The presentation shares the experience in developing dairy sector related policy for the state of Assam (India). It’s a short presentation tailored to the audience (Research scholars in social science) and the occasion (A national seminar focusing on Management of Rural Development in India’s North East, organized by Department of Business Administration, Tezpur University )

1. Experiences of Policy development for dairy
sector in Assam
Dr.M.Islam Barbaruah
Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014

2. Assam Dairy Sector : At a glance
• Assam with 70 gm / day ranks 32 out of the 36 Indian states in
terms of per capita milk availability. ( Constant rank ! )
• Per capita milk consumption per day ( State average ) 55 gm
against national average of 247 gm / day and ICMR guideline
of 208 gm per day.
• Livestock population is showing a negative growth-trend for
indigenous cattle, buffalo.
• Productivity of crossbred cattle in the State is 3.68 lit of milk
per animal per day, compared to India’s average of 6.84 lit per
animal, per day.
• Percent cross-bred population is < 5% ( Total 8.25 m)
• Overall approximate cost of production of milk around
Guwahati Rs.12.95 per lit against Indian average of Rs.9.2 per
lit. ( High import dependency for feed and UHT milk )
• >95% milk is traded through informal sector.
• There is 33% increase in price of un-processed livestock
products in Guwahati city (2006, ILRI )
Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014

3. :
GENERATION OF EMPLOYMENT
EMPLOYMENT IN ASSAM’S DAIRY SECTOR –A QUICK
GLANCE TO STATISTICS. ( 1999-00 Computed from unit level NSSO)
Rural Urban All Rural(%) Urban(%)
35000 27000 62000 57 43
Scheduled
Caste
Scheduled
Tribes
Other
Backward
classes
Others
8.9 9.2 26.6 55.3
% DISTRIBUTION ACROSS SOCIAL GROUP

4. Where are we?
Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014

5. The Vision
Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014

6. The priority issues :
• Breed development vis a vis Importation of cattle /
semen.
• Streamlining of unorganized sector (Creating demand
for local milk and milk products ! ).
• Credit flow vis a vis sustainability of enterprises within
the value chain.
• Decreasing population vis a vis illegal trade of
productive dairy animals.
• Feed resource availability vis a vis market
competitiveness of local enterprises.
• Availability of Technical / Supervisory manpower.
• Veterinary Service delivery and Public health.
Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014

7. Example of debate on Service delivery:
The 5 A’s of Service Delivery vis a vis The last mile problem
• Availability
• Accessibility
• Acceptability
• Adequacy
• Affordability
Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014

8. Example of debate on Public Health
• Control of contagious and Zoonotic diseases
• Nutrition.
• Food Safety
• Drug Resistance
• Animal Welfare
Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014

9. Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014
Key drawback of Policy development in NER of India

10. Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014

11. The Managerial perspective for change in
Dairy Sector :
• Leadership ( e.g. Visioning, Stakeholder
engagement, Policy & Planning )
• Development Project Management ( The
complete cycle ! )
• Agriculture Public Expenditure Review.
• Cost and trade competitiveness analysis.
• Demand and Supply analysis.
• Entrepreneurship analysis.
Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014

12. Country level Landscape of use of some policy tools
Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014
Policy Tools Observed use of tools
India
( study states only)
Bangladesh Nepal
Decentralization* Yes Yes Yes
Cost recovery of animal health services** Yes No Yes
Support to vocational skill training in animal health care Yes ( Preliminary ) Yes (Preliminary ) Yes
Subcontracting of services to private. No*** No Yes
Subsidies to private service providers Yes**** No Yes
Recognition of Community Animal Health Workers Not used Not used Used
Support to Membership based organizations for service infrastructure
development / delivery
Limited use Limited use Limited use
Direct subsidies to livestock farmers for animal health
(E.g. voucher etc.)
No used Not used Not used
Direct subsidies on veterinary drugs ( Free distribution) Limited use ( To poor
families)
Limited use (To poor
families )
Limited use ( To poor
families )
Direct subsidies on veterinary vaccines ( Free distribution) Used for scheduled
diseases during mass
vaccination
Used for scheduled
diseases during mass
vaccination
Used for scheduled
diseases during mass
vaccination.
Joint human –animal health system Not tested Not tested Not tested
Source: M I Barbaruah (2014)

13. Managing Rural Development in North East
India: Perspective, Policies and Experiences
Tezpur, Nov 7-8, 2014
E-mail:
drbarbaruah@gmail.com
Miftahul.barbaruah@vethelplineindia.co.in
Web:
www.vethelplineindia.co.in