Can Livestock Sector be the Game Changer in Enhancing the Farmers’ Income? Reinvesting Thrust with Special Focus on Dairy Sector

Abstract

The livestock sector provides promising opportunities and is assumed to bring desired growth in farmers’ income, especially in less and poor endowed regions. The present study has delineated the entire country into four zones, viz. Least Performing Zone (LPZ), Average Performing Zone (APZ), Good Performing Zone (GPZ) and Well Performing Zone (WPZ) based on district level livestock income for effective policy formulation and implementation. The drivers of livestock income were identified through multiple regression framework for regional interventions. Crossbred adoption and crossbred milk yield with elasticity of 0.09 and 0.42, respectively, are found to significantly contribute to enhancing livestock income. Thus, crossbreeding should be geared up especially in LPZ as an income enhancement strategy. The buffalo farming has emerged as an important contributor in raising farmers’ income through meat production. The productivity enhancement strategy for buffaloes along with indigenous cattle will be a win-win situation as these animals are well adapted to tropical climate of the country. Further, special attention is required for strengthening marketing network through co-operatives for better procurement and prices with utmost priority in LPZ, as only 12 per cent of milk produced is sold to the co-operatives. The state governments in conjunction with all stakeholders, including research institutions and private players have to play a catalytic role in mainstreaming the livestock development, especially in the identified disadvantageous regions/zone as an entry point for the socio-economic upliftment of the region as well as the nation as a whole.