Pig farming enhance the livelihood of Socio-economically backward families in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

The Indian livestock provides 7.70 million tonnes of meat in a year1 and average per capita availability of meat is still merely 3 kg against the recommended levels of 11 kg meat per annum2. As a result, half of all mothers and their children in these areas were undernourished2. Rapidly expanding human population also pressure us towards increase meat production. Therefore, Sustainable development in agriculture and other allied sectors like low invest and least maintenance pig farming is one of the best solution and profitable business ideas for them. So, Present study has been carried out to assess the economic contribution of backyard piggery in the livelihood security of socio-economic backward families in Tamil Nadu, India. Observation and personal interaction were done from four districts having highest pig population districts of Tamil Nadu covering a total of 240 piggery farmers by cluster and multistage random sampling. A total of 2455 animals were covered under study. Majority of them were marginal land holders having average of less than 0.7 ha of land. We estimated the average annual income from pig farming was ₹21,435 and Percent contribution of pig farming to total annual household income per family 31.25%.