Milch Buffalo Keeping in the Kole Lands of Thrissur District, Kerala – An Analysis of its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

Abstract

This paper discusses the results of a study on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the milch buffalo rearing system of the Kole lands of Thrissur district of Kerala state with a view to address significant issues as well as to understand potential threats that have to be mitigated in the long run. Kole lands are the wetlands coming under the Ramsar convention; Focus group discussions and personal interviews with Key Informants such as buffalo farmers from non- sampling areas and veterinarians working in the Kole lands paved the way for the generation of various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and strengths of the milch buffalo rearing system. These items were then pretested in a non-sampling area before being administered to 50 milch buffalo farmers through personal interviews. The results of the study indicated that the higher adaptability and disease resistance of the animal coupled with its ability to convert low quality fibre into high quality protein, high fat percentage of buffalo milk and the medicinal property of buffalo ghee were perceived by respondents as being potential strengths of this system. Lack of opportunities for training on scientific buffalo rearing practices was perceived by the respondents as being the most important weaknesses of the milch buffalo rearing system along with the lack of a compulsory Haemorrhagic septicemia (H.S) vaccination policy for buffaloes. Perceived opportunities of the milch buffalo rearing system were centred on the factor associated with the market environment for current products. Significant threats to this system included the lack of policy measures to contain the disproportionate increase in feed cost when compared to milk price as well as lack of government incentive based schemes to promote buffalo farming and significant pollution of the Kole water bodies.