Prospect of Goat farming in India

PROSPECT OF GOAT FARMING

Socio-economic background of goat production in the country:

India is a densely populated country with a very limited resource based for about 120 million people. More than 80% of the people live in the rural areas of which about 70% are directly or indirectly engaged in agricultural operation. It is reported that about 65% people are poverty striker who lead a very measurable life having very little income round the year and about 55% are landless farmers having no or very little land for their homestead only (FAO-1990). The landler and marginal farmers do not have enough capital, they are very limited access to national resources or any development activities of the country. The main source of income of these group of people is the sale of labour particularly during the cropping season. In other parts of the year they do not have even the scope to sale labour and remain fully unemployed. These group of landless and marginal farmers intended to keep goat because:---

1. Rearing goats require minimum management attention. The human population has been increasing at an alarming rate (2.8%) and pressure on land become greater producing crop only for human consumption. A total of 77% of the cultivable land being used for the production of rice, 3% used for oil seeds and pulse, 1% used for sugarcane and others;10% used for pond depressions, rivers and canals (Jackson,1980). Thus there is very limited scope of utilization of land for the fodder production thereby making it difficult to keep high priced cattle or buffaloes by the landless and marginal farmers. But they can easily afford to keep goat as it involves very small financial investment and the risk involvement is also much less as compared to large ruminants.

2. Goat serve as a definite source of regular income and can be maintained almost on zero input. A majority of goat population is maintained at particularly no maintenance cost in a sedenterized system of grazing  on harvested or follow land where goats are pegged to a short rope for all day long. As the price of goat is comparatively very low, landless and marginal farmers have the access to buy them. Rearing of goats by these groups of farmers is also regarded as an insurance against crop failure and other natural disasters. In general goat plays a vital role in the rural community to overcome the financial short comings of different nature, particularly during the festival, marriage ceremony, children education and the time of serious disease of the family member etc.

3. It is also important that the price of goat (per unit volume as compared to large ruminants) and also the meat is always much higher than other available meat. The demand and price of goat meat is much higher as compared to others which is regarded as an important favorable point for rearing goats by the marginal farmers. The large scale movements of women and children is another important socio-economic advantage for households and increase self reliance. In view of these benefits, specific focus on the improvement of goat production system can able to emancipate rural economy and alleviate the poverty of rural farmers.