Avenues to Enhance the Income of Livestock Farmers in Northeastern India: Ten points to Ponder
A.A.P. Milton1, G. Bhuvana Priya2, Samir Das3, M. Angappan4, G. Kadirvel5, Arnab Sen6, Sandeep Ghatak7
1,3,4,5,6,7Division of Animal Health, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya, 2College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University (Imphal), Kyrdemkulai, Meghalaya. *Corresponding author: Dr. A.A.P. Milton, Scientist, Phone No: 8650918630; Email: vetmilton@gmail.com
Abstract:
The North-Eastern Region (NER) of India comprises the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Livestock supports the livelihood of all classes of households in the NER. The key issues in animal husbandry sector of NER leading to decreased profit and income of livestock farmers are indigenous animals with low productivity, poor feed and fodder supply, high feed costs, poor market linkage, poor veterinary services, non-availability of vaccines and other preventive health services, no access to credit and other market services, poor extension services and exposure trainings, etc. With our experience and literature research, we have formulated and compiled ten salient points to ponder and address in the future to increase the income of livestock farmers and development of this region.
Precisely the 10 focus points are: 1. Introduction of elite germplasm and upgrading through cross breeding, 2. Formulation low cost feed with indigenous vegetation and grains, 3. Access to animal health services to reduce the loss due to disease and death of animals, 4. Improving the credit flow for livestock based ventures, 5. Linking small holder tribal livestock farmers to markets, 6. Value addition and commercialization of livestock products, 7. Tapping the potential of organic animal husbandry, 8. Specialized extension services and exposure training, 9. Development of integrated farming based eco-tourism, and 10. Policy interventions
Keywords: Livestock farmers; Northeast India; Income; Animal husbandry
The North-Eastern Region (NER) of India, comprising the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura cover 255.79 Lakh hectares, constituting 7.92% of total land area of India with the total forest cover of more than 66.1% against the national average of 21.1%. The region has 3.73% of the total population of the country and contributes 2.6% to the Net Domestic Product. NER is a land of magnificent beauty, owning undulating hills, cascading waterfalls, rolling grasslands, snaking rivers, terraced slopes and exciting flora and fauna. This attractive scenario is contrasted by extensive poverty, low per capita income, high rate of unemployment and low agricultural productivity resulting in deficit and food-insecurity. The amount of households living below the poverty line is 35% (13.6 million). It is precisely 10% higher than the national average. The region endures weaknesses such as subsistence agriculture, poor infrastructure like markets and roads. The greater vulnerability to natural calamities such as floods, landslides, submergence, soil erosion, etc. has caused low and uncertain agricultural productivity. The lesser utilization of modern inputs in agriculture and animal husbandry has further reduced the capacity of the farm households to manage with high risks in production and income (Barah, 2006; Kumar et al., 2007; CARD, 2017).
NER and Animal Husbandry: NER today has persisted more agrarian than the rest of the nation in the sense that proportion of inhabitants dependent on agriculture for livelihood here surpasses the proportion for the entire nation. The policy makers and experts are hence agreed that the region’s growth depends critically on the growth of its agriculture and animal husbandry. NER is the homeland of varied animal genetic resources and representing a exclusive agro-ecosystem with subsistence low input tribal production system where farm animals (mainly pig, poultry and cattle) play an imperative role in improving the livelihood and socio-economic status of the people. Livestock are a vital component of mixed and integrated farming system. The region is deficit in production of livestock and its products. Some states in the region depend on inter-state trade in livestock to meet the domestic demand. Livestock supports the livelihood of all classes of households in the NER. At the collective level, 57% of households hold livestock in the NER, the corresponding figure for India being 56%. It is worth stating that 82% of the smallholders in the NER rear livestock to support their livelihood (Kumar et al., 2007).
