Sustainable Livelihood Through Small Ruminant Production

Abstract

The paper focuses on critical issues and approaches related to small ruminants. Some of the critical issues highlighted are poor awareness regarding the importance of small ruminants in livestock system, absence or weak rearers associations and ignorance of small ruminant rearers in social organization. Various approaches to these issues have been addressed in this paper. Another critical issue emphasised is pressure on fodder resource base, wherein declining area of CPRs, low priority to common land development are discussed. Other concerns discussed in the paper are inadequate veterinary health, inadequate focus on genetic improvement, reduced access to credit and insurance, inefficient marketing mechanisms and poor inter-departmental coordination. Some interesting case studies concerning silvo-pasture intervention and Joint Forest Management in villages of Rajasthan, Ram lambs rearing and Malabari Goat Breed Improvement Programme (MGBIP) are discussed.