LIVESTOCK’S CONTRIBUTION TO INDIAN ECONOMY

LIVESTOCK’S CONTRIBUTION TO INDIAN ECONOMY

(By Simran Jeet Singh, ID No. 51303, III Professional Year, B.V.Sc. & A.H., College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, G.B.P.U.A & T, Pantnagar, Contact No. : 9419167013)

Livestock plays an important role in Indian economy. India is the fastest growing country and more than 70 percent population of India is earning from agricultural and animal husbandry sector. The contribution of agriculture and animal husbandry in national GDP is equal. Also, India is the leading country in total milk production. About 30.5 million people depend upon livestock for their livelihood. Livestock contributes 26% to the income of small farm households as against an average of 24% for all rural households. Livestock provides livelihood to two-third of rural community. It also provides employment to about 18.8 % of the population in India. India has vast livestock resources. Livestock sector contributes 4.11% to the GDP and 25.6% to total Agriculture GDP. Together with its allied activities, livestock provides milk and milk products, meat and meat products, and also constitutes a major supplier of food and food articles, raw materials, and finished products. Livestock sector includes animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries sector. Therefore, the livestock sector plays a vital role in national economy and in the socio-economic development of the country. It also plays an important role in the rural economy by supplementing family incomes and generating gainful employment in the rural sector, particularly among the landless labourers, small and marginal farmers and women.

Since India’s independence, it has experienced considerable economic growth and structural change; a trend accelerated by its structural reforms which began in 1991. These changes are also reflected in trends in its livestock sector which has shown considerable growth in recent decades especially since the late 1990s. There have also been major changes in the production of the Indian livestock sector.

Livestock Sector Contribution:

India is

• First in the total buffalo and cattle population in the world.
• Second in the population of goats.
• Third in the population of sheep (72 million).
• Fourth in the population of ducks and chicken.
• Ninth in camel population in the world.

(Source: GOI, 20^th livestock census)

The livestock provides food and non-food items to the human population:

1. Food: The livestock provides food items such as milk, meat and eggs for human consumption. India is the leading milk producer and buffalo meat exporter in the world. It is producing about 187.7 million tonnes of milk, about 100 billion eggs, 8.89 million tonnes of meat in a year.
2. Fibre and skins: The livestock also contributes to the production of wool, hair, hides, and pelts. Leather is the most important product which has a very high export potential. India is producing about 41.9 million kg of wool per annum.
3. Draft: Bullocks are the back bone of Indian agriculture. Despite many advancements made in the use of mechanical power in Indian agricultural operations, the Indian farmers especially in rural and hilly areas (where landholdings are very small) still depend upon bullocks for various agricultural operations. The bullocks are saving a lot of fuel which is a necessary input for using mechanical power like tractors, combine harvesters etc. Pack animals like camels, horses, donkeys, ponies, mules etc. are being extensively used to transport goods in different parts of the country in addition to bullocks. In hilly terrains, mules and ponies serve as the only alternative to transport goods. Similarly, the army has to depend upon these animals to transport various items in the areas of high altitude.
4. Dung and other animal waste materials: Dung and other animal wastes serve as very good farm yard manure (FYM) and worth several crores of rupees. In addition, it is also used as fuel (bio gas, dung cakes), and for construction as poor man’s cement (dung).
5. Storage: Livestock are considered as “moving banks” because of their potentiality to dispose off during emergencies. They serve as capital and in case of landless agricultural labourers many times, it is the only capital resource they possess. Livestock serve as an asset and in case of emergencies they serve as guarantee for availing loans from the local sources such as money lenders in the villages.
6. Weed control: Livestock are also used for biological control of bush, plants and weeds, hence increasing the agricultural production and contributing to the economy indirectly.
7. Cultural: Livestock offer security to the owners and also add to their self esteem especially when they own prized animals such as pedigreed bulls, dogs and high yielding cows/ buffaloes etc.
8. Companion animals: Dogs are known for their faithfulness and are being used as companions since time immemorial. While the nuclear families are increasing in number and the old parents are forced to lead a solitary life, pet animals like dogs and cats are providing the needed company to the latter thus making them to lead a comfortable life.

The 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 for another enterprise thereby realizing the resource efficiency.

The livestock serve the farmers in different ways:

1. Income: There’s a saying, “Calf is the fixed deposit to the farmer” as after calf matures, if female, it can contribute to the income of the family by the sale of milk and production of replacement stock. Also, bullocks can be used for transportation purpose. After the productive life is over, it can be slaughtered for meat purpose. Livestock is a source of subsidiary income for many families in India especially the resource poor who maintain few heads of animals. Cows and buffaloes during their lactation period will provide regular income to the livestock farmers through sale of milk. Animals like sheep and goat serve as sources of income during emergencies to meet exigencies like marriages, treatment of sick persons, children education, repair of houses etc. The animals also serve as moving banks and assets which provide economic security to the owners.
2. Employment: A large number of people in India being less literate and unskilled depend upon agriculture for their livelihoods. But agriculture being seasonal in nature could provide employment for a maximum of 180 days in a year. The landless and small landholders depend upon livestock for utilizing their labour during lean agricultural season.
3. Food: The livestock products such as milk, meat and eggs are an important source of animal protein to the members of the livestock owners.
4. Social security: The animals offer social security to the owners in terms of their status in the society. The families especially the landless which own animals are better placed than those who do not. Gifting of animals during marriages is a very common phenomenon in different parts of the country. Rearing of animals is a part of the Indian culture. Animals are used for various socio-religious functions. Cows for housewarming ceremonies; rams, bucks and chicken for sacrifice during festive seasons; bulls and cows are worshipped during various religious functions. Many owners develop attachment to their animals.
5. Draft: The bullocks are the back bone of Indian agriculture. The farmers especially the marginal and small depend upon bullocks for ploughing, carting and transport of both inputs and outputs.
6. Dung: In rural areas, dung is used for several purposes which include fuel (dung cakes), fertilizer (farm yard manure), and plastering material (poor man’s cement).

Livestock Population – Major Species During 2007 to 2019

Benefits of Livestock Sector Developments in India

Animal Husbandry sector provides large self-employment opportunities. Presuming that one family member is employed in looking after the livestock, 25 million people are estimated to be employed with the livestock rearing activity. This sector is playing very important role in the rural economy as support sector of the economy. Especially 70 million rural households primarily, small and marginal farmers and landless labourers in the country are getting employment opportunities in dairy. Dairying has become an important secondary source of income for millions of rural families.Poultry is also another way of getting food and food security in India. Apart from food security it has provided employment to about 2.5 million people. Livestock sector not only provides essential protein and nutritious human diet through milk, eggs, meat etc. but also plays an important role in utilization of non-edible agricultural by-products. Livestock also provides raw material/by products such as hides and skins, blood, bone, fat etc.This provides subsidiary occupation to a large section of the society particularly to the people living in the drought prone, hilly, tribal and other remote areas where crop production on its own may not be capable of engaging them fully. In the adverse climatic conditions and national calamities like drought, flood etc., Animal husbandry practices have proved to be boon for sustaining the livelihood of the landless and marginal farmers in the state.

Conclusion

Indian livestock industry makes up for a significant amount of world’s livestock resources. Both the national economy as well as the socio-economic growth of the country is backed by the livestock sector. Besides offering great potential and outstanding contribution in the agricultural sector over the past years, the livestock sector is performing well in the manner of production, value addition and export of dairy, fishery, wool, poultry and other products. Apart from its performance there exist some threats also which we need to consider and take the global market opportunities.

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