Rural Livelihoods and Sustainable Living: Case-23: IMPROVED LIVESTOCK IN LINGOGIPALLE!

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A Case Study of THE ANDHRA PRADESH RURAL LIVELIHOODS PROJECT”

Mr Vipparla Lakshmana Rao is a resident of Lingogipalle village in Cumbum Mandal of Prakasam district. His parents were wage labourers but managed to educate him up to the 10th standard. They were not willing to send him away from home to look for a job because he is their only son. Nobody offered him work as he didn’t have any background in agriculture.  When the APRLP watershed development programme was introduced in Lingogipalle village, Lakshmana Rao who was inspired by Raju the agriparaworker asked the multi-disciplinary team officers if he could train to become a trainer in the village. This would provide him with an income and help him become selfreliant.  The officers agreed and decided to train him to become a veterinary paraworker. The villagers also agreed.

Lakshmana Rao was trained in animal husbandry at Ongole. This 45 day programme taught him all the aspects of first aid, seasonal diseases, how to identify the breeding time of buffaloes, how to recognise highly bred buffaloes, cross-breeding and fodder development etc. All that he learned he in turn taught the villagers at a gram sabha. He prepared a seasonal calendar with help from the villagers. He told them what precautions to take against seasonal diseases. He treated minor ailments with advice from doctors and so earned Rs.10–20 per case. This ensured him his livelihood.

Earlier there was no breeding bull in the village, so the villagers had to take their buffaloes which were on heat to the nearest village that had one. The delay in taking the buffaloes to the bull caused failed crossings.  Each buffalo therefore had to be taken two or three times to the nearby villages, and each time Rs.100 was paid to the owner. Thus the breeding of buffaloes was hampered.

The DWMA gave Lakshmana Rao a Murrah grade breeding bull against a deposit of Rs.2, 000. Lakshmana Rao was able to convince the villagers about the advantages of crossbreeding for improved stock and increased milk production. Thereafter, animals on heat were crossed on time, resulting in a better rate of conception at the first crossing. He charges Rs.50 per crossing per buffalo, which is 50% less than before when villagers took their buffaloes to nearby villages. The cross-breeds thus produced have enhanced the milk production in the locality. Thus the villagers too have benefited along with Lakshmana Rao, who is now assured of a livelihood.

400 calves were born in Lingogipalle village in the past 3 years and of these, 320 are female buffaloes. These calves are healthier and sturdier. People from neighbouring villages have heard about the breeding bull and they too bring their buffaloes to Lingogipalle for breeding. “Another 100 calves have been born in neighboring villages,” says Lakshmana Rao, “In the next two or three years, there will be more milk produced in the village and this will lead to economic development among the villagers.”