Kudumbashree district mission pilots ‘Kunjaadu’ in Vembayam for animal husbandry promotion

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Vembayam grama panchayat president Amitha Babu (right) handing over a goat kid to Pushpakumari (left), a beneficiary, at the inauguration of Kunjaadu scheme.

The Kudumbashree district mission has piloted a goat-rearing scheme in Vembayam grama panchayat of Nedumangad block in Thiruvananthapuram district to increase the involvement of neighbourhood groups in animal husbandry activities.

This follows a grading of Kudumbashree neighbourhood groups (NHGs) according to their level of animal husbandry activity as part of ALIVE (Acquiring Livelihood in Veterinary Enterprise) initiative and steps to improve the grade of those with the least involvement.

Accordingly, the Nedumangad block rolled out Kunjaadu scheme under the Vembayam community development society (CDS). Under the project, an NHG in the category of least involvement in animal husbandry is identified and one of its economically backward members is selected as a beneficiary. A good quality goat kid is purchased using the CDS’ own fund and handed over to the beneficiary for rearing. Once the kid becomes an adult and has young ones of its own, one of the kids is sold to repay the CDS loan, while the second kid is given to another beneficiary for rearing. The next time the goat has kids, the first beneficiary can continue to rear them.

The second beneficiary, in turn, will rear the kid they got and once it gives birth, hand over one of the kids to a third beneficiary.

The Kudumbashree district mission expects the initiative to function like a chain system. An increase in the number of beneficiaries is expected to lead to a gradual rise in livestock population.

The beneficiaries will be formed into a cluster and the Kudumbashree animal husbandry community resource persons will monitor them and provide them support through classes. Cluster-level classes by doctors and vaccination for the animals will also be provided, say Kudumbashree district mission officials.

After Vembayam, Kunjaadu will be extended to other CDSs in the