Address Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam during the Concluding session of ANA World Conference on “Animal Nutrition-Preparedness to combat Challenges”,
Integrated Rural Development: Mission
I am delighted to participate in the concluding session of Animal Nutrition World Conference. My greetings to Agricultural Scientists, Veterinarians, Science planners, Science administrators and distinguished Guests. The food-feed systems world over are facing biotic and abiotic challenges to the international commitment of a world without hunger and poverty. Most poor people live in rural areas of developing countries and are dependent on mixed crop-livestock farming system for their livelihood. I am convinced that livestock sector world over offer unprecedented opportunities for human development through poverty reduction and enhanced nutritional security. Feed is one of the most important inputs that influence productivity of animals and accounts for major portion of the recurring cost of any livestock operation. A critical and integrated analysis of the future challenges to meet the ever increasing demand of animal products in the wake of climate change, depletion of natural and energy resource base (arable land, water, fossil fuel) and heightened food safety concerns will be crucial for strategic research and development priorities that primarily benefit the needy and small holder farmers. When designing effective strategies and interventions for accelerated hunger reduction, we must also look not only to lessons from past experience but also to new challenges. In this context, the present conference on Animal Nutrition: Preparedness to Combat Challenges is timely and befitting. When I am in the midst of this audience, I would like to talk on the topic “Integrated Rural Development: Mission ”.
Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF) Model for Tribal Rehabilitation & Dry Regions
I have witnessed the integrated village cluster development programme during my visit with Dr. Narayan G Hegde, an IIM graduate who is an expert in farming and Dairying, to the two village clusters of south Gujarat - Chonda and Lachakadi which has a population of over 5000. From these villages every summer the tribal people migrate to nearby towns. The BAIF model was installed in these two villages with peoples' co-operation and the participation of state authorities. Firstly water harvesting was undertaken to get water for every individual. Every home was provided with livestock and also a market for milk. Simultaneously, fruit orchards were established with various fruit crops such as cashew and mangoes, which are tolerant to drought. When I visited, these villages, there was a connecting road and water ponds. Also, BAIF had organized growing of quality fodder for the dairy animals. The tribal population, with radiant smiles on their faces, was harvesting crops, packaging and carrying milk to different supply points. I had seen in real time, the economic growth and prosperity of the tribal people, which has been facilitated by BAIF with people's participation. I understand that this model – Vadi (Orchard) has now been replicated in many places by the state governments of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttaranchal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal covering over 47,000 villages. The prosperity has spread to over 2.5 million families. Self employment has been created for over one million unemployed youth.
Dairy Husbandry: I would like to talk about that the dairy practices of BAIF particularly for fodder production for high yield breeds of milch animals. About 28% of the forage comes from cultivated fodder. Most of the fodder crops are selected for high yielding which naturally demand assured source of irrigation and high external inputs for nutritional supplementation and plant protection. Thus the farmers prefer to grow high value food and cash crops, instead of expanding the areas under fodder cultivation. Therefore, there is a need for focusing fodder production on marginal and arid lands, apart from continuing to breed high yielding varieties. We need to change our focus on breeding fodder varieties which can perform well on inferior quality lands. I am sure the scientific community assembled here is sensitive to the needs of the marginal farmers in different countries.
16/Feb/2009 : New Delhi
Address of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam during the inauguration of 37th Dairy Industry Conference of Indian Dairy Association at Panjim
National Milk Mission and Timely Economic Prosperity of the Nation
Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF) Model for Tribal Rehabilitation & Dry Regions I have witnessed the integrated village cluster development programme during my visit with Dr. Narayan G Hegde, an IIM graduate who is an expert in farming and Dairying. The two village clusters of south Gujarat - Chonda and Lachakadi had a population of 5000. From these villages every summer the tribal people migrate to nearby towns. The BAIF model was installed in these two villages with peoples' co-operation and the participation of state authorities. Firstly water harvesting was undertaken to get water for every individual. Every home was provided with livestock and also a market for milk. Simultaneously, fruit orchards were established with various fruit crops such as cashew and mangoes, which are tolerant to drought. When I visited, these villages, there was a connecting road and water ponds. The tribal population, with radiant smiles on their faces, was harvesting crops, packaging and carrying milk to different supply points. I happened to see the economic growth and prosperity of the tribal people, which has been facilitated by BAIF with people's participation. I understand that this model – Vadi (Orchard) has now been replicated in many places by the state governments of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttaranchal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal covering over 47,000 villages. The prosperity has spread to over 2.5 million families. Self employment has been created for over one million unemployed youth.
Dairy Husbandry: Since, I am with the dairy community; I would like to talk about that the dairy practices of BAIF. They have carried out promotion of dairy husbandry through upgradation of low productive non-descript cattle on priority basis as most of the villagers owned a few cattle and the programme ensured techno-economic viability and prosperity for small farmers. BAIF members demonstrated the feasibility of producing high yielding cows by breeding uneconomic nondescript cattle with exotic dairy breeds while conserving the elite native breeds. Unemployed local youth were trained to undertake livestock breeding, pregnancy diagnosis, disease prevention vaccinations, primary health care, forage production, feeding and other technical aspects of livestock development in rural areas, assigning 12-15 villages for each Para Veterinary assistant. This programme has enabled needy farmers to regain their confidence and produce good quality cattle. Door to door service has helped them to avail of timely services and to develop confidence in technology adoption. This programme has also conserved community pastures and forests and promoted organic farming, women empowerment and nutritional security through easy supply of milk and enhanced agricultural production.
BAIF has nearly 1850 cattle breeding centres which they proposed to increase to 5000 in the next three years. The whole country will need over 30,000 cattle breeding centres, so that we can generate the cattle needed by 50 million families. This will need replication of BAIF type organisation in different parts of the country and simultaneously, providing additional input to BAIF, so that they can train and empower the locals to undertake the tasks involved in cattle breeding, cattle care, milk processing and marketing. Indian Dairy Association has to work with such a target which will enable generation of 2 million jobs in the rural sector, promote organic farming improve the environment and facilitate availability of milk which could be exported by our farmers. The aim should be to export at least 5% of the global demand by the end of 11th plan period year 2012.
