The document discusses assessing the suitability of sites for microenterprises in Bangladesh. It analyzed various physical and economic criteria like distance to markets and roads, land elevation and flooding risk, to classify areas as highly, moderately or marginally suitable for poultry farming. Most unions had large unsuitable areas concentrated in the southeast. Microenterprises in unsuitable sites faced higher costs, lower profits and required greater support. The research findings could help prioritize development efforts and identify low-cost solutions to improve conditions for farmers in unsuitable locations.

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Assessment of Sites’ Suitability
for Microenterprises
Development
Dr. Syeda Khaleda

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Why Assessment of Sites’
Suitability needed?
Agro-based microenterprises (MEs) are many and
several subsector/clusters develop in different areas.
MEs are highly influenced by physical environment.
Not all MEs are located in equally favorable places
and equally benefited .
They require different level of support .

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Research
methodology
•Sample survey & interview to microentrepreneurs
•Questionnaire interview to livestock experts
•Microentrepreneurs survey to cross-check sites’ suitability
•Digital data compiled and analyzed using GIS
• Analysis of digital data to understand distribution of
MEs/farms and production in different suitability sites
GIS is an integrated assembly
of computer hardware,
software and geographic data

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Origin and destination of
poultry supply chain
Wholesale market of chickens in Dhaka
Wholesale market of eggs in Dhaka
Truck loaded with eggs

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Poultry microenterprises and
identification of criteria
 Spatial economic factors
- highways and roads
- market places/growth centers
- government livestock offices
 Physical factors
-land and flooding
 Constraints
-rivers and water bodies
-location of forests
Note: Market means large market places in Gazipur, for input materials, and should
not be confused with consumer market for selling eggs/chicken, which is in Dhaka.

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Criteria score classification and
standardization using GIS
 Each factor was classified into 4, ranges of data were
selected.
 Constraint image was incorporated.
Each criteria map was reclassified into five and given:
-a physical score from 0 to 4
-scoring levels (4 to 0) of highly favorable, moderately
favorable, marginally favorable, unfavorable and
constraints.

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Categories of criteria (Factors and constraints)
Factors Class 4
Highly favorable
Class 3
Moderately
favorable
Class 2
Marginally
favorable
Class 1
Unfavorable (currently)
1. Distance to market (m) 1,000-1,500 1,500-2,000 2,000-2,500 0-1,000; 2,500 and above
2. Distance to govt. office (m) 1,000-2,000 2,000-3,000 3,000-4,000 0-1,000; 4,000 and above
3.a. Distance to highways (m) 1,000-1,500 1,500-2,000 2,000-2,500 0-1,000; 2,500 and above
b. Distance to roads (m) 250-500 500-750 750-1,000 0-250; 1000 and above
4. Landform and flooding during
peak rainfall period (cm deep)
High land to
medium high land
(less than 30)
Medium high land
(30-90)
Low land
(90-180)
Very low land
(180-300)
Constraints Rivers, water bodies and forest areas
Criteria for poultry microenterprises

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Highly
favorable
Moderately
favorable
Marginally
favorable
Unfavorable Constraints Total
2.6 4.2 5.5 76.6 11.0 100.0
Suitability of sites for proximity to government livestock office as a percentage of the
surface area
5 unions are favored for
support services with regard
to distance of government
livestock offices, and have
10% to 30% of their areas
scored as highly favorable.
21 unions have 100% of their
area scored as unfavorable.

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Highly
favorable
Moderately
favorable
Marginally
favorable
Unfavorable Constraints Total
4.2 4.1 3.9 76.9 11.0 100.0
Suitability of sites for highways for poultry MEs as a percentage of the surface area
25 unions have no area
that scores highly
favorable and relatively
small areas score
moderately favorable to
marginally favorable.

