Goat Rearing: A Pathway for Sustainable Livelihood Security in Bundelkhand Region

The study has explored goat production systems, adoption level of management practices, constraints to goat-rearing, critical gaps and impact of introduced innovations on livelihood security of resource-poor households in 16 villages belonging to two disadvantaged districts (Hamirpur and Mahoba) of Bundelkhand region. In the Bundelkhand region, goats are reared by more than 75 per cent rural households in the form of mixed farming system. Goats have been found contributing 17.5 per cent share to annual household income of goat-keepers in Hamirpur and 16.4 per cent in Mahoba district. The majority of goat- keepers have moderate level of knowledge on different aspects of goat breeding and very low level of knowledge on up-gradation of genetic potential of goat, value addition of crop residues, utilization of CPRs and preventive health measures. Five hundred goat-keepers of selected villages were provided training on different aspects of goat-rearing under the NAIP, along with establishing goat-farmers based self-help groups. The impact analysis of goat-keepers has revealed net income of ` 19,000 with a unit of 5 adult goats. Prophylactic supports to all livestock species and fodder interventions have provided additional income of ` 3204 and ` 4285/household/year, respectively. The integrated goat- rearing could generate employment of 224 person-days annually besides milk for household consumption. The study has suggested improvement of common property resources (pastures and water bodies), value-addition of feed and fodder, bridging knowledge gap and veterinary support are the key aspects for sustainable livestock (goat) production in the Bundelkhand region.