Pig farming opens a new window for economic empowerment of rural tribal youths (2014- 15):

Background and Problem:

Mising community had been rearing pig in almost all the household from time immemorial as a part of their traditional culture. Pork is a part of social functions like marriage, death ceremony, and other religious & social functions of the Mising community. Rearing pigs by the Mising community is practised not only to meet the requirement of meat but also to generate additional income from the sale of surplus pig as meat and piglets. However, the Mising community had been rearing pigs of indigenous low productive breed and in an unscientific traditional system. This is the main problem observed by KVK, Jorhat in rearing pig by Mising community of the Allengmora area of Jorhat District.

KVKs intervention:

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jorhat has planned to introduce a new improved breed of pig suitable for Jorhat situation to replace existing low productive indigenous breed in the Allengmora area under Dhekargora development block of Jorhat district. KVK, Jorhat has selected Hampshire, an improved breed as a need based intervention for solving the problem with indigenous low productive pig breed. To meet the requirement of piglets of the new improved breed, one breeding unit was established in each of the selected village with 10 female pigs and two male bore. Further, KVK, Jorhat introduced the technology of improved housing and feed management in five villages of the Allengmora area. During the process, KVK scientists regularly monitored the performance of the breed supplied at the door steps besides providing health care and technical support. Vaccination against infectious disease was also done on a regular basis.

Productivity:

Among the beneficiary farmers, Sri Atul Misong, a progressive farmer from Neolgaon of Allengmora area has emerged as most successful in rearing and production of piglets of the new breed for horizontal spread of the new breed. During the year 2014-15 Sri Atul Misong has sold 140 piglets of Hampshire breed to the nearby villages and earned Rs. 4, 05,000.00 from the sale of piglets. In addition to the spread of new breed, local female pigs were also crossed with Hampshire boar for improvement of the local breed for which the beneficiary farmer charges Rs 300.00 per service. More than 120 female pigs were crossed at Sri Misong's farm from which he has earned Rs 36,000.00 during 2014-15. Sri Atul Misong has extended his farm with 3 new shed with new piglets for which he has invested from his own.

Adoption by the beneficiaries:

The beneficiaries were very happy with the new breed Hampshire with the suitability of the breed to the local condition and overall productivity. Almost all the beneficiaries of the selected villages under the programme are maintaining their farm very scientifically and earning a substantial amount from the sale of pig for meat as well as piglets. Sri Atul Misong is an example among the beneficiary farmers only.

Adoption by non beneficiaries:

Due to instant good result and return from new breed Hampshire, the farmers of the nearby villages are either purchasing the piglets or crossing the local female with the Hampshire boar at the farms of the beneficiary farmers and thereby overall improving the breed of the locality.

Marketing:

Due to high demand of good quality piglets and meat, the beneficiary farmers are not finding any problem in selling the piglets as well as pigs for meat. In fact there is advance booking for the Hampshire piglets in most of the farms. The piglets are also sold to nearby district like Sivasagar & Golaghat. The present rate of piglets is Rs 3000.00 per piglet and Rs 200.00 per kg of meat.