An Agribusiness development approach of beef cattle in selected areas of Bangladesh

The study was pursued to ascertain the existing internal and external factors, alternative strategies and priorities of the strategies applied in enhancing beef cattle agribusiness at Pabna and Sirajganj districts in Bangladesh. The primary data and present study were collected by employing various techniques such as survey, FGD, KII and observation methods. The total sample size was 180 which were selected through convenience sampling technique. The following analytical tools used were employed i) IFE-EFE analysis ii) SWOT analysis, iii) SWOT matrix, and iv) QSPM model. By analyzing all the factors from SWOT four strategies were developed to determine the beef cattle development. The best strategy was selected by using QSPM matrix. The results IFE is 2.610, EFE is 2.438 and the total weighted score is 5.833 indicates that beef cattle sub-sector agribusiness are opportunity to explore their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. The beef cattle agribusiness development through the implementation of the integrated or contract farming that supported to backward and forward linkage and support services.


Introduction
Livestock agribusinesses play a significant role in our economy through contributing to poverty eradication by creating rural employment and to gear up the achievement of higher economic growth. Livestock is an integral component of agricultural economy of Bangladesh. Performing various functions as provisions of food, nutrition, income generation, savings, draft power, manure, fuel, transport and cultural function and earning foreign currency by exporting meat, hides and skin and value added waste products, etc. About 36% of the total animal protein comes from the livestock rest of them (64%) come from poultry, fish and pluses. Bangladesh has huge number of livestock and poultry population with a very high density but low productivity. The country has about 23.4 million cattle, 1.45 million buffalo, 25.6 million goats, 3.16 million sheep, 221.30 million chicken and 41.23 million ducks (GOB, 2012). Beef cattle are the important and potential sub-sector to economic improvement, where this sub-sector has a strategic value in the fulfillments of human need that increases steadily along with the increasing of per capita income. The study aimed to examine the existing characteristics of the farmers, i.e. their social and economic characteristics in relation to the development of beef cattle farming, to determine factors influencing the policy of beef cattle farming, and to design the strategic plan. The study is intended to contribute information and ideas in relation to sustainable beef cattle farming and also provide inputs for policy makers to develop the management plan for beef cattle development in order to fulfill the national food security needs.

Materials and Methods
The study was conducted in Pabna and Sirajganj districts. Two Upazilas namely Shatia from Pabna and Raigonj from Sirajgonj districts were selected because of the concentration of beef cattle fattening activity. Total sample size was 180 including beef cattle producers and different agribusiness actors (i.e. live cattle traders, brokers, butcher -cum -meat traders, meat processor and beef by-products traders etc). Convenience sampling technique was used for selection of respondents of the study and questionnaires survey, FGD, KII and observation methods were adapted for collection of primary data. Secondary data were also collected from the various sources. Results of the analysis were presented in the form of tables and matrix form. Data were analyzed by using SPSS software.
In this study, the following techniques were used which were also used by ), Ananto et al.(2011) , Achmad et al. (2012 and Prastuti et al. (2012) .

Results and Discussion
The results of the present study are presented in following heading to develop the beef cattle agribusiness strategies.

Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix (IFE matrix):
IEF Matrix is a strategic management tool used for evaluation of strengths and weaknesses for internal factors affecting the development of beef cattle in study areas. From Table 1, it can be seen that the highest weight score is 0.256 which implies that factors that are effective are innovation. These are important internal factors which are effective to develop the beef cattle in northern Bangladesh to support the food estate program. The result also shows that the sum of total weight score is 2.610. Therefore, it can be concluded that the strategy of developing beef cattle in northern Bangladesh has been effective in using the strength and minimizing weakness factors which had contributed to negative impact similar to Gunawan (2001). Suryana (2009) in his study also stated that in order to enhance the role of beef cattle as meat suppliers and livestock income sources, it is advisable to apply an intensive maintenance system with an improved feed management and improved quality of cattle with disease control. As for the improvement of genetic quality of the female calves, it is suggested to keep them in the breeding area for subsequent use as grading up cattle. Increased interest and motivation of cattle ranchers to expand their business can be facilitated through incentives in production.

External Factor Evaluation Matrix (EFE Matrix):
EFE matrix is used the weighting scoring system to identify the value opportunity weight and threat for beef cattle producers in study area. Based on external evaluation matrix the results (Table 2) showed that the total score for the opportunity factor is 1.725 and the threat is 0.713 and total score 2.438 indicate beef cattle agribusiness has a significant opportunity while minimizing threat in the study area which is similar to Achmad M. et al., (2012) and Prastit. A. et al. (2012). This is consistent with Nugroho (2006) findings which states that the development of animal husbandry as a part of agricultural development will be associated with the reorientation of agricultural development policy. Animal husbandry development has new paradigms, namely alignment to people in general, responsibility delegation, structural change, and people empowerment. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate strategies and policies that are comprehensive, systematic, integrated both vertically and horizontally competitive, sustainable and decentralized.

