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Although development in infrastructure like roads, telecommunications and electricity in rural areas had positive impact on rural livelihoods and poverty in the country's northern region, many poor households still have little access to the facilities, reports UNB.
This was emphasised at a workshop on "Urban-rural linkages in Bangladesh: Impact of infrastructure and the food value chain on the livelihoods and migration of landless households, women and girls in the northern region".
CARE Bangladesh organised the workshop in the city Sunday with Chairman of Urban Studies of Dhaka University and Urban Planner Nazrul Islam in the chair.
Shyamal Chowdhury and Maximo Torero, Researcher of International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington DC, made the presentation
Assistant Country Director of CARE Bangladesh Kelly Stevenson was present during the presentation session.
The presenters stressed the need for investment in this sector, which should be coordinated by the government to maximize benefits from the improved structures.
To offer sustainable subsidies, to realise economies of scale and to promote production, consumption and integration, the study suggested three strategies. These are identifying consumer demand and ability to pay, accepting roles for both a viable market and public sector intervention, and appreciating the need to develop sector-specific business strategies, enabling realistic estimation of costs, revenues and risk.
The research findings showed that the combination of public and private sector investment in infrastructure create employment opportunities, income-generating activities and better linkages between rural producers and urban markets.
The study also showed that per capita income and expenditure increase with access to more than one type of infrastructure. Telephone access increases monthly per capita income by Tk 12 on average.
It revealed that that due to improvement of infrastructure, landless people increasingly engage in non-agricultural activities, which are more lucrative.
"It helps them to work away from home, increase overall number of working hours and create more scope to improve productivity," it said.
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