ELKS Enhancing livelihoods through livestock knowledge systems

Knowledge Management for: “Effective Service Delivery for Increasing Benefits from Pig Rearing

in the North East”

By: Rural Volunteers Centre, Akajan

VALUE ADDITION TO THE TRADITIONAL PIG REARING PRACTICES-AN EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOOD FOR FLOOD AFFECTED POPULATION IN DHEMAJI

Gowahati, 7-9 April 2010

Context/Background

RVC, has been working in flood disaster- response, rehabilitation, disaster risk reduction• Direct implementation, action research, advocacy

o Organisational mandate and mission:- The vision statement of organization – “An epidemic free just society with appropriate technology and self-reliance.”

oMission statements- Mission statement III:Appropriation of rural technologies and practices through participation of the community to ensure better and secured living opportunity.

Context/Background

oProject History: Floods 1996, 1998 and 2000 displaced more 10000 families and 90% of the crop land was sand deposited causing marginalization of these farm familieso Rabi crop was in practice in these familieso Migration of male family memberso Feasible livelihood options for the female members- weaving and livestock rearing (40% family income supported from these sources)o Pig rearing supported 80% and other livestock supported 10% of the income

Context/Background

oType of intervention:- Organizing the women in SHGs, Training on pig rearing, improvement of breed, Promotion of Paravet, Market promotion and linkage-Amar Bazaro Geographical Areas of Intervention: 26 villages on the embankment of river Brahmaputra since 2000 of Sisiborgaon development block under Dhemaji districto Objective of the intervention: Promotion of pig rearing as an effective alternative livelihood for the marginalized farm families to support 80% of the total family income.o Funding:- Action Aid India, DRDA-Dhemaji, Oxfam, IGSS o Technical supports- Department animal Husbandry-Dhemaji, PRADAN, ILRI

Project Stakeholders and Structures:

o End beneficiaries of the project (primary beneficiaries) :- The women supported family members

o Actors/ service providers ( secondary beneficiaries/stakeholders):- Gaon Bikash Kcbang (GBK), Kini Kcbang, Women SHGs, AMAR BAZAR, Paravet, Deptt of Animal Husbandry-Dhemaji

o Others actors ( National/International):-AAI, Oxfam

Project Stakeholders and Structures:

o Project steering mechanism :- oPiglet support and training to the selected women SHG

members through GBK, vaccinated with the help of the Paravets and monitoring by SHG, GBK, RVC

oThe equal amount of money refunded to the GBK within one year through the SHG

oThe GBK supports another families (including non-SHG poor and marginalized women and disables ) with the piglets from this refunded money and the loan is refunded to the GBK in terms of piglet within the stipulated time.

oProvisioning of high yielding service boars to selected SHGs, the boar provides service at the cost of nominal rate.

oDevelopment of model farmoMarketing of piglets and pig meat through AMAR BAZAR

by women directly

Service Model Features:

Distinctive features of service delivery model chosen at different levels :-o Farmer/community organisation level:- Engagement of the women

SHGs in the productive activities, the rearing and marketing methods of the pigs are improved through scientific interventions (vaccination, cross breeding, captive rearing, improvement of feed, development of proper market linkage and marketing skill)

o District and service provision structures:- Infrastructure support, training/exposure support and doctors/field supervisors

Achievements attained:

Community capacity strengthening :-SHGs (121 nos), SHG federation, women entrepreneurs, formation of the revolving fund-Rs. 480000.00, 24000 pigs, 52 HY boars, integration of the pig rearing to different IFS models (Pig-Poultry-Paddy- Fish-Horticulture ) Efficiency/Effectiveness of (district )services :-Promotion of paravets, mobilizing the extension services Institutional strengthening :-Kini Kcebang, GBK, Amar Bazar, Central Amar bazar Training cum Production centre Economic benefits for end –beneficiaries:- 60% of the family income supported by pig rearing Sustainability & replicability of scheme:-100% of the system is now run by the community by their own, the model is adapted by other organizations Animal production aspects:-

o Pig production has increased from 1886 to 24000 per yearo In breeding percentage <10%o Piglet production per sow increased from 10-12 to 14-18 per yearo Meat production rate has increased by 35%o Cost : Benefit=1:1.92 in case of fatteningo Cost : Benefit=1:1.96 in case of piglet production

Challenges/Key Issues/Obstacles

Major issues and challenges :o Organisational level:- Recurring flood, displacement and taboos at

community level, fund mobilizationo Stakeholder cooperation:- The renovation of the traditional Kcbang

system, intervention of the market promoted middleman, no provision for livestock insurance, no bank initiatives

o Household/ farmer/ community level:- Migration of the male members, shade for the pig, hygiene, storage of vaccine

o Animal production/marketing :- Fatal infection, communication, strong presence of market middleman

Lessons learnt/best practices

Lessons learnt at different levels up to now or after project evaluationo Approach used:- The community acceptance was a major factor

which was supported by the traditional skills, cultural coherence, available market

o Institutional/organisational aspects :-Integration of pig rearing to different IFS models for optimizing the benefit

o Animal production/marketing :-Market linkage of the production is one of the key factor for ensuring good return to the primary producer.

o Stakeholder involvement /cooperation:-The community monitoring system is an effective tool for proper implementation of the project.

Logo of the presenting organisation

Thank You for your Attention !