Vanmala Sawant, from Ratnapur village in Paranda Taluka of Osmanabad District, comes from a farming household. Forced to return to their village post the Covid pandemic, Vanmala tai and her husband used their savings to start the agri-allied business of goat rearing in 2020 to complement their farming activity.
In early 2022, Vanmala tai was approached by the local SSP leader to join a group of women who were rearing goats in her village. Interested in learning more about the business, as she had very limited knowledge herself, Vanmala tai began to participate in trainings and meetings of this group. Over the past year, she learnt about various important aspects of goat rearing – including food and nutritional needs of goats, basic medical care including vaccinations and deworming, sanitation, proper equipment including goat sheds and feed and water stands etc. Through the group, she was also linked to local veterinarians and the government run veterinary centers. Vanmala tai immediately started implementing what she learnt in her own goat rearing business and soon saw visible results as the health of goats increased and mortality rates declined. Additionally, Vanmala tai and her husband, equipped with knowledge began to cross-breed their indigenous goat breeds with other more in-demand breeds. These changes soon led to a rise in income from Rs. 4,000 per goat to Rs.10,000 per goat as a result of their increased weight and healthy appearance.
Linked to the goat rearing business, Vanmala tai began to cultivate various types of nutritional grass varieties in her farm to create animal feed on her own, and reduce dependence on the market. She recently installed two vermi compost beds on her farm, and is using the goat dung to create organic manure through composting. With 20 goats currently, Vanmala tai says that she wants to further expand her goat rearing business and also venture into the sale of the vermi compost locally. Inspired by Vanmala, more women in her neighbourhood are wanting to start similar initiatives.
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
June 08, 2023