Technological Need Assessment and Capacity Building of Farm Women in Livestock Rearing

It has been reflected that women farmers are engaged in the livestock rearing for additional income generation for their family. They provide 60 percent of the livestock farming labour. Contribution of woman folk in dairy production system, like in all other land-related activities, is enormous. She harvests fodder-yielding crops and gather fodder and bedding material from the forest areas, make hay and stack it, feed and look after the animals, cleans animal shed, milks the animal, processes and markets the milk, and does almost everything relating to smallholder dairy farming. Men’s role in dairy is limited. He participates only in the marketing of milk, looking after grazing and sick animals, and in providing service to dairy animals. Although much of work of livestock farming is carried out by women, they have very limited knowledge about new technologies which can enhance their knowledge, skills, practices and income. Most of extension programme are designed and implemented with an assumption that all farm managers and decision makers are men. Although the contribution of women farmer is higher in livestock rearing but with traditional practices and poor knowledge base, they are not able to manage their animals properly. Hence, the present study has been initiated with the following objectives: To explore the technological needs of women farmers related to livestock rearing practices To organize capacity building programmes for empowering farm women in livestock rearing practices