Working Paper II
STRATEGY FOR EFFECTIVE ANIMAL HUSBANDRY EXTENSION
Dr. N.G. Hegde
nghegde@baif.org.in
Promotion of Livestock Keepers’ Groups
Regular interaction among livestock keepers, can be very effective for motivating shy
and laggard families to adopt good production practices and manage livestock
husbandry as a dependable source of livelihood. Separate groups of 15-20 members
of the same gender, maintaining different species such as milch animals (cows and
buffaloes), cattle of specific breeds, goats and sheep, pigs and poultry can be formed
for improving the productivity.
These groups can meet regularly to share their
experiences and problems. They can also interact jointly with the officers of the milk
processing unit, paravets and local veterinary doctor to share their problems and adopt
various good practices to improve the production. Supply of critical inputs and
support services required for backward and forward integration can be facilitated
through these groups.
The Livestock Keepers’ Groups, particularly for dairy husbandry, can be coordinated
through the local Milk Union or Dairy. Groups of goat and sheep keepers, piggery and
poultry can be promoted either through well intended Voluntary Organisations,
through Animal Husbandry Department, Gram Panchayat or any farmers’
organisation committed to the welfare of farmers. Programmes such as village level
on-farm training for livestock keepers, deworming, vaccination, calf rearing through
feed supplementation, cultivation of fodder crops, establishment of fodder banks,
annual livestock shows and exhibitions, etc. can be organised through these groups.
Services through Paravets and Field Guides
Services such as breeding, castration, deworming, vaccination, feed supplementation,
fodder development and linkage with market, etc. can play a very important role in
motivating and creating awareness among livestock keepers.
One-to-one
communication among livestock keepers and the service providing paravet/vet, is the
most effective method of extension. These activities can be conveniently organised
1
through trained paravets and field extension guides.
One paravet can provide
breeding and minor veterinary services to farmers in 5-8 villages.
One Field
Extension Guide preferably a women, engaged in facilitating the producer groups, can
handle 15-20 groups spread over 2-3 villages. These paravets need to be trained in
good extension techniques and provided with useful information regularly to share
with farmers.
Regular health camps for livestock to address the problems of infertility, mastitis and
other illnesses can be arranged with the support of the milk union and AHD.
Activities of these paravets and extension workers can be supported and monitored by
a facilitating agency preferably a processing unit, Farmers’ Union or a local NGO
while the AHD can coordinate these activities effectively. Even the Gram Panchayat
can facilitate and monitor the activities of paravets, if they are interested in this sector
of development.
Facilitators’ Platform (Coordination Cell)
There are many agencies who have been promoting various programmes for
supporting livestock development.
Some of them are developmental support
organisations, while others are having commercial interest. Many of these agencies
generally work in isolation and it is difficult for livestock keepers to understand the
advantages and disadvantages of their services. Thus, resources allocated for these
programmes are either wasted or not utilised effectively. To solve this problem,
Block and District level Facilitation Platforms (Coordination Cell) can be created,
preferably by the AHD. Various service providers’ agencies engaged in livestock
development, representatives of livestock producers’ groups, progressive farmers,
paravets and NGOs should also be invited as members. These Stakeholders can meet
regularly once in 1-3 months and share information, experiences and problems.
Based on the suggestions received from various stakeholders, particularly the
representatives of farmers, the work plans of various facilitations/service agencies can
be modified to suit the local needs. The outcome of the meetings can be shared with
farmers, through paravets and field guides.
2
Strengthening the Role of KVKs and ATMA
With regard to on-going extension services at the district and the block levels, various
activities are coordinated by the KVK and ATMA. However, there is poor emphasis
on livestock extension and the programme is suffering due to lack of coordination.
To overcome this problem, it is recommended to appoint at least two subject matter
specialists related to AH at each KVK, particularly where Animal Husbandry is a
major occupation. KVK can also take up the responsibility of upgrading the skills of
the paravets and field guides periodically and establish various method and result
demonstrations to promote good practices in livestock husbandry.
Presently, the major activities of ATMA are confined to improving crop production.
There is a need to strengthen ATMA with an AH expert who can coordinate various
extension and training activities for the livestock keepers through the Milk Producers’
Union, local NGOs and the Livestock Keepers’ Groups. However, the extension
activities should be tailor-made to suit the local conditions and productivity of the
livestock owned by the farmers. Organising periodic field visits for women members
of the producers’ groups to progressive farms and research stations to show the
impact of new technologies and services will be very effective to motivate them to
adopt good practices.
A close coordination between KVK and ATMA is also essential as the technologies
promoted by KVK can be utilised by ATMA for dissemination.
The extension
programmes undertaken by the above agencies need to be assessed periodically as any
investment in this sector should result in enhancement of production and income.
Development of Skilled Human Resources
There is a severe shortage of veterinary graduates in the country. Therefore, it is
necessary to increase the intake of students for veterinary science degree in all the
States, particularly the Universities who can expand their capacity with marginal
support.
There is also a need for middle level paravets who can take up breeding, minor
veterinary services, input supply and extension in AH.
For facilitating the
development of this cadre, it is necessary to establish a two-year practical oriented
3
Diploma course for the youth who have passed high school, at State Agricultural and
Veterinary Universities. At the end of the study, these youth should be able to
provide various animal husbandry related services as self-employed professionals
under the patronage of the Milk Cooperative or any other local organisation. The
Karnataka Veterinary University and a few other Universities have already initiated
this course and this can be taken up by other Universities as well in the country.
Strengthening of Information Services
While many small farmers need to be motivated by providing information on the
benefits of good animal husbandry practices and various development schemes which
can benefit them, progressive farmers seek information on new technologies,
availability of better quality inputs and the price, demand and supply information on
various products, disease situation, benefits available from various programmes, etc.
Thus, it is necessary to strengthen the information and communication network.
Radio, Television and Newspapers are the most effective and economic media to
reach the poor.
Presently these media suffer due to lack of regular feeding of
information from the AHD, Milk Union and other Development Agencies. It is
necessary to strengthen this network, by assigning the responsibility to concerned
officials in the respective organisation.
Information Centres (Rural ICTs) have already been established in many States by
various organisations. The AHD may establish close coordination with these ICTs.
Extension Wing in AHD
In both the Government of India and State Governments, there is no separate
Extension Wing and hence extension activities often remain unattended. Thus, it is
recommended to create a post of Joint Commissioner (Extension) by the Department
of Animal Husbandry in the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. The State
AHDs should also appoint a Joint Director Extension who will coordinate with the
Centre and facilitate various Extension activities in the field.
4