Dina Umali-Deininger, regional practice manager of the World Bank, along with her team, visited the Matching Grant (MG) activities under the Livestock and Dairy Development Project (LDDP) in Faridpur district on 7 December.
The visit focused on the Dairy Hub and Village Milk Collection Centre (VMCC) and the Climate Resilient Manure Entrepreneur initiative, according to a press release.
Though the Matching Grant investment is relatively small compared to other projects, it serves as a crucial link between producer group (PG) and the market. The programme supports forward and backward linkages in the livestock sector, enabling marginal dairy farmers to transition into entrepreneurs.
The World Bank delegation, accompanied by Amadou Ba, Task Team Leader (TTL) of LDDP, Co-TTL Samina Yasmin, and other officials, and on behalf of the project Dr Md Zahangir Hosain, chief technical coordinator, Dr Hiranmoy Biswas, deputy project director, and local livestock officials were present during the visit.
The team began their visit at the District Livestock Office, where Dr AKM Asjad provided an overview of LDDP initiatives in Faridpur.
Next, the delegation visited Dairy Hub of Village Milk Ltd, which was established with the support of LDDP’s Matching Grant in Kabirpur, Sadar Upazila.
Managing Director of the company Parvin Akter showcased the hub and VMCCs through a detailed presentation, highlighting the use of 12 types of advanced machinery, including a milk pasteurisation plant.
She explained milk collection from producer groups, pricing, processing stages, packaging, and marketing. The World Bank team also inspected the pasteurisation units and visited a Village Milk outlet in Sadar Upazila. Umali-Deininger expressed satisfaction with the operations and praised the company’s innovative approach.
The team then visited Tania Vermi-Compost Organic Fertiliser Factory in Kamarpur, established under the Climate Resilient Manure Entrepreneur initiative. Owner Tania Parvin explained that the factory procures cow dung from 60 nearby commercial farms, producing 60 tons of organic fertiliser per month and generating a net profit of Tk2lakh.
Biogas produced at the plant is supplied to 60 families, adding Tk 66,000 in monthly income. The factory employs 18 workers, including 11 women, benefiting local families.
Dina Umali-Deininger and other World Bank officials lauded Tania Parvin as an exemplary woman entrepreneur. The delegation offered guidance on scaling investments and strengthening the sector to support rural livelihoods.
