BAU’s plan to help Banka tribals in rearing livestock

BHAGALPUR: The scientists at Bihar Agricultural University (BAU) have developed a ‘Tribal Sub-plan Project’ (TSPP) for the tribal community and the poor in Banka district to rear and take care of their livestock to augment incomes.

Along with TSPP model, the Krishi Vikas Kendras (KVKs) under the BAU also has started Animal Health Advisor Centres (AHACs) in tribal dominated villages in Banka and have launched a programme to train them in veterinary care, animal nutrition and other related healthcare services on their doorsteps.

The group of scientists, who conceptualized the models, included R K Sohane, Shridhar Patil, Dharmendra Kumar and Muneshwar Prasad.

BAU’s vice- chancellor Sohane said: “We can make happen the socio-economic changes in the lives of tribal population and the extremely poor of Banka district through multidimensional approach towards rearing, promoting and providing healthcare to bovine and other livestock.”

He said Banka has a sizeable tribal population of around 3,38,290, that comes to 16.6% of the total population in the district. “The steps have been initiated to enhance their skills and provide practical training to the local tribals for rearing better breed livestock through AHACs and TSPP model," Sohane said.

The VC said the AHACs and TSPP model have been launched in several remote villages like Khirkitari, Budhava Baithan, Logain where the tribal populace have to travel for 20-30km for every need, including seeking help from veterinary doctors for their livestocks.

Three interested youths are selected from each village for training about animal health, breed and nutrition management, including artificial insemination, first-aid, de-worming, vaccination, diarrhoea, fever, anorexia etc as a part of capacity building component, the VC said.