HOW TO INCREASE THE INCOME OF LIVESTOCK FARMERS IN INDIA: METHODOLOGY & PRACTICAL APPROACH
Dr. Manaswini Dehuri, Assistant Professor Department of Veterinary Parasitology College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology Bhubaneswar -751003 Email id-nishi.md@gmail.com
Introduction
Livestock production is one of the most significant influences in Indian agriculture, as milk is the next to rice as the second largest agricultural commodity contributing to GNP (Sarkar & Ghosh, 2010). They have become an important part in reducing malnutrition and contribute to the goal of overall poverty alleviation. About 20.5 million people depend upon livestock for their livelihood particularly women in the lower income group. Livestock has vital role in Indian economy as about 20.5 million people depend upon livestock for their livelihood and livestock contributes 16% to the income of small farm households providing livelihood to two-third of rural community. Livestock sector contributes 4.11% GDP and 25.6% of total Agriculture GDP (BAHS, 2016). Livestock do not just provide milk and milk products, meat and meat products but they are considered as “moving banks” because of their ability to be disposed off during exigencies. (Dash, 2017) Livestock can be the most secure and permanent source of income for small and landless farmers
India has emerged as the largest producer of milk with 20.17 percent share in total milk production in the world. India accounts for about 5.65 percent of the global egg production, 3 percent of global meat production and also the largest population of milch animals in the world (Suthar et al, 2019).This sector also has a good export potential due to increasing exports of meat and meat products and process of trade liberalization and the efforts made by the government in recent times have certainly boosted the country’s exports of livestock products in recent years.
Improving the income of livestock farmer is one of the major challenges and is linked to improving the productivity from farm animals. The average annual milk yield of Indian cattle is 1172 kg which is only about 50 per cent of the global average (Singh, 2016). There is outbreak of diseases like Foot and Mouth Diseases, Bovine Viral Diarrhea, Haemorrhagic Septicemia, Brucellosis, Anthrax, Bovine Herpes Virus, Black Quarter, Influenza, etc. that plagues the health condition of animals reflecting in reduced productivity. Crossbreeding of indigenous species and artificial Insemination services has been limited in their execution/outreach. Similarly there are inadequate slaughter houses. The farmers are also bereft of getting proper credit facilities and access to organized markets.
There has been a rising demand for livestock products owing to urbanization and improvement in the living standards, so the situation is very conducive to adopt better strategies for profitable livestock farming as outlined below:
Link between producer and market
Due to lack of market access of marginal and small producers, market intermediaries have taken the benefit and deprived the producers of correct price for their products. There needs to be an enhanced access to rural financial systems by increasing funding, subsidy and bank loan. Minimum support price (MSP) for livestock products and better market price realization is essential (Dinani et al., 2018)
Improvement of health care system
There is a need for Animal health programme aimed at limiting the impact of disease on animal production like the recently launched (September, 2019) National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), for control of Foot & Mouth Disease and Brucellosis and National Artificial Insemination Programme. Strengthening of Veterinary Dispensary and Hospitals and Diagnostic Centers would aid in control of diseases and provide better health delivery systems. Widespread immunization and compulsory deworming programme are also essential to contain outbreaks.
Strenthening of livestock extension
The transmission of information on livestock production has rarely been a priority for extension services in developing countries. There is a need for information dissemination to widely scattered producers through animal health and fertility camps organized by animal health services. The link with agricultural extension services can be improved and livestock information provision should be integrated at local level and links with veterinary services can be strengthened by providing production information from livestock health clinics or camps. Livestock insurance should also gain momentum. Public–Private-Partnership (PPP) – Public–Private-Partnership (PPP) in extension should be promoted for convergence and sharing of resources.
Feed and fodder development
There has been diversion of feed and fodder land for industrial use and only 5% of the cropped area is utilized to grow fodder. India is deficit in dry fodder by 11%, green fodder by 35% and concentrates feed by 28% (NSSO, 2013). Since feed and fodder contribute 60-70% of total recurring expenditure, economic feeding will increase the profitability.
Indigenous Resources
Adoption of better breeding strategies that will improve animal productivity through the use of better selection criteria for offspring from crossbreeding programmes, optimum utilization of indigenous cows, benchmarking for growth and reproduction, and improving procedures for management, nutrition and healthcare programmes in dairy farms.
Formation of dairy cooperative network and promoting quality livestock products to get higher price – The cooperative structure is democratic, and the farmers are in control, from the milking of their animals to the final marketing by the federation. For every rupee that milk federation earns, roughly 75 paisa goes to the farmers. There is production by the masses, for the masses, at its efficient best. Strengthening the infrastructure for milk collection, transportation, processing, packaging, pricing, and marketing through dairy co-operatives and bridging the gap between the producer and the consumer can increase the producer’s share.
Integrated and diversified farming system -The integration of livestock, fish and crops has proved to be a sustainable system. Farmers adopting crop–livestock farming system can replace chemical fertilizers purchased offsite with manure produced by resident livestock, while also generating both meat and produce sales to attract a wider customer base that stabilizes farm income.
Organized slaughtering facilities and strengthening value addition and processing facilities- Slaughtering facilities need to be built and upgraded, the value addition to slaughterhouse by products generate additional income as well as the costs of disposing of by products can be minimized. Measures should be taken to increase the meat production efficiency of different species of animals using the improved management practices as there is huge potential in this sector through increasing exports.
Adopting proven indigenous technical knowledge to improve productivity- Indigenous Technical Knowledge in Livestock farming, which is much is practice throughout rural India, is feebly documented and there is danger of extinction of this knowledge. They are still in use as a first aid to treat various animal diseases. So it is necessary to document and to assess their validity.
Use of Indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) in animal husbandry practices in India
Conclusion:
There is a growing potential in many developing countries for improving livestock production. The development of livestock in many developing countries is constrained by minimal public-sector investment and poorly coordinated support services. A growing livestock sector will also provide avenue for increasing production and shall contribute towards women empowerment. There is an urgent need to provide a conducive environment in which small producers are not exploited and overcome the challenges. An increase in income of livestock farmer will depend ultimately on a holistic approach through the adoption of appropriate technology, improved support services, market access and infrastructural development.
REFERENCES
BAHS (Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics) (2016) Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India.
Dash, S. (2017). Contribution of livestock sector to Indian economy. Indian Journal of Research, 6(1), 890-891.
Dinani, O.P., Tyagi,P.K , Giri A.K,and Popat, D.S.(2018) . Role Of Livestock In Doubling The Farmers Income – National Perspective And The Way Forward .International Journal of Science, Environment and Technology, Vol. 7, No 2, , 496 – 504
Sarkar, D., and Ghosh, B. K. (2010). Milk marketing under cooperative and noncooperative marketing channels: Evidence from West Bengal. Economic Annals, LV(187), Oct-Dec.
Suthar, B., Bansal, R.K., & Gamit, P. (2019). An Overview of Livestock Sector in India, Ind. J. Pure App. Biosci. 7(5), 265-271.
Singh, C. V. (2016) Cross-breeding in cattle for milk production: Achievements, challenges and opportunities in India-A review. Advances in Dairy Research, 4(3): 1-14.
NSSO (2014) Key Indicators of Situation of Agricultural Households in India. 70th Round (January–December 2013), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, National Sample Survey Office, New Delhi.
