A flourishing livestock sector is an efficient tool for augmenting incomes of low income households and eradicates poverty. Elucidate. Further, suggest ways for ensuring sustainable livestock sector growth in India.

India has a diverse and growing livestock sector ranging from sheep, poultry, fisheries, dairy, etc.

Growing livestock sector:

• Second largest fish production.
• Largest milk producer.

Augment incomes of low income households:

• Provides supplementary income to the farmers.
• Provides insurance to the rural community in event of crop failure.
• Better enumeration to farmers due to explosive growth of food processing industries in India.
• Provides resilience from climate change.

Escaping poverty:

• Investments required are low and the remunerative returns are high.
• Additional source of income which farmers can utilize in improving their health, education and skills.
• Promotes growth of cooperatives and self help groups which leads to eradication of poverty, e.g. Amul.
• Contract farming and better financial inclusion and technology transfer.

The strategies to ensure sustainable livestock sector growth:

• Promoting farmer producer organisation cooperatives in rural areas for a more holistic effect.
• Liberalization in the definition of farmers as recommended by Ashok Dalwai committee to induce livestock sector farmers as well.
• Increasing finances and construction of infrastructure like cold chain storage.
• Promoting food processing industries to improve backward and forward linkages.
• Better breeding programmes and avenues for cheap food and fodder for livestock.

Government initiatives:

• DIDF dairy fund.
• RIDF fisheries fund.
• Rashtriya Gokul Mission.
• Mission SAMPADA.

A growing livestock sector will go a long way in doubling farmers income as envisaged by the government.

Topics: GS-III: Economics of Animal Rearing