~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Second FAO Electronic Conference on Tropical Feeds Livestock Feed Resources within Integrated Farming Systems ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Abstract of the thirty first paper, from D.V. Rangnekar. Questions that might stimulate discussion on this topic include: 1. In both case studies described in this paper, protein (or nitrogen) appears to be one of the major limiting factors for increasing livestock production. If this is the case in your area, how do you address this problem? 2. Further integration between livestock and crop production is advocated in this paper. Do you feel that this is also needed in your area and what are the existing mechanisms for achieving this? 3. How have participatory and system approaches to livestock research, development and extension been addressed in your country? 4. How the BAIF's approach compare to the one used in your country? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CROP-LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN SOME RAIN FED AREAS OF WESTERN INDIA D.V. Rangnekar Baif Development Research Foundation P.B.NO.2030, Asarwa, Ahmedabad - 380016 India E-mail: baif.ahm@lwahm.nandanet.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABSTRACT In India, like many other south and south-east Asian countries, crop-livestock mixed farming is traditional. BAIF is an NGO which has been implementing a large livestock development programme for about three decades and spread over six states in India. Its experience indicates that most of the traditional systems are highly efficient and self-sufficient, and thus are sustainable. The combination of livestock with crop production is an effective risk aversion mechanism, developed out of generations of experience of farmers in rainfed areas. The system is a very good example of recycling of all the products of the farming operations, local material, household waste, etc., with little dependence on outside resources. This is an appropriate and sustainable approach for remote rural areas, where accessibility to outside resources or services is difficult. The system illustrates very well how rural families can match production with resources and available (or unavailable) services and linkages. The paper discusses a few examples of crop-livestock integrated systems from semi-arid and tribal pockets of western India. The studies were carried out in order to understand production systems and to assess the need, priorities and scope for development interventions. In semi-arid regions, the combination of trees, cereal crops, leguminous pulses and oilseeds along with a mix of livestock (cows, buffalo and goats) is common. Each of these is adopted with a multi-purpose objective. Trees provide fruit, fodder and fuel, and some trees improve the soil or serve as a wind break. Crops provide food, fodder and fuel, and leguminous crops improve the soil. Most preferred fodder crops are leguminous species grown in the winter and rotated with cereal crops; thus they provide a much needed protein source for the animals. Livestock are a source of food, fuel, manure, draught power, ready cash in emergency, a movable asset and an investment but with social value. Thus each has multipurpose value but they are usually assessed with a singular approach. In tribal areas, the combinations generally seen are trees, cereal-legume mixed cropping, cows and/or goats and poultry. The paper briefly discusses the outcome of a few studies on farming systems and perceptions of men and women farmers, tribals and agro-pastoralists, carried out in western India. The results indicate that the majority of landowners, irrespective of the community to which they belong, and about half of the landless, own some animals or poultry. During the years when rains fail or in semi-arid/arid areas, income from livestock accounts for about 60% of the farm income. In semi-arid and tribal areas, there is a shift towards small ruminants. In better rainfall areas, there is shift towards buffalo. The majority of tribal families and the underprivileged community in general own poultry which are managed in the traditional backyard system. These families (women) prefer coloured country fowl for specific and logical reasons. Unfortunately there are hardly any development schemes to improve the productivity of small ruminants or country fowl. Support services do not reach many rural areas. The paper cites some examples of indigenous knowledge of farming men and women, gained through generations of experience, in the utilisation of local resources. The farmers prefer varieties of crops which are appropriate for local conditions and provide better quality crop residues. They choose trees which provide leaves as well as flowers and pods for feeding animals. They have identified bushes which have protein-rich leaves. They are aware of aquatic plants, mangroves, salt bushes and weeds which can be fed to different type of animals with beneficial results. In the end, a challenge to scientists is indicated: to develop technologies and recommendations which will improve productivity (not just production of one sub-system) in a sustainable, environment-enriching and energy efficient manner but without competing for human food and, at the same time, benefiting small, underprivileged farmers. Some caution is required: the benefit is not always a straightforward equation of rupees in and rupees out. KEY WORDS: India, integrated systems, livestock, indigenous knowledge, small farmers, arid, semi-arid ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAO ELECTRONIC CONFERENCE: LIVESTOCK FEED RESOURCES WITHIN INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEMS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DISCLAIMER: Neither the conference organizers nor FAO accept any legal responsibility for either the contents of this message or any copyright laws that the person sending this electronic message may have violated. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TO COMMENT: Unless you want to reply only to the person sending this information, please send your comments to the address: TFCONF2-L@MAILSERV.FAO.ORG or TFCONF2-ABS-L@MAILSERV.FAO.ORG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~