This study was conducted under the Bundelkhand Rural Poverty Alleviation Model” (BRPAM) development Project, implemented in 40 villages of Tikamgarh block of Tikamgarh district, MP. Of the 40 villages, 20 are selected for intensive intervention
The objectives of the study were:
To understand livestock ownership patterns, role of different livestock types in livelihoods basket of Project’s target group households (HHs), and constraints faced by them for maximizing benefits from livestock
To understand livestock management practices of HHs
To ascertain HHs’ knowledge gaps in scientific livestock management, and
On basis of above, identify issues for Project intervention and topics for orientation, training and capacity-building programmes so as to optimize benefits from livestock
Information was obtained from (i) a baseline survey (ii) in-depth survey of 100 HHs (iii) an in-depth survey of 30 livestock-owning HHs (iv) group discussions conducted specifically for the purpose of this study, and (v) some desk research on livestock ownership in rural India, and Bundelkhand in particular.
Data from the in-depth survey of 100 sample HHs indicates that the number of animals per 1000 persons is 586. This indicates that there has been a drastic reduction in livestock population, compared to the earlier ‘Bundelkhand norm’ of 1000 animals per 1000 persons. The distribution of livestock population broadly follows the pattern in the district as a whole, with local cows and bullocks accounting for 54% of total animal population, followed by goats (23%), buffaloes (12%) and poultry (11%).