Md Abu Sufiun, director general of the Department of Livestock Services, poses for group photographs with representatives from government bodies, academic institutions, development partners, and private sector entities at the launch of “Dairy Value Chain Forum” at the InterContinental Dhaka today. Photo: Dairy Value Chain Forum
The Dairy Value Chain Forum was launched at the InterContinental Dhaka, aiming to drive a green transformation in Bangladesh's dairy industry.
The forum convened a consortium of strategic partners, including Solidaridad Network Asia, Arla Foods, Pran Dairy, SEGES Innovation, IDRN-Bangladesh Agricultural University, and the Danish Agriculture & Food Council.
This initiative forms part of the Green Dairy Partnership in Bangladesh -- a five-year project funded by the Danida Green Business Partnership (DGBP) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
The project seeks to enhance the resilience of dairy farming households and develop a sustainable, commercially viable, private sector-led green dairy value chain.
Md Abu Sufiun, director general of the Department of Livestock Services, inaugurated the forum today as the chief guest, according to a press release.
Anders B Karlsen, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of Denmark in Bangladesh, and Shakila Faruque, director general of the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, attended as special guests.
The Green Dairy Partnership aspires to establish a green, inclusive, and commercially sustainable dairy value chain in south-western Bangladesh.
The project targets a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and aims to increase the income of 10,000 farming households -- 80 percent of which are led by women -- with plans to scale up the initiative to reach 50,000 households.
The forum serves as a collaborative platform to foster multi-stakeholder engagement in promoting responsible business practices and the adoption of climate-smart technologies, thereby making the dairy sector both commercially viable and environmentally sustainable.
It will address systemic challenges, foster productivity, and stimulate investment to unlock the sector's potential for large-scale, profitable dairy enterprises that meet national nutritional demands and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Representatives from various government bodies, academic institutions, development partners, and private sector entities were also present.
