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ROLE OF VETERINARIAN IN EMPOWERMENT OF RURAL INDIA

November 17, 2023

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ROLE OF VETERINARIAN IN EMPOWERMENT OF RURAL INDIA

Nagaratna¹and Dr. Ashwini, A.²

Final year B.V.Sc and A.H
Assistant Professor, Veterinary College Hassan

India is country of villages with unity in its diversity of villages, farmers livestock and agriculture and they are the backbone of our country. Livestock provides wool, milk, meat, drought power, egg and hide. Livestock contributes 4.11% of GDP per year. India’s growing population needs protein and fat, for which milk and egg are the options, the increased demand will benefit these businesses. Livestock sector plays a multi-faceted role in socio-economic development of rural households. In India, over 70 percent of the rural households own livestock and a majority of livestock owning households are small, marginal and landless households. Small animals like sheep, goats, pigs and poultry are largely kept by the land scarce poor households for commercial purposes due to their low initial investment and operational costs. Livestock sector plays an important role in socio-economic development of rural households. It contributes about 6 percent to the Gross Domestic Product and 25 percent to the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product. Over the last two decades, livestock sector has grown at an annual rate of 5.6 percent, which is higher than the growth of agricultural sector (3.3 percent). This suggests that livestock is likely to emerge as an engine of agricultural growth in the coming decades. It is also considered as one of the potential sector for export earnings. Sheep and goat commonly called walking banks, which helps the farmers for their economic status upliftment. For example they contribute to children education, capital charges etc. Cattle buffalo reared for milk purpose and manure, poultry for egg and meat purpose. These help to improve the nutritional status of the family members. Livestock rearing and management provide job opportunities in the rural area there by creating employment and leading to economic independence. Sustainability in livestock farming can be achieved by disseminating the knowledge about, rearing, breeding, management along with disease control, this is done by veterinarians. Veterinarian plays a key or pivotal role in technical guidance about healthcare and management of animals in production aspect, as well as feeding and timely vaccination along with this technical support.

Doubling farmers’ income by 2022 is goal. It was established by honourable Prime minister of India. Agriculture alone will not meet the demands or doubling of farmers’ income. Leveraging livestock to double farmers’s income is cornerstone. In India livestock sector plays principal role to enhance the economic conditions of farmers. Now a day’s veterinary field is growing rapidly. The branches of veterinary field are spreading all over. There are many opportunities open for women as an employee in veterinary field such as poultry, dairy, agriculture, fisheries, extension activities, research priorities, veterinary education etc. In India, concept of women entrepreneurship is of recent origin.

Market demands change in the mindsets, as well as it demands innovativeness towards “from farm to table or from form to fork”. Availability of good Market to farmers to sell their products, partnership, technologies in which is involved in selling of their products to Market which is importantly much needed. Veterinarian can guide the farmers mainly the livestock farmers enhance the productivity, including clean, hygienic and scientific way of production thereby a veterinarian can uplift the farmers profit level.

Veterinarian guide farmers how to follow good hygienic animal husbandry practices at farm level example clean milk production
The modern innovative technologies in animal husbandry practices. Example: working with the help of milking machine, thereby farmer can save the time and also clean milk production will be achieved
The state government and central government schemes introducing and executing helping to get the benefits of schemes to farmers
By providing farmers to good Market for selling their products / commodity
Identification of marketing change through cooperative federation.
Ensuring the farmers for the marketing of their animal produce best market rate.
By training the farmers about value addition of products thereby farmers get more profit. Example: milk to ghee, curd etc.
Training and spreading knowledge about organic farming and demand for it in Market level among the farmers
Helping the farmers in getting financial assistance from the banks, cooperative societies.
Veterinarian is a good guide to uplift the economic status of the farmers by providing with scientific and technical knowledge
Veterinarian can guide the farmers in a way that healthcare like care of newborn calf and scientific way of feeding new born, feeding of colostrum, weening of calf

Role of livestock in Indian economy:

List of plays important role in Indian economy, in India nearly 20.5 million farmers depend upon livestock for their livelihood

Livestock sector contributes 16% to the income of small farm households as against average of 14% for all rural households, as 2/3^rd of livelihood provided by livestock to the rural community. This also provides employment opportunities in the rural area about 8.8% of population of India. India holds most of the livestock resources. Alone livestock sector contributes 4.11% of GDP and 25.6% of total agricultural GDP. By seeing the livestock census data from previous years to nowadays the population has increased along with production level. Bovine, sheep, goat, poultry, indigenous breeds and commercial poultry in the country increased compared to previous year census.

The following data will be 20^th livestock census:

The total poultry in the country 851.81 million in 2019, registered and increase of 16.8% in the total Poultry
Country birds in the backyard in country 317.07 million, which is increased around 46% compared to previous census
Total milch animals (in- milk and dry) in cows and buffaloes is 125.34 million and increase of 6.0% over the previous year
Total livestock population is 535.78 million in the country showing an increase of 4.6% over livestock census 2012
Bovine population (Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun, and Yak) is 302.79 million in 2019, increase by 1% over previous year census
Total number of cattle in our country in the year 2019 is 192.49 million, which is showing an increase of 0.8% over previous census
The female cattle (Cows population) is is million, increased by 18.0% over the previous census (2012)
The exotic / crossbred / indigenous/Non- descript cattle population in the country is 50.42 million and 142.11 million respectively
The population of the total exotic/crossbred Cattle has increased by 26.9% in 2019 as compared to previous census
The total shape in the country is 74.26 million in 2019, increased by 14.1% over previous census
The goat population in the country is 9.06 million in the current census, declined by 12.03% over the previous census.
The other livestock including Mithun, yak, horses, ponies, mule, donkey, camel together contribute around 0.23% of the total livestock and their count is 1.24 million.

