Livestock centric development in India under rainfed conditions

Livestock centric development

Livestock centric development in India under rainfed conditions

Ghulam Mohy-uddin wani

Preamble

India has 60% livestock products coming from ranfed districts.  All ecosystems from mountain-hill-farming to coastal ecosystems livestock arte centric to agrarian economy.  In the past few decades per animal productivity has increased in irrigated farming situation form north to south & east to west of Indian con tenant however, livestock productivity is at low ebb in rainfed areas.  This paper discusses prospects of raising economic benefits from of Nagor shall be projected here.

Introduction

India’s net sown area is not wholly irrigated.  With all efforts only 40% area is irrigated.  In states like Punjab where maximal areas was irrigated facing difficulty.  Water table goes down.  Minimum rains and snow in Himalayas has further diminished the canal water availability.  Thus for economic reasons a water conservation is need.  Livestock comparatively needless water than of rice-wheat or vegetable-fruit combination.  A question often asked is can livestock productivity be converged in brood cropping patterns such to conserve water & increase holistic income from agriculture including animal husbandry.  This is the basic question addressed in this paper.

The second question needing consideration relates to livestock & its role in rainfed areas.  Rainfed area supports 40% human, 60% animals and totals 60% of cultivable land in India.  Poor, marginal farmers and laborers inhabit these areas.  Livestock is local native beeds with low productivity scores.  Extensive system of management is common open grazing rampant & selective stall feeding only emerging on sidelines.  Poor water availability as well as saltidshs and high inorganic content containing waste (underground) is unsuitable for profitable cropping.  Rains too fail even in scanty form every 2-3 years resulting into Draughts and famines and even migrations.

Tibals are common, who leave their thirsty fields to sack refuge in migrating with their livestock to states or districts whose harvested field provide dried agriwate as livestock feed.  The irrigated cropping open fland in turn used to get manure to enrich their soy.  With intensive cropping rating to double, triple, intercropping, migratory husbandry too is facing serious challenges.  A number of livestock reared are leaving livestock keeping & opting or work as laborers or domestic helps.  Under this grim situation where 40 5 of a vast populated sub content is at rest of new options & innovative modes need to be evolved. This paper shall describe the example of Rajasthan.  Focus of discussion.

Review

Rainfed agriculture

Crop yields of less than a ton per hectare in rainfed area is much lower than other rainfed areas in the world.  Rainfed areas covers Indians 87% pulse & coarse grains,

77%        oil seeds

66%        cotton

50%        cereals

80%        mangoes & apples

100%     forests (96.9 mha)

Investment in enhancing rainfed agricultural productivity has been less in comparison to our irrigated cropping situations.  Rainfed in India arte multi cropping areas with more India are multi cropping areas with more than 34-36 crops being cultivated in different ecosystem with minimal yield.  The mixed farming like livestock, horticulture, agro-forestry, spices, medicinal plants or even Zero;hytic plant cultivation in rainfed areas is the only option for redressed of its economy.

in India under rainfed conditions