Strategies for sustainable dairy development in watersheds.

摘要

This study was conducted to improve the productivity of dairy animals under smallholder production systems. This study was conducted in 3 selected watersheds, one each in Mahboobnagar and Anantpur districts of Andhra Pradesh and Tumkur district of Karnataka. The project introduced a participatory approach to promote the dairy production technologies with smallholder farmers in the selected watersheds: in-depth participatory diagnosis by a broad cross section of the farming community to define, group and prioritize their main problems; planning and discussion of various interventions; and discussion and finalization of the comprehensive schedule for the implementation of the technical interventions. The problems, suspected causes and adopted strategies were presented in a tabulated form. The following measures were encouraged: breed improvement; chopping of crop residues; improved feeding practices; and improved forage production. The results suggested that a continuous dialogue was essential for promoting the interventions. The animal health camps created awareness among the farmers regarding the adoption of better livestock practices.