Economics of Livestock Integrated Farming System: A Case study of Pig-Based Integrated Farming System in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya

摘要

Integrated Farming System is common to most part of north-eastern region of India because oftheprepondence of small farm system which are backbone of the traditional agriculture. In north-eastern region of India farmers are generally practicing organic farming; therefore a farmer prefers to keep few livestock and fishery so that soil nutrient could be increased through animal excreta. Livestock Census 2003 reveals that NEH region is home for 210.32 lakh livestock and 364.62 lakh poultry which accounts for 4.34 per cent of the total livestock and 7.46 per cent of poultry birds in India (Table 2). Assam being the largest state have maximum (66% and 59%) of the total livestock and poultry resources ofNE Regions and followed by Meghalaya (7%> each) andTripura (7% & 8%). Cattle population occupies 55 per cent of the total livestock of the NEH region. The per capita milk availability has increased from 7 per cent during 1998-99 and 2005-06 while during the same period mtional average has improved by 13per cent. Amongst the NE states, in Nagaland the productivity of local cows is highest (2.2 litre/day) whereas in Assam, which is the major milk producing state in NEH region, it is lowest (0.92 litre per day). An integrated community based approach is best to bring about incremental changes in the production system to improve productivity and efficiency. Strengthening of local social institutions and use of the same for putting peer pressure and for service delivery is another way forward to make pig based farming system approach a success. Interventions need to be simple, cost effective, filly community driven and highly remunerative.