Models for dairy-based livelihood improvement
in Uttrakhand, India: Lessons from ILRI
V. Padmakumar, C. T. Chacko, and Thanammal Ravichandran
Policy dialogue on mainstreaming models for dairy-based livelihood
improvement in Uttrakhand, Dehradun, India, 19 December 2014

Dehradun, 19th December 2014
ELKS TATA-ILRI Partnership Programme
Prospects of wheat in enhancing fodder availability during scarcity period in Uttarakhand
V Padmakumar
International Livestock Research Institute

MONSOON WINTER SUMMER
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jan-Apr
ACUTE SHORTAGE
(Quantity)
Surplus Lean
Forest leaves (cut & fed)**
Grass stored as dry*
Crop residue (paddy)
Crop residue (wheat)
Burnt
* Grass protected from Jun-Sep. Harvetested after maturity (busy with agrl in Oct)
** No storage
THE PROBLEM
UTILISATION
Fodder from Van Panchayat (NREGA)

WHEAT
•Variety: Local
•Duration: 180 days
•Sowing: Oct end-Mid Nov
•Harvest: May/June
•Yield: 5.46 t/ha (grain); 4.78 t/ha (straw)
HOW IT WAS ADDRESSED

Dual purpose wheat trial
Location: Thaeli 975m AMSL (Tehri) and Kothera 1500m AMSL (Pithoragarh)
Varieties: Two (local and improved/VL829
Treatments: Four with berseem (sown with wheat) + Four without berseem
(1) no fodder cut; no fertilizer
(2) fodder cut at 79/85 DAS; no fertiliser
(3) fodder cut at 79/85 DAS with 100 kg urea (46 kg N) /ha after the cut
(4) fodder cut at 79 /85 DAS with 6 MT FYM /ha after the cut
Replication: Four
Design: CRBD

Dual purpose wheat trial – Results (Tehri)
Local
VL829
Probability (P)
LSD
Fodder
yield (t/ha)*
1.73
2.75
2.24
0.0031
0.65
3.95
4.47
4.21
0.21
3.11
3.83
3.47
0.88
Overall mean
Grain yield
(t/ha)*
Straw yield
(t/ha)*
* Across all (6x4=24) treatments
If P< 0.05, significant at 5% level of significance; P>0.05, NS
Analysis: GLM procedure using SAS (9.2) software
•Between varieties there is
significant difference in fodder
yield (VL829 better)
•Difference is NS for grain and
straw yield
Fodder
(t/ha)
Grain
(t/ha)
Straw
(t/ha)
VL829
(with berseem)
3.20 5.32 3.70
Local
(with urea)
1.88 4.6 3.18
THE IMPACT

•Harvested fodder @ 320 kg/0.1 ha
(3.2 t/ha) – could feed a cow for one
month during acute shortage
•600 new farmers started the
practice in 2012
•In 2013, 8 quintals and 2014 10
quintals of dual purpose variety
seeds (for Rabi)
Promotion of dual purpose wheat

POLICY SUGGESTION
If all wheat farmers in Uttarakhand cultivate the dual purpose variety and follow the
thinning practice:
→ 7.4 lakh tones additional green fodder during scarcity
→ 11840 lakh MJ of metabolisable energy
→ 2.37 lakh tons of additional milk
→ Rs 59,200 lakh
•Government (Dept. of Agriculture) in collaboration with NGOs, through
incentive schemes, promote farmers to produce seeds of dual purpose
wheat variety for sale
•Broader communication strategy (print, radio, TV) and funds to popularise
the technology among large number of farmers in the state
Good example of crop livestock integration

The problem
1. Acute scarcity of
green fodder from
Jan-Apr
How addressed
1. Trial on dual purpose
wheat in Tehri and
Pithoragrah
2. Supply of seeds of
dual purpose variety
3. Promotional events
Impact
1. Harvested 3.2 tons
of green fodder/ha
without yield penalty
(fodder @ 320 kg/0.1
ha could feed a cow
for one month during
acute shortage)
2. 600 new farmers
started the practice in
2012
3. In 2013, 8 quintals
and 2014 ten quintals
of dual purpose
variety seeds supplied
(for Rabi)
Policy suggestions
1. Government (Agrl.
dept.) incentivize seed
production of dual
purpose wheat variety
2. Wider
communication to
popularise the
technology
Wheat as dual purpose crop to address green fodder shortage in winter

