introduction
India is an agricultural country, with agriculture employing 65 to 70% of
the total population, and animal husbandry plays a variety of roles in the
Indian economy. The Indian economy relies heavily on livestock.
Many farmers in India make their living from animal husbandry. Animals,
particularly bullocks, are a substantial source of electricity for both
farmers and dairies in addition to milk, meat, eggs, wool, castings
(dung), and skins. As a result, animal husbandry is vital to the rural
economy.
,Agriculture employs more people than any other sector on a global
scale. Growth in agricultural output and productivity is required to
increase rural incomes, support the expanding number of people who
rely on the sector, and fulfill the food and raw material demands of
rapidly developing urban populations. Improving agricultural productivity
promotes industrial expansion by supplying inexpensive labor, capital
investment, foreign exchange, and markets for manufactured consumer
products.
Agriculture has an important part in poverty reduction since the majority
of the world's poor reside in rural regions and are heavily reliant on
agriculture, and food prices affect the cost of living for the urban poor.
South Asia accounts for around half of the overall poor, with Sub-
Saharan Africa accounting for the other half, and the rest of the
developing world accounting for a lesser proportion. At present levels of
agricultural support, the global goal of halving poverty by 2015 is unlikely
to be met.
, Diverse and Changing role of livestock
Livestock are capital assets that have been created in the past and will
contribute to future product output. Investing in or purchasing livestock
requires saving or borrowing, which is justified by the predicted future
return on capital. Aside from the animals' durable capital, circulating
capital is required to fulfill current production expenditures.
Investment in livestock boosts farm productivity through (a) increasing
the amount of land that may be used, (b) diversifying the productive
activity on a crop farm, and (c) intensifying, i.e. increasing livestock
value of output and hence total production per hectare of agricultural
land. The latter requires higher labor and/or capital inputs and can be
accomplished by raising stocking rate, improving yield per head of cattle,
or switching to a more intensive production method. Because there is so
little useable land left, the potential for expanding production onto
undeveloped, virgin ground is restricted. In pastoral systems, there is
also limited room for boosting stocking rates since pastoralists already
make good use of available pasture.
India is an agricultural country, with agriculture employing 65 to 70% of
the total population, and animal husbandry plays a variety of roles in the
Indian economy. The Indian economy relies heavily on livestock.
Many farmers in India make their living from animal husbandry. Animals,
particularly bullocks, are a substantial source of electricity for both
farmers and dairies in addition to milk, meat, eggs, wool, castings
(dung), and skins. As a result, animal husbandry is vital to the rural
economy.
,Agriculture employs more people than any other sector on a global
scale. Growth in agricultural output and productivity is required to
increase rural incomes, support the expanding number of people who
rely on the sector, and fulfill the food and raw material demands of
rapidly developing urban populations. Improving agricultural productivity
promotes industrial expansion by supplying inexpensive labor, capital
investment, foreign exchange, and markets for manufactured consumer
products.
Agriculture has an important part in poverty reduction since the majority
of the world's poor reside in rural regions and are heavily reliant on
agriculture, and food prices affect the cost of living for the urban poor.
South Asia accounts for around half of the overall poor, with Sub-
Saharan Africa accounting for the other half, and the rest of the
developing world accounting for a lesser proportion. At present levels of
agricultural support, the global goal of halving poverty by 2015 is unlikely
to be met.
, Diverse and Changing role of livestock
Livestock are capital assets that have been created in the past and will
contribute to future product output. Investing in or purchasing livestock
requires saving or borrowing, which is justified by the predicted future
return on capital. Aside from the animals' durable capital, circulating
capital is required to fulfill current production expenditures.
Investment in livestock boosts farm productivity through (a) increasing
the amount of land that may be used, (b) diversifying the productive
activity on a crop farm, and (c) intensifying, i.e. increasing livestock
value of output and hence total production per hectare of agricultural
land. The latter requires higher labor and/or capital inputs and can be
accomplished by raising stocking rate, improving yield per head of cattle,
or switching to a more intensive production method. Because there is so
little useable land left, the potential for expanding production onto
undeveloped, virgin ground is restricted. In pastoral systems, there is
also limited room for boosting stocking rates since pastoralists already
make good use of available pasture.
