Optimum livestock holding for exit out of poverty: A comparative analysis in rural Tamil Nadu

Abstract

An attempt was made to assess the income generating capacity of selected livestock species reared by resource poor rural farmers and to estimate minimum livestock holding required to be reared by the households to escape out of poverty in rural Tamil Nadu. The data were collected through personal interview using pre-tested interview schedule from 213 livestock farmers from the six districts covering four agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu. Economics of cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat farming were worked out in order to estimate and compare the income generated from various livestock enterprises. The monthly income earned by the sample respondents was calculated to be ` 941.52/cattle, ` 932.72/buffalo, ` 125.91/sheep and ` 140.52/goat. Further, the study revealed that a household could tide over the poverty line without any other income source, if they rear a minimum of about 6 cattle (5.32 cattle) or 6 buffaloes (5.37 buffaloes) or 40 sheep (39.79 sheep) or 36 goat (35.65 goat). The present findings might be considered while implementing any poverty alleviation programmes with livestock component. Depending upon the locality and resources availability, suitable livestock species might be recommended to lift the poor from poverty trap and to sustain them with stable income.