.0 then they can get tk.2.26. So per bird they get profit Tk. 1.26. Based on the findings of the study some recommendations were suggested for increasing women income along with family poultry production.