Sanjeev Kumar, founder of The Goat Trust (Lucknow) and Ashoka Fellow, spoke at the STARS Forum 7th Annual National Conference in Sidhbari. In his presentation he gives a very detailed insight into the opportunities presented through goat rearing especially for the rural poor. The challenges involved and some solutions to address these are also covered.

1. Sanjeev Kumar
Founder & Advisor – The Goat Trust
Ashoka Fellow

2. WELCOME
WELCOME
“ Nurturing Lives & Livelihoods”

3. Presentation Outline
Goat farming & Rural Entrepreneurship- Present
Challenges for bottom of pyramid ?
Goat as business and livelihoods : Strength and
weakness
Emerging business opportunities in goat value chain
Basic problems & What we need to do
Key concepts of The Goat Trust
Learning of The Goat Trust & Recommendations

4. Goat and Livelihood
Goat farming : National
Perspectives
Poor man’s cow
ATM ()
Walking Crops
-Moving refrigerator
Bank on hooves
Poor Man’s insurance
Debt Repayer


5. Goat Density in India

6. Economic status
Social caste
High Medium Low
Schedule caste &
Tribe
Cross bred cows,
High yield buffaloes
Cows, Buffaloes,
Goats
Goats, backyard
Poultry, Pig
OBCs Cross bred cows,
High yield buffaloes
Cows & Buffaloes ,
Sheep
Sheep, Goats,
Backyard Poultry
General Cross bred cows,
High yield buffaloes
Cows & Buffaloes Desi cows, Goats
M
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S
T
R
E
A
M
F
O
C
U
S

8. Goat and its role in livelihoods : Some misconceptions
Goats & Household Nutrition
Goats & Dry land farming
Goat & Weed management/Forest fire
Goat & waste land Manuring
Goat farmers role in tree plantation
Goats & Women led livelihoods

9. World ‘s poor people consume more goat milk than any other milk – FAO
Case documented by The Goat Trust – 5.5 liters per day milk

10. Major problems and solutions Tested –
Problems (effect) Cause Solutions tested out
High
mortality/morbidity
Financial and non financial
constraints to adopt improved
practices, Less accessibility to
first aid services and
Knowledge
Village based trained women
(called Pashu Sakhi) to enhance
best practices /knowledge,
provide first aid services and
regular training & monitoring ,
Community Insurance
Genetic degradation/
Low quality of goats
Least focus on Improved buck
breeding in goats
Awareness and creation of paid
service providers , Selective kids
nursery
Feed scarcity and
seasonal stress
Low awareness on alternative
feed and non existence of
fodder cultivation &
preservation
PRA based analysis of feed
seasonality, kidding seasonality
and disease analysis and develop
a short and long term plan
Low share of producers
in consumer level meat
price growth
Absence of transparent system of
price estimation of goats . Skewed
information exchanges
Live body weight based price
estimation , We based marketing
(Pashubajaar.com)

11. Our model for improved practices extension & first aid services –
small ruminants

12. Emerging business opportunities
Goat Kids/Lamb Nursery – Serves three purpose of high FCR,
breed conservation and semi stall fed production
Breed goat/buck farms – Supply of quality goats/high
genetic worth livestock
 Live body weight pricing & Marketing
Livestock financial services and linkages
Livestock Input shop and basic services
Value added products and value chain employment
Milk – Cheese , Paneer, soaps, Ice cream & beauty products
Meat – Organic meat, hygiene & quality grading, processed
products
Skin – Value added products
 Hair – Value added products

18. Value Additions
Goat Milk soap
Goat Milk cheese

20. Graduating Pashu Sakhies –Over 3000 now

21. The essence/Principles of The Goat Trust led model
Facilitating community led support system development Not
distributing goat as assets first
Focus on replacement of low quality goats with productive goats
Facilitate PRA based problem analysis (Feed, disease/kidding
seasonality) before making Goat rearers Group (GRG)
Starting from what fits livelihood basket not imposing a unit size
Role of women in non traditional area of animal health
management (Livestock Nurse concept)
Community based insurance to demystify insurance process and
create accountability
Enhancing efficiency of existing market players through use of
technology and process not replacing them (Key identified area
for goat market facilitation - Transparency in Market valuation
(Live body weight pricing mechanism) & building Information
Exchange platform, Value addition of goat manure, hygienic and
chemicals free egg meat supply chain development
Strengthen community based goat financing and insurance system
– major concepts : Mutuals, micro leasing & Livestock Credit card

22. Potentials
For every 3- 500 goats or 50 -100 goat farmers we require
one input and service provider like Pashu Sakhi
If we clusterise goat activity between, remote villages with
significant grazing land, Normal villages and peri urban
villages, we can promote livelihoods through rearing at
various stages of bucks and goats
For every 1000 goats we require a trader on sustainable
basis
One input shop with feed, fodder seeds, herbal and
ayurvedic medicines and first aid health care services can
sustain for every 200 goat/small livestock farmers
Goat milk can be best source of nutrition to children and
HH if we focus our program on proper services and
improved management

23. The woods are lovely, dark
and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I
sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep
Robert Frost .
Thanks