Internal External Matrix (IE Matrix)
IE matrix is a simple analytical framework that is based on final summary of internal and external factors (IFE, EFE). It can specify appropriate strategy for the beef cattle agribusiness. Based on the evaluation of internal factors (IFE) and external factors (EFE) of the agribusiness, the following results were obtained:  Here IFE>EFE which indicates great opportunities to formulate the effective strategies for exploiting their strengths and minimize the weaknesses which is similar to Achmad et al. (2009) andRiston (2008). Based on the research on model policy for beef cattle development, Achmad et al. (2009) found the score of the internal and external factors was 2.603 and 3.457, respectively. They point out that the government policy should be aimed at intensive programs, such as market penetration, market development and developing products. The other government policy should also be aimed at integration programs such as backward integration, forward integration and product integration.

Formulating Alternative Strategies
Here different types of strategies were transferred to the strategic planning table after the examination of specific components of SWOT. The SWOT model is comprised of a two-dimensional coordinate table; each of its four areas is the maker of a group of strategies.
Based on various findings of SWOT analysis, four strategies are formulated which are presented in Strategic Planning Table (Table 3) and are described below.
SO strategy or Aggressive: SO strategy was formulated by maximum use of environmental opportunities with application of strengths of the beef cattle agribusiness.
ST strategy or competitive: ST strategy was generated by using strengths of the beef cattle agribusiness to avoid facing threats.
WO Strategy or conservative: WO strategy was formulated by considering the potential advantages latent in environmental opportunities to make up for the weaknesses.
WT Strategy or defensive: WT strategy was formulated by considering minimizing loss from threats and weaknesses Developing an integration strategy involving farmers, value chain actors and meat processing industries. This can improve productivity through transferring beef fattening technologies, provide support services and sustainable market linkage. Developed new meat processing farm or abattoirs by PPP model in producing areas and determining strategies for marketing with a goal of increasing domestic and foreign markets share. Develop policy on sustainable intensive and semi-intensive beef cattle production by optimizing the principles of low external input sustainable beef cattle based industry and zero waste approaches of by-products and also development contract framing model with provision of self help group formation, skill development, provide input and finally market linkage. Optimizing government role by supporting programs, which increase agribusiness potential with an integration system, increasing knowledge and ability of ranchers by training programs and assistance.

Choosing Priority Strategy by the QSPM matrix
QSPM matrix is made in order to choose and determine which strategy is the best to recommend to beef cattle development. Based on the SWOT matrix analysis these strategies chosen to be implementing to the real condition of beef cattle development Table 4 shows that the value TAS is 5.833, which is chosen as best strategy to develop beef cattle agribusiness. The implementation of strategy IV is supported by strategies I, II and III because in order to streamline the provision of developing integrated strategy involving farmers, actors and meat processors in the value chain. These findings are consistent with the results of Ananto et al, (2011). Furthermore the researchers recommends improving beef productivity through transferring innovative beef fattening technology, increase support services and sustainable market linkage. New meat processing firms or abattoirs may be developed by PPP model in producing areas and adopting marketing strategies for increasing share in domestic and foreign markets share. This model should be supported by government through providing advanced technologies, for cattle fattening, feed processing and meat processing, which would lead to innovative beef cattle agribusiness. Table 5 provides a summary of key findings that impede the competitiveness of beef cattle agribusiness in the study areas necessary interventions doing with the concerned agencies for taking necessary actions.

Conclusion
Based on SWOT analysis the weighted scores are1.725, 2.438, 1.768, and 0.842 for opportunities, threats, strength and weakness respectively. Opportunities and strength scores are higher than the threats and weakness of beef cattle agribusiness. The results indicate the great opportunity to explore the beef cattle agribusiness. From the QSPM matrix analysis results show that SO strategy is the best strategy among the four strategies and total attractiveness score (TAS) is 5.833. So the strategy IV is chosen and other strategies will support strategy IV. Some recommendations to enhance beef cattle agribusiness in the study area are forwarded below: • Preparing strategic plans for beef cattle agribusiness combination with producer and meat processor by public private partnership. • Formal production-marketing contract farming of beef cattle may be introduced.
• Encourage investment on commercial cattle fattening, meat processing, butcher equipment and distribution network • Arrangement for access to institutional credit with reasonable interest rate may help to enhance production of beef cattle • Introduction of suitable/appropriate vehicles for transportation of cattle during buying and selling.
• Encourage donor agencies for taken development projects like Samiriddhi, SDVC, CLP, M4P, Value chain etc • Raising awareness among the farmers, traders, value chain actors to use beef fattening technology.