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Highly
favorable
Moderately
favorable
Marginally
favorable
Unfavorable Constraints Total
4.7 6.4 8.0 69.9 11.0 100.0
Few unions have highly
favorable areas with
regard to proximity to
market/growth centers.
6 unions have no area
that score highly
favorable / moderately
favorable.
Suitability of sites for proximity to markets as a percentage of the surface area

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Highly
favorable
Moderately
favorable
Marginally
favorable
Unfavorable Constraints Total
52.8 8.2 10.7 17.4 11 100.0
Suitability of sites for the factor of flooding land as a percentage of the surface area in Gazipur
Unions in the south-east
score unfavorable of more
than 70% of their area

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Sites’ suitability for
poultry microenterprises
Highly suitable Moderately suitable Marginally suitable Unsuitable Constraints Total
11.8 49.9 19.8 7.6 11.0 100.0
Suitability of sites for poultry MEs as a percentage of the surface area inGazipur
17 unions have extensive highly
suitable/ moderately suitable
sites and occur in more than 70%
of the area of those unions.
Extensive unsuitable areas
are located in the south
eastern part of the
district.

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Highly suitable Moderately
suitable
Marginally
suitable
Unsuitable
Average size of farm (sq feet) 4150 3072 3235 1250
Average number of birds 2708 2025 2003 1135
Average number of employment 3.8 1.8 3.0 1.5
Average distance to market as a source of chick (km) 11.7 10 14 36.3
Average distance to market as a source of feed (km) 1.1 1.5 1.5 2.6
Average distance to paved roads from farm (km) 0.3 0.7 1.0 3.6
Average distance to government livestock office (km) 1.0 2.5 7.0 11.3
Level of flooding (cm deep) during severe floods 0 0 135 211
Average selling price of production (BDT/eggs) 8.9 8.8 8.7 8.5
Average transport cost for feed
(BDT/bag of 10 kilograms of feeds)
10 10 15 16.3
Mode of transport used for carrying feed Rickshaw van Rickshaw van Rickshaw van Rickshaw van/boat
Comparison of poultry
microenterprises

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Constraints in suitability sites
 Problems related to supply of input materials: availability of quality input materials.
 Problems related to marketing : absence of direct linkages with markets and opportunity for negotiation.
 Inadequate support service: inadequate demand driven support services.
 Inadequate and poor quality infrastructure: unpaved or semi-paved rural roads.
 Occurrence of natural calamities: regularly affected by natural disasters.
Level of suitability Highly
suitable
Moderately
suitable
Marginally
suitable
Unsuitable
Distance to paved roads from farm (km) 0.3 0.7 1.0 3.6
Distance to government livestock office (km) 1.0 2.5 7.0 11.3
Distance of infrastructure
Level of suitability Highly
suitable
Moderately
Suitable
Marginally
suitable
Unsuitable
Level of flooding (cm deep) during severe
floods
0 0 135 211
Flooding situation

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Extremely low concentration = 0-0.9 % ;
Low concentration = 1.0-1.9 % ;
Medium concentration = 2.0-2.9 % ;
High concentration = 3.0-3.9 % ;
Extremely high concentration = 4.0-5.0 %.
Geographic concentration
Very small = Less than 1,000 birds per farm
Small = 1,001 birds – 1,500 birds per farm
Medium = 1,501 birds – 2,000 birds per farm
Large = 2,001 birds – 2,500 birds per farm
Very large = 2,501 birds and above per farm
Average size of poultry MEs/farmPercentage of poultry MEs/farms

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Regionalization is essential:
 difference in constraints and profitability between suitability sites
 to help supporters to decide the areas for preferable intervention
Profitability reasons
Nearness to market places
- facility to buy quality of input materials
-lower transportation costs.
Road quality and Proximity
-road quality decreases towards the remote villages.
-unpaved roads spend huge cost and time.
-farm located close to road, get competitive price.
Size of Microenterprises
-large MEs with huge output gets good price
-big egg /chicken production gets good price
-large MEs possess on farm storage and ability to negotiate
- no credit constraint related to large MEs/farms.
Discussions
Transportation of feed using
van by muddy road

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Recommendations
To reduce the cost in feeding in unsuitable sites
loan agreements with agents at a lower interest rate.
 agents would supply good quality feed at a reduced price up to
the farm-gate.
Improved road :
constructing quality roads in unsuitable areas.
Improved land :
Keeping a special/additional allocation of funds for
preparation of land by filling sand.

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Conclusions
Vast area in the South-East is unsuitable with great
concentration of MEs/farms.
This unsuitable area require the greatest effort and
cost on priority basis.
Any support would be cost-effective.
The entire framework applied in the research are
applicable for other agro-based ME production areas.