NON-FARM AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT

Animal Husbandry and Dairying

Animal Husbandry

Meaning: Animal Husbandry (or Livestock farming) is that branch of agriculture, which is concerned with the breeding, rearing and caring of farm animals.

  • Under livestock farming, cattle, goats and fowls (duck, goose, etc.) are the widely held species.
  • India owns one of the largest livestock populations in the Sheep Rearing is an important Income augmenting activity in rural areas world.
  • Livestock production provides increased stability in income, food security, transport, fuel and nutrition for the family, without disrupting other food-producing activities.
  • The livestock sector provides alternate livelihood options to over 70 million small and marginal farmers, including landless laborers.
  • A significant number of women also find employment in the livestock sector.
  • In India, poultry accounts for the largest share of 58%, followed by others (camels, asses, horses, ponies and mules). Poultry has the largest share of total livestock in India.

Dairying

Meaning: Dairying is that branch of agriculture, which involves breeding, raising and utilization of dairy animals for the production of milk, and the various dairy products processed from it.

  • Dairying is the business of producing, storing and distributing milk and its products.
  • The performance of the Indian dairy sector over the last three decades has been quite impressive.
  • Due to the successful implementation of Operation Flood', India ranks first in the world in milk production. India's milk production increased from 17 million tonnes in 1950-51 to 102.6 million tonnes in 2006-07 and increased to 165.4 million tonnes in 2016-17.
  • Operation Flood (or White Revolution) was started by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1970 under the expert guidance of then-chairperson, Dr. Verghese Kurien. The objective of this program was to create a nationwide milk grid.
    • Under the Operation Flood system, all the farmers pool their milk produce according to different grades and the same is processed and marketed to urban centers through cooperatives. The farmers are assured of a fair price and income.
    • Gujarat state is held as a success story in the efficient implementation of milk cooperatives, which has been followed by many states.
  • Meat, eggs, wool and other by-products are also emerging as important productive sectors for diversification.

Evaluation of Livestock Farming

  1. In terms of numbers, our livestock population is quite impressive. However, its productivity is quite low as compared to other countries.
  2. (ii) There is a need for improved technology and the promotion of good breeds of animals, to enhance productivity.
  3. (ii) Improved veterinary care and credit facilities for small and marginal farmers and landless laborers would enhance sustainable livelihood options through livestock production.

Fisheries

Meaning: Fisheries refer to the occupation devoted to the catching, processing, or selling of fish and other aquatic animals.

Important Points about Fishing

  • Fishing community regards water bodies as 'mother': The water bodies (sea, oceans, rivers, lakes, natural aquatic ponds, streams) are considered as 'mother' or 'provider' as they provide a life-giving source to the fishing community.
  • The volume of Fish Production: Presently, fish production from inland sources contributes shout 64% of the total fish production and the balance of 36% comes from the marine sector (sea and oceans).
  • Share of Fishing in GDP: The total fish production accounts for 0.8% of the total GDP. In India, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are major fish-producing states.
  • Women Participation in Fishing: Even though women are not involved in active fishing, still, 60% of the workforce in export marketing and 40% in internal marketing are women. There is a need to increase credit facilities in the form of cooperatives and self-house groups (SHG) for fisherwomen to meet their working capital requirements for marketing.
  • Problems faced in Fishing: A large share of fish worker families are poor. Some of the major problems faced by these communities include:
    • Widespread Underemployment;
    • Low per capita earnings;
    • Absence of mobility of labor to other sectors;
    • High Illiteracy rate and indebtedness.

Evaluation of Fishing

  • Problems like over-fishing and pollution need to be regulated and controlled.
  • Welfare programs for the fishing community have to be reoriented in a manner, which can provide long-term gains and sustenance of livelihoods.

Horticulture

Meaning: Horticulture refers to the science or art of cultivating fruits, vegetables, tuber crops, flowers, medicinal and aromatic plants, spices and plantation crops.

  • India has adopted horticulture as it is blessed with varying climate and soil conditions.
  • It is an important sector for potential diversification and Emphasis on Horticulture value addition in agriculture. is on a continuous increase in the country

Important Points about Horticulture

  • Contribution: The horticulture sector contributes nearly one-third of the value of agricultural output and 6% of the Gross Domestic Product of India.
  • Share in World's Production: India has emerged as a world leader in producing a variety of fruits, like mangoes, bananas, coconuts, cashew nuts and a number of spices. With the production of 74.877 million tonnes of fruits and 146.554 million tonnes of vegetables in 2010-11, India is the second-largest producer of both fruits and vegetables in the world.
  • Improvement in Economic Condition: Horticulture has improved the economic condition of many farmers and has become a means of improving livelihood for many unprivileged classes too.
  • Great Scope for Women Employment: Flower harvesting, nursery maintenance, hybrid seed production and tissue culture, propagation of fruits and flowers and food processing are highly remunerative employment options for women in rural areas.

Evaluation of Horticulture

Horticulture has emerged as a successful sustainable livelihood option and needs to be encouraged significantly. Enhancing its role requires investment in infrastructure, like electricity, cold storage systems, marketing linkages, small-scale processing units and technology improvement and dissemination.

Information Technology

Meaning: Information Technology (IT) refers to that branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to retrieve and store and transmit information.

Important points about Information Technology.

  • Through appropriate information and software tools, the government has been able to predict areas of food insecurity and vulnerability, to prevent or reduce the likelihood of an emergency.
  • It also has a positive impact on the agriculture sector as it circulates information regards emerging technologies and their application applications, prices, weather and soil conditions for growing different crops, etc.
  • It acts as a tool for releasing the creative potential and knowledge embedded in society. It also has the potential for employment generation in rural areas.
  • The aim of increasing the role of Information Technology is to make every village a knowledge center; it provides a sustainable option for employment and livelihood.