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  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    CRITICAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE, SUSTAINABILITY, PREFERENCE AND PERFORMANCE OF LIVESTOCK IN ASSAM
    (College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati, 2017-07) TALUKDAR, JUPI; SAHARIA, K. K.
    A “Critical Component Analysis of Climate, Sustainability, Preference and Performance of Livestock Sector in Assam” has been planned with a random sampling technique in Kamrup, Dibrugarh and Bongaigaon districts of Assam to fulfill the above specified reasons. The method of random sampling technique got established when the Deputy Commissioners of each district were discussed. Further after going to the Block office, the villages were also selected as per the directive and facilitations provided by the block/field officials. It was in the village where Snow Ball sampling method was adopted. Based on the needs PCA method was also applied for getting the information relating to the social dynamics of animal husbandry in the study. Data were collected in three sets of pre-tested, reliable and valid interview schedule containing the features of climate, sustainability, preference, and performance. Collection of data were done based on the person actually who is involved in farming, considering analysis on the basis of 20 per cent confidence level and then finding the critical factors, analysis were done. The data such collected were arranged, tabulated, and analyzed so as to arrive at useful conclusion and interpretation so that they become benchmark for animal husbandry policies with regard to production system, supply chain and promotional livestock rearing. Results showed that the average age of the respondents was around 39 years. A good number of the respondents (45.67 %) had medium family size as high as 66.00 per cent of the respondents had nuclear type of family. The average educational qualification of majority (44.33%) of the respondents was of lower primary level. Educational status of majority (63.00 %) of the other member of the family of the respondents was higher secondary level. Average 14.58 numbers of livestock in the pooled sample could be considered towards a healthy sign considering the fact that large majority of farm people in whole of the districts had landless to marginal categories of farmers. The average annual family income of the respondents was Rs.1, 62,095/- and majority of them fell in middle income group. The average respondents own income was found to be Rs.116393/- and majority of them fell in middle income group. Majority (74.00%) of the respondent’s received medium income of Rs 29056 from livestock farming. The major sources of personal income of the respondents was Agriculture (29.80%) followed by animal husbandry (22.18), business (10.55%), fishing (8.28), art and culture (7.37%) , handicraft (5.90%), transport of item (5.62%), services (5.48) and household items (4.82%). Food (35.36%) and Education (22.66 %) were the two main areas in which maximum expenditures were made by the respondents in this study. Most of the respondents were having medium social participation with 3.47 numbers of times per year with the society and bringing it at a reflection of development, proliferation or non-orthodox atmosphere among the people of the districts. Most of the respondents were having medium to higher level of extension contact with 7.07 numbers of times per year among the respondents in different districts, which was definitely an encouraging phenomenon. More than 80 per cent of the farmers were having awareness about different farm related problems. Farmers involved in mass media contact belonged mostly to medium level category with 6.62 average numbers of areas per year. Majority of the respondents (76%) were involved in progressive livestock rearing practice. Land ownership was the most preferred indicator of progressive livestock farming in all the three districts. Different indicators of progressive livestock farming can be listed from highest to lowest impact as follows- Land ownership (6.19%), Association with the society (5.97%), Innovativeness (5.95%), Ideal family members to help farming (5.76%), More time to spend with animals (5.75%), Entrepreneurship Habit (5.73%), concern for quality (5.58%), Enduring livestock keeping (5.55%), Leadership Quality (5.51%), Willingness of people for farm products (5.27%), Contact with extension worker (5.18%), Economic orientation (5.06%), Self employment (4.87%), Religious mindedness (4.85%), Good market (4.83%), Educational qualification (4.72%), Good size of the farm (4.50%), Keeping hope for future generation (4.44%), Mass media contact (2.65%) and Political affiliation (1.64%). Most of the farmers realizing factors that affected animal husbandry development belonged to medium group level. Flood has been recognized as the most important factor affecting Animal Husbandry in all the three districts. Different micro-climatic factors affecting animal husbandry can be ordered in terms of their impact as follows- Flood (6.09%), Less availability of grass (5.82%), Parasitic infestation (5.72%), Education (5.66%), Draught (5.56%), Increasing cost of animal husbandry (5.39%), High temperature (5.37%), Less per capita availability