By Our Reporter
SHILLONG:Emerging as one of the solutions to solve the problem of unemployment in the state, the livestock sector has proved significant with round the year employment generation particularly in rural areas.
This provides subsidiary source of livelihood to the people living below the poverty line due to lack of sufficient agricultural land to sustain, particularly in the drought- prone, hilly, tribal and other remote areas where crop production on its own may not be capable of engaging them fully.
Among the various livestock species, piggery is slowly but steadily emerging as a great source of livelihood for the younger generation in the state of Meghalaya with many taking to the profession because of the handsome returns which come from its practice.
“Starting from a scratch almost two years back, today I can see the dividends coming out of the livestock farming like piggery”, said Bantei Dor Dkhar, a young man from Mawblei who has taken to piggery farming in a comprehensive manner.
Dkhar explained that having a piggery farm for almost two years now is hectic activity, right from preparing feeds for the seven pigs that are in his possession, to cleaning them and maintaining a total clean atmosphere. “But at the end of the day, the result is always sweet”, he said.
Selling the piglets at the price of rupees three thousand Bantei Dor Dkhar also follows strict scientific practices to rear the pigs as was received through the training which he received at the piggery farm at Kyrdemkulai, Ri Bhoi District under the aegis of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department.
Interestingly, pig farming set up by Bantei Dor Dkhar has provided employment opportunities to seasonally employed rural farmers and supplementary income to improve their living standards.
Commenting on Dkhar’s profession and success, district animal husbandry & veterinary officer of East Khasi Hills District Dr W PapangDr Papang said young guys like Bantei Dor Dkhar are acutely aware by market demand that Pork is most nutritious with high fat and low water content and has got better energy value than that of other meats.
She also informed that schemes to popularize the scientific pig breeding cum rearing of meat producing animals with adequate financial provisions have been taken up to modernize the local pig industry and to improve the productivity of small sized rural pig farms.
The challenges faced by the state in securing the food as well as nutritional security to fast growing population need an integrated approach for livestock farming.
In accordance with this need, a slow but sure realization is felt among the educated but unemployed youth of the state who shifted to livestock farming to support and supplement their income and improve their living standards