ELKS TATA-ILRI Partnership Programme
APAHC service delivery model in the remote hills of Uttarakhand
Dr C T Chacko
Consultant, ILRI

• No/low access to quality breeding and animal
health services in remote hilly villages
-AI services do not extend much beyond the
plain areas
The problem

• Local men selected as AI and Preventive
Animal Health Care (APAHC) workers
• Basic training by ULDB & successful candidates
issued with certificates
• ULDB provided AI & other equipment for AI
and basic animal health services
• Refresher trainings were given by ULDB, Him-
motthan Society and ILRI
• Incentive (Rs 2000/m) for the first 3 year,
charge farmers thereafter (business model)
How it was addressed

Impact
• 16 APAHC workers in the project area - 200 villages in
Chamoli, Tehri, Nainital, Pithoragarh and Bhageshwar
• Availability of AI and minor health care services at the
doorstep of farmers at reasonable rate
• Average 80 AI/month - 960/year
• The livestock keepers report confidence in the APAHC
workers

THE IMPACT (Cont)
Year 5 year 6
APAHC workers 16
AI/m 1280 1408
AI/yr 15360 16896
Calves born 9216 10138
Successful cows 3917 4308
Additional milk got /yr (tons) 3917 4308
Additional income/yr (Rs mio) 117.5 246.8
AI/m year 2, 110% of yr 1, AI/month 80; Calving rate 60%;
Successful cows 85% ; Additional kg milk/yr, 1000; Value of 1 kg
milk Rs 30

POLICY SUGGESTIONS
• Government (AHD+ULDB) in collaboration
with NGOs may expand the APAHC model
to more villages with similar conditions
• Nearest local veterinarians may be advised
to provide technical backstopping support
to the APAHC workers and use them for
field activities
• Budgetary provision for mobility support to
APAHC workers in remote locations

The problem
1. Poor access to
quality breeding
and animal health
services in remote
villages
How addressed
1. Local men selected as
AI and Preventive
Animal Health Care
(APAHC) workers
2. ULDB, ILRI and HM
provided training
3. ULDB provided AI &
other equipment for AI
4. Incentive to APAHC
workers for 3 years
5. Year 4 onwards the
APAHC workers sustain
by charging the services
(PPP business self
sustaining model)
Impact
1. 16 APAHC workers
in 200 villages provide
AI & attend to
preventive health care
services in remote
areas
2. APAHC workers –
accessability,
affordability, timely
and at doorstep
3. Farmers shown
confidence in the
APAHC workers
Policy suggestions
1. Government
(AHD+ULDB) in
collaboration with
NGOs may expand the
APAHC model to all
inaccessible villages
2. Nearest local
veterinarians may be
advised to provide
technical backstopping
support to the APAHC
workers on a regular
basis and use them for
field activities
3. Budgetary provision
for mobility support to
APAHC workers in
remote locations
Livestock service delivery model in the remote hills of Uttarakhand

IFAD-ILRI Partnership Programme
‘Innovation platform’ for institutional strengthening
and productivity enhancement

The problem
1. Lack of
coordinated and
integrated
approach results
in inefficiency and
productivity lapses
in the dairy sector
How addressed
1. Created multi
stakeholder Innovation
Platforms’ (IP) at
different levels to
jointly identify and
address issues related
to dairying
2. Started addressing
feed and market related
issues as entry point
activities
Impact
1. IPs brought the
service providers
(NABARD, AHD, ILSP,
KVK, feed suppliers)
closer to people
/farmers
2. Feed utilisation and
therefore productivity
enhanced
3. Income from sale of
milk significantly
increased
Policy suggestions
1. Government may
introduce the IP
approach in
identifying dairy based
issues and developing
joint solutions
2. Regional
stakeholder platform
can be formed
Actively participate in
district and state level
IP meetings and
review the IP functions
and results on a
regular basis
3. Make IP approach
as a prerequisite for
dairy based funding
Innovation platforms for institutional strengthening and dairy productivity