Adoption of Scientific Dairy Farming Practices: Maldhari Farmers Saurashra Region

The dairy farming plays a pivotal role in the economy of our country. It helps in augmenting food supply, generating employment and raising nutritional level. The major advantage of dairy farming is its minimum land dependency and resource flexibility. It is a major source of income to major segment for rural betterment in small and marginal farmers, at the same time it is also characterized with high risk and uncertainty. Therefore, use of modern inputs and adoption of new technology of animal husbandry are undoubtedly more important in increasing dairy farm productivity. In Gujarat livestock rearing is predominantly done by Maldhari community. Gujarat has a population of around 6.3 crore people. More than 10 per cent of its population belongs to the maldhari community. Maldharis derive their livelihood mainly from livestock rearing. The sale of milk and milk products has been always the mainstay of their economy. Their domestic livestock comprised of mainly buffaloes and cows. Inadequate knowledge of modern dairy practices and marketing facilities deteriorates the socio-economic conditions of the maldharis.