Contribution of livestock to farmers and people

Nutrition dense food to growing population:

Food is provided in terms of milk, meat and egg to humans. India produces highest quantity of milk in the world. Similarly our country holds third 3^rd rank in egg production, 8^th rank in the meat production.

According to Food and Agriculture Organisation Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT), (2020), egg production in the country has increased from 78.48 billion in 2014-15 to 129.60 billion NOS in 2022-22.

Fibre and skin:

Along with milk and meat, livestock also produces wool, hide, pelt, hair, leather. Leather is the most important product and has very high export potential. India has the 3^rd largest sheep population in the world and it is the 9^th largest wool producing country. The annual wool production of the country is around 43 to 46 million kg, about 2% of the world’s total production in wool and woollen textile exports from India (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India). India’s Wool and Woollen industry is the 7^th largest in the world and one of the important sectors of India’s rural economy.

Government initiatives:

Integrated Wool Development Program (IWPD), aim is to stop decline the wool production and improve the manufacturing process.

Sub components of IWPD:

Wool marketing scheme
Wool processing scheme
HRD find promotional activities scheme
Pashmina Wool development scheme

Government bodies:

Central Wool Development Board (CWDB)

Activities of CWDB:

Promote growth and development of wool and Woollen products
Undertake arrangements for marketing and stabilising the prices
Promote and set wool and Woollen product standards
Quality control
Improve the existing markets and develop new uses of wool
Advise the central government in the matters related to wool and Woollen industry development

Draft Power:

Bullocks are commonly used in agricultural activities; they are the backbone of agriculture.

Pack animals such as camel, donkey, ponies and mules are commonly used to transport of goods in hilly areas. These animals transport various goods in high areas of high altitude.

Dung:

Animal waste product dung serves as very good manure to farm, also used as fuel like biogas. Dung also considered as poor man cement.

Storage:

Livestock are the source of income to farmers, and sustains there economic status of the family. Livestock considered as “mobile banks” because the help in-emergency family conditions like children education, health care, livestock serve as an asset for farmers.

Weed control:

Livestock also helps in agriculture farming, biologically they can control weed and plants thereby helps farmers.

Cultural and Religious:

Livestock like bull (which is well pedigreed) used in competition when owning prize gives to the owner self-esteem, security. In rural villages, folks use animals and birds; Bulls for competition bull fight Jalli kattu, Kambala common during festival season. Similarly with dogs also, animals serve as companionship also because of their faithfulness.

Empowerment of farmer’s livelihood in different ways:

Income: Cow and buffalo provides regular income by selling milk and milk products.

Animals like sheep and goat serve as source of income during emergencies to meet exigences like marriages, treatment of sick person, children education, repair of house etc.

The animals also serve as moving banks and assets which provide in economic security to the owners. Livestock provide empowerment opportunities to the unskilled, illiterate ones, landless and less land people depend upon livestock for utilising their labour during lean agricultural season. Animals are used for house warming cows various socio religious functions. Animals use it for draft purpose, pulling carts, transport purpose.

By the above details it is obvious that livestock is the backbone of farmers wherein the farmers are the backbone of the nation. Veterinarians with their technical knowledge, domain expertise, skills and service mind set will definitely uplift the rural economy thus empowering the rural India.

Activities of Veterinarian in Empowerment of Rural India:

Veterinarian play major role in the lives of farmers activity to increase or double production of livestock and income and profit.
Veterinarian gives technical suggestions to farmers in the way like, fodder growing, silage making, hay making, nutritional enrichment of fodder products proper utilisation of agricultural byproducts feeding for livestock.
For empowerment of rural farmers, veterinarians conduct training programmes on sheep and goat production, poultry and piggery farming. These will enhance the nutritional status of the family as well as improves their economic status.
Conducting health camps: FMD vaccination, management of repeat breeding syndrome, deworming, general health checkup of animals will help to maintain good health condition of the animals. It also helps in interaction with livestock farmers giving suggestions, clearing the doubts of farmers related to rearing, breeding, and health care of animals by using mass media like Television, Radio, News paper, Articles.
Veterinarian involved in giving awareness regarding zoonotic diseases, and quarantine methods
First aid for the animals followed immediately at home, also rearing of backyard poultry, rearing of livestock which helps to reach large number of farmers.
Along with this veterinarian serve his duty issuing health certificate to the farmers to prevent the huge loss to the farmers.

Conclusion

Veterinarians play major role in the society, including health screening, disease control, diagnosis and treatment along with the upliftment of health sector. They also contribute to society in terms of training, guiding farmers in the right and scientific way in management of animals, taking care of sick animals, meeting protein requirements of the family and doubling the farmer’s income, providing employment opportunities to the livestock owners, guiding them how to sell their products in the current market situation.

There by veterinarian serves his/her duty various activities regarding animal husbandry practices to empowerment of our rural India.

References

Birthal, P. S. and Ali, J. (2005). Potential of livestock sector in rural transformation, In: Rural Transformation in India: New Delhi.
Report on Doubling Farmer’s Income by 2022.NABARD
Trupti Suryakant Kattimani, Role of Veterinarian activities for enhance the economy of the livestock farmer in rural areas, ePashupalan
Borkar, S.D., Joy, S., Lahamge, M. and Thakare, A., 2017. Women empowerment in veterinary field: A review.International Journal of Scientific Research and Management, 5(1), pp.5075-5078.