Staff meeting- MilkIT India

1. Staff meeting- MilkIT India Almora, 25/06/2013

2. Update-Sult- (Mar-May) • Institutional strengthening • Indl HH survey for FEAST • There was work in 3-4 villages for Anchal linkage for milk marketing • The first dairy started in Baseri cluster for 3 villages • The second dairy in Saknara area will be opening soon- some problem with supervisor who is absent for last one month • Request letter from all villages for fodder tree plants, given to forest department- following up the process • Productivity enhancement • Indl HH survey for FEAST • Maize(dual purpose)- improved variety from VPKAS- 100kg and Finger millet- 10kg- given in 11 villages- 110 farmers maize and Finger millet- 55 farmers • Concentrate feed- not followed up due to illiterate farmers- they have not filled the format- but staff did not follow up properly the impact • Distribution of grass seeds (rye, kucchi, Dholni) and Napeir and Sita grass –5 villages done and on-going process • Purchase of 2 dairy animals improved breed from AH department support

3. Update-Sult- (Mar-May) • Knowledge sharing • Visit Anandsingh from Donogiri as training for dairy development and all schemes • 16 farmers participated in Kishanmela for VPKAS

4. Update-Bageshwar- (Mar-May) • Chhona cluster • Institutional strenthening • New cluster- survey household 3 finished • Chhona cluster- 11 farmers joined for milk mrktg • Link with AH, Ajeevikafor animal purchase and feed details • IP DVC meeting • SHG meeting in all villages • Productivity enhancement • PRA individual 36 hhs • Grass distribution- 12.5 kg- 5 villages-30 farmers

5. Update-Bageshwar- (Mar-May) • Saing cluster • Institutional strengthening • Farmers increased for selling milk through co-ope marketing from 32 to 92 which includes Pagna, Areagad, Raikholi (not in our cluster) Kanhkar (new cluster) • Quality control of milk through meeting in 4 villages • Purchase of fat analyser for this area • One IP DVC meeting and one feed IP meeting • Meeting with SHG federation and all secretary from villages • Productivity enhancement • Grass seed distribution (Rye, Dholni and Kucchi)- 4kg-4 villages-12 farmers • Concentrate feed- Chirag source- 35 bags*10 kg in 4 villages- 15 farmers • Herbal medicines given for animal disease especially for skin problem • Indl household survey for FEAST

6. Constraints-Bageshwar • There is less participation from government institutions like Anchal, Ah dept- no follow up are done by them • How can improve? • Let us call Anchal dairy board next meeting IP-DVC, • Involvement of Ajeevika IFAD-Pant will Start initiation for collaboration- after 10 days- Management CHIRAG agreed for this

7. Constraints-Sult • There is less quantity of milk in saknara cluster so dairy will start next month • