Policy Note
By
Dr R Ranjitha Pushkar, Dr B R Mangurkar, Ravindra A, A K Joseph, V Padmakumar, Madhuri Dass
- 2005, 28 pp
Summary: The Policy note deals with livestock – environment interactions in the watershed areas. It aims at striking a balance between making livestock a viable livelihood option and preserving the environment by promotion of sustainable resource management practices. The paper provides recommendations for achieving this balance and is targeted at policy makers, implementers, practitioners, NGOs, government departments, gram panchayats and community-based organizations. Various critical issues addressed here include common property resources, availability of quality services such as feeding, breeding, disease control, formal institutional credit and marketing, integration of livestock in watershed development programmes and so on. Every issue addressed is backed by case studies depicting best practices that can be adopted to overcome the issue. The paper recommends creating increased awareness to the various stakeholders, providing alternatives to grazing issues, measures that can help overcome fodder scarcity during drought, provisions for drinking water for livestock, coordination between various departments and training to overcome issues related to livestock-environment interactions. It advocates incorporating livestock component into the watershed programmes at the designing stage itself.
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Table of contents
Background
ISSUE 1
- Access to Resources and
Environmental Implications
1.1 Reduced access to common land resources (including forest) and environmental implications
1.2 Scarcity of fodder during drought
1.3 Reduced access to drinking water for livestock
ISSUE 2 - Access to Quality Inputs and Services
2.1 Poor access to livestock services
2.2 Poor access to formal and institutional credit
ISSUE 3 - Information, Participation and Co-ordination
3.1 Poor access to skills, knowledge and information
3.2 Low representation and participation in decision making
3.3 Poor coordination amongst government policies and departments
ISSUE 4 -
Integrating Livestock in Watershed
Development Programmes
References
Background
Millions of poor farming families in
rural India rear livestock, which is
often their only means of sustained
livelihood. These animals also contribute to
ecological services. However, several practices
today – related to access, use and management
of resources – diminish the natural resource
base and are a cause of grave concern.
Water and fodder are critical constraints for
livestock development in semi-arid areas.
In 1990, the government accorded high
priority to meeting these needs under its
programmes. Under the National Watershed
Development Project for Rainfed Areas
(NWDPRA), 10% of project costs were
earmarked to improving livestock rearing
through financial support, improved
healthcare services, fodder production and
water points, etc. But, subsequent guidelines
have been blurred on the issue of livestock
rearing and are no longer an explicitly spelled
out priority.
This policy paper analyses critical issues which
affect the environment and the livelihoods of
livestock rearing communities. It makes a series
of recommendations which will ensure that
livestock rearing continues to be a viable
livelihood option for the poor on the one hand,
and that the ecosystem can be preserved and
nurtured, on the other. The issues are especially
pertinent for policy makers, planners and
implementers in various government
departments – agriculture, rural development,
forestry, revenue – as well as village self
governments (gram panchayats), non
governmental organisations and community
based organisations participating in watershed
projects.
