After scripting a success story in facilitating a profitable farmer producer company among rural women in the livestock sector of Kannur district, the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) is preparing to replicate the model in other parts of the State.
The varsity has associated itself with the first livestock-based farmer producer company in Kannur, launched by the district Kudumbasree Mission last year under its “Samagra goat village” scheme to ensure the sustainability of its members through innovative techniques to face the market challenge and create a space and identity in the market.
The Directorate of Entrepreneurship of the university had organised a survey last year regarding areas of intervention required for scientific goat farming among rural women self-help groups.
“Following the survey and capacity building programmes, the university is intervening in different areas of goat production including breeding, feeding, management, disease control and marketing,” T. P. Sethumadhavan, the Director of Entrepreneurship of KVASU, said.
Separate groups were trained so as to provide timely support to the clusters of goat-based commodity interest groups of Kannur Goat Producers Company, Deepa Ananth, the principal investigator of the project, said.
“The company has so far been able to organise three goat markets. It has 800 women goat farmers now, and each member gets an average income of Rs.60,00 a year,” she said .
“We are planning to replicate this model in appropriate areas across the State. Dairy-based commodity interest groups will soon be established in Idukki district to support the women self-help groups involved in dairying,” Mr. Sethumadhavan said.
Varsity supports farmer producer company among rural women in Kannur
