While agriculture is the backbone of India's rural economy, livestock rearing is also a vital contributor. Almost all rural households own livestock - even landless families will own one or two cows or buffaloes. For the poorest among these families, livestock is often their only sustained source of income. However, in general milk yields are extremely low a result of poor nutrition and genetic quality.
ITC's Livestock Development Programme provides artificial insemination services to produce calves with significantly higher milk yields - producing enough surplus that can be sold. Cattle Development Centres in villages provide services right at the owner's doorstep which also include veterinary support to ensure proper health and nutrition.
Having surplus milk for sale brings in extra income, especially useful for poor households. With the additional income and experience, families can invest increasing their herds, paving the way for dairying to become a viable livelihood option.
Cattle-owners are encouraged to join together and form milk marketing societies so that they can reduce logistic costs and connect to larger markets to get higher prices. In selected areas, ITC also sets up modern milk collection centres where scientific testing ensures better prices for better quality, motivating owners to invest more in cattle health and nutrition.
Cattle-owning
Rural Households
Primary Beneficiaries
NGOs
Project Implementation, Domain Expertise, Local Experience
Milk Marketing
Societies
Beneficiaries, Potential Action-takers
ITC
Facilitator, Programme Design, Funding, Monitoring & Evaluation
Cattle Development
Centres
Service Providers (manned by local person who receives training)
Trained technicians from local Cattle Development Centres provide services right at the farmer's doorstep which include nutrition, pre & post natal care along with artificial insemination.
Partnering with gaushalas (cattle shelters) and lead dairy farmers to build awareness on their commercial viability and superior adaptability to Indian conditions
Local youth are trained to provide the entire package of cattle healthcare and artificial insemination services; Centres are intended to be financially self-sustaining within a stipulated period
Cattle owners join together and pool resources for better advantages e.g. saving on transport costs, connecting to formal markets and large dairies, buying quality feed & other inputs at bulk rates, etc
Takes pressure off arable land
Cushion in times of drought/other climatic emergencies
Can be used to expand herd, paving the way for dairying to become viable livelihood
ITC's milk collection centres are equipped with milk analysers, electronic weighing machines, chillers data processing units, etc to ensure farmers get a fair price for quality and quantity.