of land (5.16%), Misunderstanding with neighbors (5.03%), Low rainfall (4.96%), Land used for infrastructure (4.83%), Social standing (4.71%), Lack of technical people in field (3.82%), No departmental support (3.66%), Pollution in water (3.62%), Soil erosion (3.41%), Job in public/private sector (3.22%), Frequency of visiting dignitaries (3.15%), General atmosphere (2.95%), Pollution (2.88%), Traditional rituals and festivals (2.78%), More dust in air (2.34%), Vehicular traffic (2.11%), Stringent rules and regulations (1.77%). Cattle was the highest preferred species in all the three districts, Kamrup (70.00%), Dibrugarh (65.00%), Bongaigaon (62.00%) while Bee keeping remained the least preferred farming practice in all the cases. Number of years of involvement in farming by the farmers of the Dibrugarh district was highest against Kamrup district to be the lowest. The overall ranking of the six different livestock species in terms of their profitability was as follows, Cattle (1575.00), Pig (692.33), Goat (503.67), Buffalo (453.00), Sheep (128.67) and Bee keeping (95.33). Flood was regarded as the most serious problem by the respondents of Dibrugarh and Bongaigaon districts while the same for Kamrup was the scarcity of fodder. The average degrees of changing status of livestock farming were 2.56. This in equivalent value revealed that the sector was slowly progressing. Association of the respondent with the market of the district Kamrup was highest and for Bongaigaon was found to be the lowest. The price of the farm product of the district Kamrup was highest and for Bongaigaon was found to be the lowest and the mean prices in the three districts varied significantly from each other. The mean transaction in market among the respondents in the districts of Kamrup was significantly higher than that of Bongaigaon district but it was marginally lower than that of Dibrugarh district. Most of the respondents preferred to sell their livestock product and produces to whole sellers. The mean satisfaction of the Kamrup district was found to be highest and the same for Bogaigaon was the lowest. Whenever and wherever animal husbandry produces and products were traded, there was no difficulty in selling them off and as such the chance of spoilage was minimum. The local sources in different extent and that could be ranked (overall) in terms of the gradually decreasing local procurement as follows Cattle (79.49%), Pig (52.13%), Goat (47.50%), Honey bee (24.37%), Sheep (23.50%) and Buffalo (11.97%). Cattle enjoyed highest demand and high profit oriented, because of traditional more acceptance of cattle milk over the milk produced by other species. Majority of the changes taking place in livestock sector were in medium group of distribution i.e. 71.67%. Marketing (6.91%) is the highest degree of changes occurring in the livestock sector.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    GEODYNAMICS AND TRIBAL LIVESTOCK FARM WOMEN’S TRANSITION IN ASSAM
    (Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati, 2017-07) JOHARI, MONOSRI; SAHARIA, K. K.
    Different ethnic groups of farm women in hilly tracks of Assam are trying to earn their livelihood against all hopes. The study was conducted in the two hill districts of Assam namely, the Karbi Anglong and the Dima Hasao district with the displaced women numbering 200 to find out the frequency of social displacement and hardship, knowing the status of animal health, disease distribution and resilience in terms of changing role, strategies adopted to combat with dynamics of geo and socio-ecological systems and working out a pro-poor value chains: market access and sustainability. The relevant data to fulfil these objectives were collected through a pretested, reliable and valid interview schedule. The study revealed that the average age of the respondents was about 37.72 years with education level up to middle school having about 4-5 number family size and the order of concentration of occupation was agriculture, followed by animal husbandry, business, weaving and craft. Majority of the displaced women were Dimasas and Karbis. Best thing in their earlier place of stay was rearing of livestock was easier and better while the new place had good road connection. The frequency of social displacement in terms of distance (k.m.) varied from about 3 Km to 200 Km and length of time of displacement in terms of years varied from 4-28 years The features of earlier place were “Earlier livestock could be reared in zero inputs”, “There was a sense of community care for the livestock while letting the animals loose or bringing them back home. Hardships faced due to displacement were “The total agricultural land has become lesser causing food crisis for livestock”, “There is always a danger of predators, their number is more now” and “Production and productivity of the available land are lesser affecting food availability for livestock”. All the respondents had “free access to community land” and had “fully settled” down in new place. Majority of the respondents had medium level of land used for housing, for growing staple crop and vegetables but there were marked variations in land use pattern in construction of livestock shed. Condition of respondents’ house and animal/poultry shed were “man and animals share same courtyard”, “kaccha floor”, “wooden planked floor”, “animal sheds are at a distance from main house”, “iron sheet roof” and “thatched roof”. Majority of the respondents’ reason of displacement were “For better mobility of men and works”, “Communal clash” and “Landslide”. The average score on number of times per year animals suffered from diseases was 2.07 with occurrence of “FMD”, “Humpsore”, “Mastitis” and “Parasitic infestation” in cattle, “FMD”, “Humpsore”, “Calf scour”, and “Parasitic infestation” in buffalo, “Contagious ecthyma”, “Goat pox”, “Mastitis”, “Enterotoxaemia”, “Mange” and “Parasitic infestation” in goat, “Swine fever”, “Scrotal hernia”, “Piglet anaemia” and “Piglet diarrhoea” in pig , “Ranikhet”, “Cocciodiosis” and “Fowl Pox” in local chicken and Duck plague in duck . Only sometimes doctors were called mostly local treatment was given by the displaced farm women. Those treatment were Hanserong (Roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa) leaves and seed is boiled and its water is mixed with rice grain and then fed to the bird for treating fever and diarrhoea”, “Turmeric paste is mixed with rice grain and then fed to the bird during fever”, “Distill wine is given to the bird when they suffer from fever”, “Kerosene mixed with rice and fed to the bird for treating fever”, “Mishimao (Clerodendrum infortunatum) leaves cook along with the feed and fed to pig during fever”, “Dry fish were fed to the cow during bloat”, “Crushed chilly applied on the eye during infection”, “Jackfruit leaves (Artocarpus heterophyllus) were fed during abdominal pain in goat”,“ Raw turmeric and salt applied in the affected area during scabies in goat”, “Chilly and tamarind were applied in the tongue during F.M.D”, “Salt and chilly rubbed in the tongue during F.M.D”, “Misaghi leaves (Sarcochlamys culcherrima) and banana flower cooked along with the feed and fed to pig for treating diarrhoea”, “Opium (Papaver somniferum) leaves rolled in the tender banana leaves and then fed to cow for curing diarrhoea”, “Guava (Psidium gujava) and (Paederia foetida) leaves were fed during diarrhoea in goat, cow and buffalo” and “Crushed mugungrema (Blumea lanceolaria) leaves were mixed with mud and then applied on the wound in buffalo, goat and pig”. Roles women played were “Preparation and collection of feed for livestock”, “Caring of disease animals”, “Milking of animal”, “Bring the animals from grazing area in evening”, “Separation of sick animals”, “Pregnant animals are taken care of by women with full efficiency”, “Cleaning of feed mangers and water troughs occasionally” and “Cleaning of animals shed occasionally”. Roles women play when livestock died were “Throw the bird in forest”, “Clean the place where bird or animal was found dead”, “Bury the bird in ground” and “Consume the bird if large”. For animal health “Only kitchen wastes are provided to animals once in the evening”, “No feed supplement is given to animals”, “Animals go out and come in at their own free choice regularly” and “Separation of sick animals”. For animal resilience the displaced farm women “Kept the animals together in safer place whenever required”, “Maintained regularity in free grazing”, “Provided supplementary feed when in scarcity” and “Taking special care for pregnant animals in feeding and husbandry practices”. Efforts taken by displaced farm women to combat with geo and socio-ecological change were “The houses have been made in accordance with the social needs and demands”, “Now a days livestock remain under observation even when they graze freely”, “Increased the number of livestock reared so that income is increased” and “The house making is in accordance with the geo-ecological location”. Effects on livestock and their produces/ products were there was increase in “Scope of self -employment”, “Transport and communication for livestock and products”, “Interest of youths for livestock rearing”, “Socialization by women for different official and organizational activities” and “Cost of production per unit”. Problems of farm women rearing livestock were “Lack of market information”, “Lack of business management skills”, “Economic problem”, “Medicines and vaccines are costly”, “Lack of easy approach to veterinarian”, “Insufficient access to capital and credit”, “High cost of animal feed”, “Less training on scientific training”, “Limited access to extension service” and “Transportation cost”. Measures adopted with excess produces or the limited produces for value addition and better remuneration “smoke pork”, “smoke carabeef”, “smoke chicken”, “smoke fish” and “fermented fish” product were prepared. Issues distressing women farmers’ access to market were “Insufficient access to capital and credit”, “Lack of market information”, “Lack of business management skills among women farmers” and “Arranging one vehicle for the sale of one’s own products is not economic and other women do not come together”. For sustainability steps was taken only in social dimension “Gender equality”, “Status equality”, and “Community relationship”.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Role of indigenous pig for sustainable livelihood security of tribal farmers in North East India
    (Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati, 2017-07) Debbarman, Chintu; BORGOHAIN, ATUL