Models for dairy-based livelihood improvement in Uttrakhand, India: Lessons from ILRI

V. Padmakumar, C. T. Chacko, and Thanammal Ravichandran

Policy dialogue on mainstreaming models for dairy-based livelihood improvement in Uttrakhand, Dehradun, India, 19 December 2014

Dehradun, 19th December 2014

ELKS TATA-ILRI Partnership Programme

Prospects of wheat in enhancing fodder availability during scarcity period in Uttarakhand

V Padmakumar

International Livestock Research Institute

MONSOON WINTER SUMMER

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Jan-AprACUTE SHORTAGE

(Quantity)

Surplus Lean

Forest leaves (cut & fed)**

Grass stored as dry*

Crop residue (paddy)

Crop residue (wheat)Burnt

* Grass protected from Jun-Sep. Harvetested after maturity (busy with agrl in Oct)

** No storage

THE PROBLEM

UT

ILIS

ATI

ON

Fodder from Van Panchayat (NREGA)

WHEAT•Variety: Local•Duration: 180 days•Sowing: Oct end-Mid Nov•Harvest: May/June•Yield: 5.46 t/ha (grain); 4.78 t/ha (straw)

HOW IT WAS ADDRESSED

Dual purpose wheat trial

Location: Thaeli 975m AMSL (Tehri) and Kothera 1500m AMSL (Pithoragarh)Varieties: Two (local and improved/VL829Treatments: Four with berseem (sown with wheat) + Four without berseem

(1) no fodder cut; no fertilizer(2) fodder cut at 79/85 DAS; no fertiliser(3) fodder cut at 79/85 DAS with 100 kg urea (46 kg N) /ha after the cut (4) fodder cut at 79 /85 DAS with 6 MT FYM /ha after the cut

Replication: FourDesign: CRBD

Dual purpose wheat trial – Results (Tehri)

Local

VL829

Probability (P)

LSD

Fodder

yield (t/ha)*

1.73

2.75

2.24

0.0031

0.65

3.95

4.47

4.21

0.21

3.11

3.83

3.47

0.88

Overall mean

Grain yield

(t/ha)*

Straw yield

(t/ha)*

* Across all (6x4=24) treatmentsIf P< 0.05, significant at 5% level of significance; P>0.05, NSAnalysis: GLM procedure using SAS (9.2) software

•Between varieties there is significant difference in fodder yield (VL829 better)•Difference is NS for grain and

straw yield

Fodder (t/ha)

Grain (t/ha)

Straw (t/ha)

VL829(with berseem)

3.20 5.32 3.70

Local (with urea)

1.88 4.6 3.18

THE IMPACT

•Harvested fodder @ 320 kg/0.1 ha (3.2 t/ha) – could feed a cow for one month during acute shortage

•600 new farmers started the practice in 2012

•In 2013, 8 quintals and 2014 10 quintals of dual purpose variety seeds (for Rabi)

Promotion of dual purpose wheat

POLICY SUGGESTION

If all wheat farmers in Uttarakhand cultivate the dual purpose variety and follow the thinning practice:

→ 7.4 lakh tones additional green fodder during scarcity→ 11840 lakh MJ of metabolisable energy→ 2.37 lakh tons of additional milk→ Rs 59,200 lakh

•Government (Dept. of Agriculture) in collaboration with NGOs, through incentive schemes, promote farmers to produce seeds of dual purpose wheat variety for sale

•Broader communication strategy (print, radio, TV) and funds to popularisethe technology among large number of farmers in the state

Good example of crop livestock integration

The problem

1. Acute scarcity of green fodder from Jan-Apr

How addressed

1. Trial on dual purpose wheat in Tehri and Pithoragrah

2. Supply of seeds of dual purpose variety

3. Promotional events

Impact

1. Harvested 3.2 tons of green fodder/ha without yield penalty

(fodder @ 320 kg/0.1 ha could feed a cow for one month during acute shortage)

