CRITICAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE, SUSTAINABILITY, PREFERENCE AND PERFORMANCE OF LIVESTOCK IN ASSAM
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Date
2017-07
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College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati
Abstract
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.