Livestock and Livelihoods

 Livestock and Livelihoods

SURUCHI SHARMA*¹ and SAHIL SHARMA²

¹M.V.Sc. Scholar Veterinary Biochemistry DGCN COVAS, CSKHPKV, Palampur, ²M.V.Sc. Scholar Animal Nutrition DGCN COVAS, CSKHPKV, Palampur

^*Corresponding author’s email: suruchis91@gmail.com

Livestock sector is a pillar of the global food system and contributes to poverty reduction, food security and agricultural development. Livestock plays an important role in Indian economy. About 20.5 million people depend upon livestock for their livelihood. Livestock contributed 16% to income of small farm household. Two-third of rural community is provided with livelihood through livestock. It provides employment to 8.8% population of India. Livestock sector contributes 4.11% GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Livestock provides food and non-food items to the people such as food, fibre and skin, draft animals, dung, animals for sports purposes and as companion animals.

Livestock has potential to improve livelihoods of the rural people which depend on complex economic linkages and behavior. Animals are an essential asset to the rural and poor as both these are directly engaged in agricultural production and poor non-farm rural households who rely on local population for affordable nutrition. In most developing countries the majority of rural income arises from marketing primary food products. Livestock contribution to this income depends on complex market supply chains extending from farm to urban households. In developing countries livestock are crucial for people’s livelihoods.

In areas where there is hunger, livestock are integrated into the farm production. The cow creates manure which is a natural fertilizer which fertilizes the maize which both humans and livestock can eat. So we can say that livestock is the mainspring of maintaining this system. In case of draught conditions if livestock is present it can still catch income and a food source.

Livestock are also important in helping women to be economically empowered. For example if a woman can access a few chickens she can earn some income and improve her family nutrition as well. Then she can save and invest in goats or sheep and further can invest in cows.

Women: Managers of Livestock

• Active contribution in managing livestock.
• Tend to prefer animals that are friendly, easy to handle and worry-free.
• Prefer local breeds as they are disease-resistant

A Sustainable Livelihood Approach

• For analyzing the well-being objectives of poor people.
• Livelihood requires capabilities, assets and activities.
• Livelihood is sustainable when it tackles stresses, shocks and enhances its capabilities, assets both now and in future, while not undermining natural resource base.

Advantages       

• Source of nutrition to whole family.
• Owning, controlling and benefiting from livestock production increases women self-esteem, strengthens their role as producers, income generators within community.
• Livestock provide resources for handcrafts which may be marketable.

Constraints

• Role remains unrecognized in society.
• Native breeds are reared: less potential.
• Workload of women is increased when outside agencies seek to prevent overgrazing, therefore promote stall-feeding and cut carry feeding system.
• Threat of extinction of native germ-plasm.
• Women rarely involved in decision-making in production, marketing.

In the developed countries farmers feed one set of food to their animals and another set to themselves. But small holder farmers in developing countries want to grow crops that both their livestock and their families can eat.

Role of livestock in farmer economy–

Livestock plays an important role in the economy of farmers. The farmers in India maintain mixed farming system i.e. a combination of crop and livestock where the output of one enterprise becomes the input of other enterprise thereby realize the resource efficiency. The livestock serves the farmers through:

• Assets that are reserved for use in future.
• Insurance- movable property during natural calamities.
• Social currency- animals continue to be part of bride-wealth.
• Income- cash flow through sale of animals or processed products.
• Buffering- livestock are means of buffering under conditions of seasonality.
• Dung as manure which is natural fertilizer.

Conclusion

Livestock is an essential asset to the rural poor. Animal production confers many economic advantages on small farm operations and in an era of rising urban incomes and improving market access, animal products have increasing potential as market commodities. If small farmers can more effectively participate in local, regional and even larger food markets, national growth can contribute significantly to livelihoods of the world’s poor rural majority. Livestock holds substantial potential for poverty alleviation.

Please follow and like us: