Constraints Limiting the Livestock Productivity of Tribal Community in High Rain Coastal Region of India

A field survey was undertaken in west coastal farming area, Chikhli taluka of Navsai district of south Gujarat to study the constraints faced by tribal dairy farmers. 15 Villages were selected from the said taluka through two stage random sampling. Maximum farmers (52.0 %) of this area were less educated (less than class 7) belonged to old age (69.33% above 40 years) category having medium size family (6-10 members). Majority of them have marginal land holding (88.66%) keeping herd size of less than six animals. Majority of the respondents in survey area were deprived and the major constraints observed with respect to housing, feeding, breeding and milking management practices were lack of own capital (31.18%), high cost of feed (27.71%), incidence of repeat breeding (21.90%) and non-remunerative price of milk (38.2%). The poor economic status, low production of animals observed in this finding caused development failure of the farmers of the area. Furthermore, the common constraints like incidence of mastitis in crossbred cow (24.09%), use of unbalanced ration (22.22%), belief that rectal palpation is harmful (6.19%), inadequate knowledge of diseases (19.55%) and their management deteriorates the condition. The constraints observed in this study serve as preface for systematic dairy development and intervention strategies to raise the economic condition of tribal farmers especially the young generation who are shifting to urban area for jobs.