[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]WOMEN DAIRY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
(Women Dairy Development Project under Scheme of Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP) in District Tehri Garhwal of Uttarakhand)
BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT
Dairying is an important source of subsidiary income to small/marginal farmers and agricultural labourers. The manure from animals provides a good source of organic matter for improving soil fertility and crop yields. The biogas from the dung is used as fuel for domestic purposes as also for running engines for drawing water from well. The surplus fodder and agricultural by-products are gainfully utilized for feeding the animals. Almost all draught power for farm operations and transportation is supplied by bullocks. Since agriculture is mostly seasonal, there is a possibility of finding employment throughout the year for many persons through dairy farming. Thus, dairy also provides employment throughout the year. The main beneficiaries of dairy programmes are small/marginal farmers and landless labourers.
The success of livestock farming is largely dependent on the continuous supply of good quality nutritious feeds at competitive price. Feed alone constitute about 60-70 per cent of total cost of production of livestock products. Therefore, it needs more attention though other factors are also important for remunerative return from livestock enterprises. The farmers used to feed the crop residues to the cattle and buffaloes, however, sheep and goat are normally maintained on grazing/browsing with supplementary feeding of broken grains/other by-products. Therefore, feeding of balanced concentrate feed to these animals was not common, because of low productivity and un-remunerative prices for the livestock products. The improved poultry is fed only with concentrated feed. The requirement of food of animal origin like milk, meat and eggs is increasing at a faster rate due to increased awareness about the significance of protective proteins for the maintenance of human health. The farmers realised the importance and started rearing good quality and high productive animals under stall fed conditions.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
• To provide training to women beneficiaries in dairy development programme, at family level and cluster levels.
• To organize women in the form of cooperative societies and making facilities economically viable through training, infrastructure and access to credit.
• To enable women groups in dairy development programme for enhancing income and employment generation opportunities.
• To provide technical back up packages to women beneficiaries in animal husbandry practices and dairy development programme.
• To enable active participation of women from economically weaker sections, SC, ST, OBC and BPL families in their own village economy.
• To empower women to be able to move in the positions of decision making power.
• To develop grass root level leadership.
COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT
• Provide training, technical skill and orientation of beneficiaries.
• Development of course material, literature etc. for trainees.
• Provide technical assistance and consultancy from Agricultural University/ICAR Institutions/ Training Institutions etc.
• Infrastructure including marketing support, quality control and managerial support.
• Provide artificial insemination services for breed upgradation of available livestock.
• Provide marginal money to purchase cattle by women beneficiaries.
• Establishment of women dairy cooperatives, mobilization and strengthening of field level setups.
• Provide backward and forward linkages to the women cooperatives and beneficiaries.
• Provide marketing support to the milk cooperatives and milk producers.
• Provide support services like health check up camps, awareness camps on health, hygiene and nutrition, non-formal education programme, crèche facilities during training programme, legal literacy camp and paralegal training programme, gender sensitization and gender awareness, population and development education, training on local self governance, programme on human rights, child rights, HIV/AIDS awareness, immunization programme for pregnant mother and child, awareness about Government programmes, right to information, awareness on consumer protection etc.
TARGET AREA AND TARGET GROUPS OF THE PROJECT
The target area of the project was Chamba Block in District Tehri Garhwal of Uttarakhand. Majority of the target groups/beneficiaries were vulnerable sections and constituting of the women.
FUNDING AGENCY
The project was funded by Ministry of Women & Child Development (MWCD), Government of India, New Delhi.
COST OF THE PROJECT
The project was sanctioned by the Ministry during the year 2007. Total cost of the project sanctioned by Ministry for three years was Rs. 72,51,775.00 out of which Rs. 65,26,598.00 was provided by the Ministry of Women & Child Development (MWCD), Government of India and Rs. 7,25,177.00 was contributed by HIFEED.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”880,881,882,883,884,885,886,887,888″][/vc_column][/vc_row]