Executive Summary
Micro-enterprises (MEs) are currently one of the pillars of Bangladesh economy and its growth. The ME sector has developed and continues to grow, focusing on both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. At present new technologies and equipment are being used in both the sectors but the use of modern equipment in the agricultural sector is lagging behind. The SEP project has emphasized on increasing the use of environmentally friendly modern technology in the agricultural sector, especially in the rice processing sector, and improving the market system for the products produced. For this, the project has taken effective steps such as technical assistance, provision of capital and capacity building for the targeted beneficiary. Already some progress has made and gradually impacting the sectors.
The survey result shows that the secondary level passed 47.47% while the higher secondary level passed 27.27%. On the other hand, 7.7% and 3.3% completed graduate and postgraduate degrees, respectively. Due to a lack of social importance, people with higher education are not involved in the production of full grain rice.
Ownership is the way of legal entity of business man. 6% of husking mills owner are self-operated business and only 4% mills are operating by joint ownership approach. The business ownership reveals that husking mills is a ME, which managed by the single or few number of people.
Training received 59% at the time of the survey. Among them, business management training got the highest percentage (86.6%) whereas the lowest training was conducted on livestock rearing (1.5%).
In the study researcher found that 58 percent of the MEs are Muslim on the basis of gender male and 14 percent of the female respondents are Muslim. 18 percent male respondent are from Hindu religion and 3 % of the respondents are from female side. Moreover, 3 percent of the respondent from Christian community, 2 percent from Buddhist religion and 2 percent from other religious community as well.
In the study the researcher tried to know the category of the MEs and monthly income range of the respondents. It has been found that 82 % of the MEs are husking mills owner. 13 percent of the respondents are traders who are involved in trading of full grain rice marketing, market development and trading of the produced products from husking mills. On the basis of the range of income of the MEs it has been found that 30 percent of the respondents’ monthly income are in between 36000 to 45000 Taka whom are actually a husking mill owner. The second highest 25 percent of the MEs monthly income are 46000 or above. (to be continued)
