1. ELKS Enhancing livelihoods through livestock knowledge systems Knowledge Management for: “Effective Service Delivery for Increasing Benefits from Pig Rearing in the North East” VALUE ADDITION TO THE TRADITIONAL PIG REARING PRACTICES-AN EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOOD FOR FLOOD AFFECTED POPULATION IN DHEMAJI By: Rural Volunteers Centre, Akajan Gowahati, 7-9 April 2010

3. Direct implementation, action research, advocacy

4. Organisational mandate and mission:- The vision statement of organization – “An epidemic free just society with appropriate technology and self-reliance.”

5. Mission statements- Mission statement III:Appropriation of rural technologies and practices through participation of the community to ensure better and secured living opportunity.

7. Rabi crop was in practice in these families

8. Migration of male family members

9. Feasible livelihood options for the female members- weaving and livestock rearing (40% family income supported from these sources)

11. Geographical Areas of Intervention: 26 villages on the embankment of river Brahmaputra since 2000 of Sisiborgaon development block under Dhemaji district

12. Objective of the intervention: Promotion of pig rearing as an effective alternative livelihood for the marginalized farm families to support 80% of the total family income.

13. Funding:- Action Aid India, DRDA-Dhemaji, Oxfam, IGSS

15. Actors/ service providers ( secondary beneficiaries/stakeholders):- GaonBikashKcbang (GBK), KiniKcbang, Women SHGs, AMAR BAZAR, Paravet, Deptt of Animal Husbandry-Dhemaji

17. Piglet support and training to the selected women SHG members through GBK, vaccinated with the help of the Paravets and monitoring by SHG, GBK, RVC

18. The equal amount of money refunded to the GBK within one year through the SHG

19. The GBK supports another families (including non-SHG poor and marginalized women and disables ) with the piglets from this refunded money and the loan is refunded to the GBK in terms of piglet within the stipulated time.

20. Provisioning of high yielding service boars to selected SHGs, the boar provides service at the cost of nominal rate.

21. Development of model farm

23. Farmer/community organisation level:- Engagement of the women SHGs in the productive activities, the rearing and marketing methods of the pigs are improved through scientific interventions (vaccination, cross breeding, captive rearing, improvement of feed, development of proper market linkage and marketing skill)

25. Efficiency/Effectiveness of (district )services :-Promotion of paravets, mobilizing the extension services

26. Institutional strengthening :-KiniKcebang, GBK, AmarBazar, Central Amarbazar Training cum Production centre

27. Economic benefits for end –beneficiaries:- 60% of the family income supported by pig rearing

28. Sustainability & replicability of scheme:-100% of the system is now run by the community by their own, the model is adapted by other organizations

29. Animal production aspects:-

30. Pig production has increased from 1886 to 24000 per year

31. In breeding percentage <10%

32. Piglet production per sow increased from 10-12 to 14-18 per year

33. Meat production rate has increased by 35%

34. Cost : Benefit=1:1.92 in case of fattening

36. Organisational level:- Recurring flood, displacement and taboos at community level, fund mobilization

37. Stakeholder cooperation:- The renovation of the traditional Kcbang system, intervention of the market promoted middleman, no provision for livestock insurance, no bank initiatives

38. Household/ farmer/ community level:- Migration of the male members, shade for the pig, hygiene, storage of vaccine

40. Approach used:- The community acceptance was a major factor which was supported by the traditional skills, cultural coherence, available market

41. Institutional/organisational aspects :-Integration of pig rearing to different IFS models for optimizing the benefit

42. Animal production/marketing :-Market linkage of the production is one of the key factor for ensuring good return to the primary producer.