Intensification of agricultural activities through enhanced productivity and efficient
resource use is the only option available as competition for land and water is
increasing from non-farm sectors. In other words, more production is needed with
reduced natural resources under a variable climate. India also needs to take steps
towards a carbon and energy efficient economy. All this calls for a Climate Resilient
Agriculture (CRA) leading to sustainable food security through integrating innovations, technologies, efficient resource use, sound public policies, establishment of
new institutions, and development of infrastructure. The Indian agricultural production system faces the daunting task of having to feed 17.5 % of the global
population with only 2.4 % of land and 4 % of the water resources at its disposal.
With the continuously degrading natural resource base compounded further by
global warming and associated climate changes resulting in increased frequency
and intensity of extreme weather events, “business as usual” approach will not be
able to ensure food and nutrition security to the vast population as well as environmental security (the need of the hour). The challenge is formidable because
more has to be produced with reduced carbon and water footprints.
9 Scope of Indian Dairy
The economic development of the country is largely linked with its rural development because majority of her population live in the villages. The rural people
depends directly or indirectly on agriculture for live hood. The growth strategy, as
recommended by the National Commission on Agriculture (1976) in its report,
seeks to reserve a major share of the dairy industry for the weaker of farmers and to
adopt an integrated area development approach mainly based on a system of producers’ co-operatives. The All India Rural Credit Review Committee has also
emphasized the need for providing subsidiary occupations to the peasants. Hence,
the governments through the Departments of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
have to encourage subsidiary and allied occupations to agriculture like dairy,
fishery, poultry, sheep-rearing, etc. A dairy industry is a sub-sector of agriculture
economy of India is most important.
Animal Husbandry and Dairying may be regarded as a source to create the
employment in rural areas all round the year. Indian Agriculture is mainly
dependent on the monsoon and hence agriculture field faces certain bottlenecks to
provide employment during such periods. On an average Agriculture sector may
provide 200 days employment to the rural persons. This means they have to find
alternate source of employment for income during the rest of the year. Dairy
farming, sheep and goat rearing, poultry production, pig farming, rabbit rearing are
the alternate sources of mixed farming. It may be possible to generate the
employment for the farmers as well as landless labourers who can do this job
themselves, or it may be possible to employ young and the old family persons as a
side business. Many of the operations in Animal Husbandry and Poultry Farming
can be done by the rural women. It is estimated that on an average 35 million
Climate Change and Its Impact on Milk Production in India
541
resource use is the only option available as competition for land and water is
increasing from non-farm sectors. In other words, more production is needed with
reduced natural resources under a variable climate. India also needs to take steps
towards a carbon and energy efficient economy. All this calls for a Climate Resilient
Agriculture (CRA) leading to sustainable food security through integrating innovations, technologies, efficient resource use, sound public policies, establishment of
new institutions, and development of infrastructure. The Indian agricultural production system faces the daunting task of having to feed 17.5 % of the global
population with only 2.4 % of land and 4 % of the water resources at its disposal.
With the continuously degrading natural resource base compounded further by
global warming and associated climate changes resulting in increased frequency
and intensity of extreme weather events, “business as usual” approach will not be
able to ensure food and nutrition security to the vast population as well as environmental security (the need of the hour). The challenge is formidable because
more has to be produced with reduced carbon and water footprints.
9 Scope of Indian Dairy
The economic development of the country is largely linked with its rural development because majority of her population live in the villages. The rural people
depends directly or indirectly on agriculture for live hood. The growth strategy, as
recommended by the National Commission on Agriculture (1976) in its report,
seeks to reserve a major share of the dairy industry for the weaker of farmers and to
adopt an integrated area development approach mainly based on a system of producers’ co-operatives. The All India Rural Credit Review Committee has also
emphasized the need for providing subsidiary occupations to the peasants. Hence,
the governments through the Departments of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
have to encourage subsidiary and allied occupations to agriculture like dairy,
fishery, poultry, sheep-rearing, etc. A dairy industry is a sub-sector of agriculture
economy of India is most important.
Animal Husbandry and Dairying may be regarded as a source to create the
employment in rural areas all round the year. Indian Agriculture is mainly
dependent on the monsoon and hence agriculture field faces certain bottlenecks to
provide employment during such periods. On an average Agriculture sector may
provide 200 days employment to the rural persons. This means they have to find
alternate source of employment for income during the rest of the year. Dairy
farming, sheep and goat rearing, poultry production, pig farming, rabbit rearing are
the alternate sources of mixed farming. It may be possible to generate the
employment for the farmers as well as landless labourers who can do this job
themselves, or it may be possible to employ young and the old family persons as a
side business. Many of the operations in Animal Husbandry and Poultry Farming
can be done by the rural women. It is estimated that on an average 35 million
Climate Change and Its Impact on Milk Production in India
541