SoC from Bangladesh: Shapna, a woman farmer, member of the milk producers group

Shapna is a house wife who lives in Khanpur (Jataharpara) under Dinajpur Sadar Upazila with her husband and two daughters. Her husband is a farm laborer and earned 50-60/-per day. Shapna has been rearing two cows in the traditional manner for the last 3 years. They (Shapna and her husband) could not support their family for more than 4 months. She became a member of the milk producers group when the ‘Cold Milk Hot Profits’ project took off in their village and was very optimistic about it.

She began using the knowledge she had gained from the learning sessions for her cattle rearing. She gave the balanced feed to her cows and took necessary initiatives for vaccination and deworming. As a result milk production has reached from 2.5-3 lit to 4-4.5 lit per day, a rise of 1.5-2 lit than before.

She never realized the importance of vaccines and deworming before she began the learning sessions. Now she is aware and thus taking vaccines and giving deworming tablets to her cows regularly. When she realizes that her cows are suffering from any kind of disorders, she calls in a modern trained paravet as opposed to the non trained herbal doctor, that she would’ve gone to previously. As a project member Paravets are charging reasonable price (less than before) for the treatment and medicine value from her. Now her cows are healthy and productive.

Before starting the project she used to sell her milk to another milk collector @ 12 Tk per Kg. But 5 months ago (Nov’07) group members started group milk marketing. She took part in that activity. She is getting 4 Tk more per lit than before (previously 12 Tk/ kg, present 16 Tk/lit). She is attending the group meeting and learning sessions regularly and helping the group for development planning and implementation.

As her production has increased and she is getting 4 Tk per liter more by group milk marketing so, she is earning additional Tk 500-600 per month. Using her additional income, she has opened a DPS at Agroni Bank and pays 200 Tk in monthly installments. She hopes that the savings will ensure financial stability for her daughters future education and marriage. Today, she gives financial support to her husband to maintain their family. She is saving some money for purchasing tin to build the roof on the veranda of her home. Within 5-6 months she wants to save more 2500-3000 Tk for purchasing a bundle of tin.

She is more confident now. At the initial stage of the project she did not express her opinions but now she advices the group on different development issues. She wants to improve the variety of her cows via artificial insemination in order to increase the production. She wants to depend on the cow rearing profession fully to support her family in the future. For immediate development of her family she wants take a loan out to purchase an improved Deshi cow by She wants to take a loan from micro credit organizations (Grameen Bank, Asa, UDPS, Shomaj sheba, PDBF etc.) at a small amount over a long period ( at least 2 years) so she can pay weekly or monthly installments by selling milk.