Effect Of Community Based Paid Extension On Livelihood Of Smallholder Dairy Farmers

This study investigated the effect of community-based paid extension (CPE) on the livelihoods of smallholder dairy farmers of Satkhira district of Bangladesh. A simple random sampling method was used to select255respondents together with snowball sampling of15key respondents to make the findings robust. The ’sustainable livelihoods’ framework was chosen as the livelihood analytical tool and developed to place emphasis on the context of vulnerability and livelihood assets. Primary data were collected through structured interviews, observation, PRA and key informant interviews while data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression models.Findings indicate that smallholder dairy farmers are willing to pay for the community-based extension service as payment options are less burdensome than other fee based extension because of its indirect modality. Moreover, the CPE offers intensive and high quality extension service with outcomes which are profitable to farmers. Characteristically most farmers are in their early middle age, male in sex (about90%) and possess primary education. They have received paid extension services from1to5years, staying up to12kilometers far away from the extension center and seeking services now and then. Their cows’ daily average milk production is11.62liters and average annual household income from all activities is154thousand BDT.In about68percent of cases CPE reduced their vulnerability to a degree experienced as ’moderate’ whereas20percent of them experienced a ’high’ reduction in vulnerability. Threats to smallholder dairy farmers which CPE has addressed to a great extent include the mortality of cows and calfs, infectious diseases, parasites, malnutrition, poor breeds, production and price variability, lack of market, wrong treatment by veterinary quacks, feed insecurity and natural-social disasters. Consequently, farmers’ assets have increased. The regression analysis of the determinants of vulnerability reduction confirmed the importance of the distance to the extension center, the communication frequency of the extension service and the period in years of contact with the extension service. The other external factors such as education level of the farmers, their annual household income and livelihoods assets also significantly influence the of smallholder dairy farmers.The asset base and access to assets of smallholder dairy farmers have improved due to the CPE intervention:about60percent and17percent farmers realized moderate and high effects of CPE respectively. However, it was in financial, physical and human capital that greatest improvement was observed. CPE was found to facilitate production-enhancement through improved productivity, veterinary services and farmer-to-market linkages which maximize farm profits, household income and savings. The increased income is further reinvested in physical assets and in maximizing the use of other assets for household wellbeing. In the course of CPE service flow over the past five years, farmers have gained considerable knowledge, skill, employment and health status. Many farmers are now able to solve their own dairy-farm problems and even help others. The group and association-based intervention increases the voice of the farmers, improves their decision making capacity, intensifies their social networks, increases their livelihood security, and betters relationships at community and family level. CPE nurtures smallholder dairy farming which is eco-friendly therefore contributes to ecosystem intensification on the homestead. It boosts sustainable livelihoods through enriching the natural resource base. The regression results affirm that farm characteristics such as gender of the farmers, their education level, proximity to the community extension center, the amount of extension communication, increased milk production, high annual household income and lower vulnerability are the determinants of farmers’ improved assets base.CPE has brought other positive livelihood outcomes to the smallholder dairy farmers. These include more cattle, higher incomes, greater savings, more employment, improved food security, better health, good clothing, improved houses and sanitation, more productive soil, more plantation, schooling opportunities for children, strong social networks and solidarity, peace and security in the community, good family relations etc. So the research concludes that the dissemination of this innovative extension approach deserves dissemination throughout the country. It also recommends that to have greater impact on rural development, the government should formulate a special dairy extension policy organized around a community-based paid dairy extension service.