Issues of NER livestock farmers and ten focus points to ponder: There is a range of issues that are needed to address to enhance the capacity of poor households to exploit the full potential of livestock production. The important issues in animal husbandry sector of NER are indigenous animals with low productivity, poor feed and fodder supply, high feed costs, poor market linkage, poor veterinary services, non-availability of vaccines and other preventive health services, no access to credit and other market services, poor extension services and exposure trainings, etc. Above all, one of the most important issues is lack of location-specific and system-based technologies. Below are the ten points that needs to be given special focus in coming years to enhance the income of NER livestock farmers and for enabling the tribal poor to gain access to expanding markets
- Introduction of elite germplasm and upgrading through cross breeding
The total livestock population of this region is about 70.13 million (6.85% of the country) of which 92.76% is native and non-descript population with low productivity rate. There is a need to increase the milk productivity and body weight (pig and poultry) of the indigenous breeds and non-descript animals through cross breeding with the germplasm of greater genetic merit. At the same time, the indigenous animals of this region possess some unique and climate resilient traits that differentiates them from the animals of the mainland. Therefore, cross breeding should be done to improve the productivity after taking into account of important economic and climate resilient traits of indigenous population (Kadirvel et al., 2019). - Formulation of low cost feed with indigenous vegetation and grains
Livestock in NER are fed largely on crop residues, byproducts, kitchen wastes and grazing lands. Cultivated fodders and collected grasses are two significant sources of green fodder supply. Around 2.5% of the gross cropping area in the country is allotted to fodder crops but in the NER tribal farmers virtually do not allot any land (only 0.16%) for cultivation of fodder. Therefore, the farmers mainly depend on shared grazing lands, i.e. permanent pastures and grazing lands, fallows, wastelands, etc. for fodder. But, these resources have been diminishing over time. The feed requisite in the NER is usually met through import from other states, which makes it expensive and is often beyond the affordability of the farmers (Kumar et al., 2007). Research institutes working in this region should standardize and help the farmers to formulate low cost balanced feed with locally available vegetation and cheap feed ingredients. This will certainly help in enhancing the profit as feed is the important cost involved in livestock production. - Access to animal health services to reduce the loss due to disease and death of animals
The veterinary establishment in NER is inadequate. The inadequacy had resulted in less access of animal farmers to healthcare and preventive services. In the NER, only about 22% of the farmers could use veterinary services, whereas at all India level 32% of the farmers could avail these services. Further, the available infrastructures were primarily used for curative purposes and very less consideration was being paid for the prophylactic actions (Kumar et al., 2007). This can be rectified by recruiting more veterinary doctors and health care providers and creating more veterinary colleges in NER. More focus should be given to ambulatory health services considering the hilling difficult terrain. - Improving the credit flow for livestock based ventures
Access to institutional credit is very meager or only available from informal sources like money lenders with exorbitant interest rates that too mostly for agricultural and social needs. Barely any credit is availed for animal purchase, and it is almost nil for piggery. Thus, strengthening different approaches to credit through micro financing, women SHGs, special government schemes etc. will be very supportive to the livestock farmers to enhance their income. Plan should be formulated to promote community-based collaterals for the efficient credit delivery. - Linking small holder tribal livestock farmers to markets
Absence of systematized marketing networks in NER is one of the chief constraints confronted by livestock farmers. Small livestock holders participate in the market only if the benefits from outweigh the costs. Mostly, marketing and transaction costs are greater, which limit their participation in the market. Only 3% of the total marketed milk and milk products is handled by organized (cooperative and private) sector in Assam. Thus, the traditional market is the only choice available to trade the livestock and their products in NER (Birthal, 2008; Feroze et al., 2010). There is a pressing need to promote institutions such as farmers’ organizations, co-operatives and contract farming that link farmers to markets. - Value addition and commercialization of livestock products
NER is famous for its traditional meat/milk products. However, the reputation of these products is confined to the particular community. The recipe and unique preparation methods are normally passed across generations through word of mouth and practice. Commercialization of these indigenous products will help in enhancing income and generating employment to their children. The commercialization of these products will enhance entrepreneurship development and ensure quality ethnic products to the consumer in the NEH region of India. Other livestock products can also be commercialized with suitable value addition. For example, the local pigs possess coarse and long bristles on their body coat to defend them from cold weather. They are utilized for making different types of brushes, viz. painting brush, carpet cleaning brush, etc (Kadirvel et al., 2018; Kadirvel et al., 2019). - Tapping the potential of organic animal husbandry
By default, the animal husbandry practices in the region are organic and with some efforts from the government, the region could produce organic livestock based food products which will fetch premium or high price to the farmers. Therefore NER can be explored as a destination for organic livestock and poultry production. - Specialized extension services and exposure training
Government should earmark some fund for exposure visits and training to successful farming and livestock ventures, outside NER so that farmers of NER can learn advanced techniques and practices and apply the same in their farms. Specialized extension services and training modules for piggery, poultry, dairy and other focused sectors need to be created (CARD, 2017). - Development of integrated farming based eco-tourism
NER has enormous potential for the development of integrated farming based eco-tourism as the region is seamless blend of natural wealth and topography. NER is splendidly endowed with thick forests, lakes, streams, flora and fauna, mountain peaks and glaciers, which makes it a tourist paradise. It may benefit the local farming communities and provide them avenues to expand their activities and also to escalate their income (CARD, 2017). - Policy interventions
Policy interventions are required in the areas of entrepreneurship development, streamlining credit delivery system, strengthening public-private partnership, establishing veterinary institutions in the region, etc. Special Economic Zones (SEZs) may be established within the region to capture the economic advantage, especially for agriculture and livestock products (Barah, 2006).
Conclusions
Hence, it is concluded that the income of livestock farmers of NER can be enhanced if we address all the above mentioned points. Central and state governments have larger responsibilities to align our poor tribal farmers in right direction to enhance their income and the development of the region.
References - Barah, BC, 2006, Policy brief 25, Agricultural Development in North-East India-Challenges and Opportunities. Published by National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, New Delhi.
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- Kadirvel G, Banerjee BB, Meitei S, Doley S, Sen A, Muthukumar M, 2018, Market potential and opportunities for commercialization of traditional meat products in North East hill region of India, Vet. World, 11(2):118-124.
- Birthal P S, 2008, Linking smallholder livestock producers to markets: Issues and approaches. Indian J. Agri. Econ., 63(1):19–37.
- Kumar A, Staal S, Elumalai K, Singh DK, 2007, Livestock sector in northeastern region of India: an appraisal of performance. Agri. Econ. Res. Rev., 20:255–272.
- Kadirvel G, Singh LA, Rahman M, Singh NM, 2019, Farm animal genetic resources in agro ecosystem of north east India, Indian J Anim Sci, 89(11):1175–1183.
- CARD and ICFA, 2017. A report on diversifying growth opportunities in North East region of India. Published by Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) and Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA).
