SHOUHARDO III participants are rearing cattle, goats, and poultry to increase their income and improve their livelihoods. SHOUHARDO III conducts training to strengthen the capacity of VEF/Local Service Providers (e.g.-vaccinator, seed seller, and fish fry hawkers) on negotiation, communication, financial planning, business planning, climate risks/production risks, early warning, and use of apps/ ICT, and identify local producer/entrepreneurs and train them engaging/involving in testing/piloting phase. Besides these, SHOUHARDO III program provided cash input support BDT 3,000 (USD 35.46) for poor participants and BDT 4,500 (USD 53.2) for extreme poor participants.

Due to program intervention, PEP (Poor and Extreme Poor) reported that on-farm production had been increased as they are getting quality input and services from SHOUHARDO III program, which is more qualities than previously provided by private and public sector providers. The program is working to link them with output markets to sustain this increased production.

With the present COVID-19 pandemic situation and frequent lockdown/shutdown, it is challenging to get a fair price for their produces. The program has decided to take initiatives as a piloting basis to sell cattle of some participants of Sirajganj area using an online platform. A Youth, Robiul Sarker from Khudra Putia village under Porjona union of Shazadpur, Sirajganj, who have received training on Computer Operation through SHOUHARDO III program support, working as an entrepreneur of the online platform for the piloting. First of all, Rabiul identified some cattle owners interested in selling their cattle through online platforms, collected photographs of their cattle, and post those photographs on an online platform.

Through communication with Bikroy.com (a renowned online marketplace in Bangladesh), developed an e-cattle shop named “Sirajganj er Oitijjobahi Gorur Hat” at the said online marketplace. This e-cattle shop is using to post an advertisement for selling producers’ cattle to get a fair price. All interested buyers can see the post through Bikroy.com and show their interest in buying the respective cattle. For posting for 30 cattle’s details BDT, 1,379 (USD 16.3) was paid by Robiul Sarker, entrepreneur of the platform, to Bikroy.com.

Interested customers communicate with the entrepreneur first, and the entrepreneur is communicating with cattle owners to reach an agreeable amount for both parties. The entrepreneur is acting here as an agent or media for price negotiation. The price negotiation process is running under close monitoring of STM-Livestock and PNGO’s field colleagues. There are six cattle sold till 12 July and five already delivered to the buyers.

“Due to countrywide lockdown, it was very challenging to sell cattle at the local market with a fair price, but due to online platform, I have sold my cow with handsome/expected price and got about BDT 6,000 (USD 70.9) more than that of local market price, it’s my pleasure for that”- said Shefali- a SHOUHARDO III participant.

Written by Jannatul Ferdous, Senior Officer- Learning & Communication, SHOUHARDO III, CARE Bangladesh. Hedyatul Islam, Team Leader-Agriculture & Livelihood, SHOUHARDO III, CARE Bangladesh and Almass Ali, Senior Technical Manager-Livestock, SHOUHARDO III, CARE Bangladesh.