2. 600 new farmers started the practice in 2012

3. In 2013, 8 quintals and 2014 ten quintals of dual purpose variety seeds supplied (for Rabi)

Policy suggestions

1. Government (Agrl. dept.) incentivize seed production of dual purpose wheat variety

2. Wider communication to popularise the technology

Wheat as dual purpose crop to address green fodder shortage in winter

ELKS TATA-ILRI Partnership Programme

APAHC service delivery model in the remote hills of Uttarakhand

Dr C T Chacko

Consultant, ILRI

• No/low access to quality breeding and animal health services in remote hilly villages

-AI services do not extend much beyond the plain areas

The problem

• Local men selected as AI and Preventive Animal Health Care (APAHC) workers

• Basic training by ULDB & successful candidates issued with certificates

• ULDB provided AI & other equipment for AI and basic animal health services

• Refresher trainings were given by ULDB, Him-motthan Society and ILRI

• Incentive (Rs 2000/m) for the first 3 year, charge farmers thereafter (business model)

How it was addressed

Impact

• 16 APAHC workers in the project area - 200 villages inChamoli, Tehri, Nainital, Pithoragarh and Bhageshwar

• Availability of AI and minor health care services at the doorstep of farmers at reasonable rate

• Average 80 AI/month - 960/year

• The livestock keepers report confidence in the APAHC workers

THE IMPACT (Cont)

Year 5 year 6APAHC workers 16

AI/m 1280 1408

AI/yr 15360 16896

Calves born 9216 10138

Successful cows 3917 4308

Additional milk got /yr (tons) 3917 4308

Additional income/yr (Rs mio) 117.5 246.8AI/m year 2, 110% of yr 1, AI/month 80; Calving rate 60%; Successful cows 85% ; Additional kg milk/yr, 1000; Value of 1 kg milk Rs 30

POLICY SUGGESTIONS

• Government (AHD+ULDB) in collaboration with NGOs may expand the APAHC model to more villages with similar conditions

• Nearest local veterinarians may be advised to provide technical backstopping support to the APAHC workers and use them for field activities

• Budgetary provision for mobility support to APAHC workers in remote locations

The problem

1. Poor access to quality breeding and animal health services in remote villages

How addressed

1. Local men selected as AI and Preventive Animal Health Care (APAHC) workers

2. ULDB, ILRI and HM provided training

3. ULDB provided AI & other equipment for AI

4. Incentive to APAHC workers for 3 years

5. Year 4 onwards the APAHC workers sustain by charging the services (PPP business self sustaining model)

Impact

1. 16 APAHC workers in 200 villages provideAI & attend to preventive health care services in remoteareas

2. APAHC workers –accessability, affordability, timely and at doorstep

3. Farmers shown confidence in the APAHC workers

Policy suggestions

1. Government (AHD+ULDB) in collaboration with NGOs may expand the APAHC model to all inaccessible villages

2. Nearest local veterinarians may be advised to provide technical backstopping support to the APAHC workers on a regular basis and use them for field activities

3. Budgetary provision for mobility support to APAHC workers in remote locations

Livestock service delivery model in the remote hills of Uttarakhand

IFAD-ILRI Partnership Programme

‘Innovation platform’ for institutional strengthening

and productivity enhancement

The problem

1. Lack of coordinated and integrated approach resultsin inefficiency and productivity lapses in the dairy sector

How addressed

1. Created multi stakeholder InnovationPlatforms’ (IP) at different levels to jointly identify and address issues related to dairying

2. Started addressing feed and market related issues as entry point activities

Impact

1. IPs brought the service providers (NABARD, AHD, ILSP, KVK, feed suppliers) closer to people /farmers

2. Feed utilisation and therefore productivity enhanced

3. Income from sale of milk significantly increased

Policy suggestions

1. Government may introduce the IP approach in identifying dairy based issues and developing joint solutions

2. Regional stakeholder platform can be formed Actively participate in

district and state level IP meetings and review the IP functions and results on a regular basis

3. Make IP approach as a prerequisite for dairy based funding

Innovation platforms for institutional strengthening and dairy productivity