Livestock rearing should be kept at the centre of poverty alleviation programmes. Analyze.

The Food and Agricultural Organization has stated that for equity and livelihood perspectives, livestock rearing must be kept at the centre stage of poverty alleviation programmes.
The reasons for keeping livestock rearing at the centre stage are as follows-

• Livestock rearing is a key livelihood and risk mitigation strategy for small and marginal farmers, particularly across the rain-fed regions of India.
• The Livestock products has seen a noticeable increase from 27 per cent in 1999-2000 and from 1980-81 when it represented 14 per cent of the agricultural gross domestic product. Therefore, it is observable that the livestock sector has been growing faster than many other sectors of agriculture.
• Livestock is a provider of essential food products, draught power, manure, employment, household income and export earnings.
• Livestock wealth can be more equitably distributed than the wealth associated with land.
• Livestock rearing at the household level is largely a women-led activity. Therefore, it makes women active bread earners as well as leads to women empowerment.
• Livestock rearing in the rain-fed regions of the country is considered to be a key risk mitigation strategy for the poorest.