The Livestock-based integrated farming system (IFS) can help to achieve twin goals of doubling farmers’ income and making farming sustainable. Analyze.

Livestock-based integrated farming system brings together crop cultivation, fisheries, livestock rearing and agro-forestry to benefit farmers in multiple ways.

Features of livestock-based IFS:

• Farmers cultivate crops and raise livestock simultaneously.
• Livestock provide organic manure (cow dung) for farms.
• Livestock rearing compliments agricultural activity and acts as secondary income.

Benefits of livestock-based IFS:

• Diversification of farmer income, e.g. selling milk to dairy cooperatives, selling eggs.
• It is an insurance against failure of crops during floods, droughts, etc.
• Can make farming resilient in the scenario of climate change.
• Availability of milk increases the nutritional security for families of small and marginal farmers.
• Use of organic fertilizer reduces the adverse impact of chemical farming on soil, water and crop quality.
• Livestock-based IFS can be used to switch to zero budget natural farming.
• It can help in producing chemical-free organic food products which are in high demand and sells at premium price.
• Livestock can be used as draught animals.

According to NABARD’s All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey, the average income of an agricultural household is barely Rs.9000 per month. Livestock-based IFS can provide income security to farmers and help achieve the target of doubling farmers’ income.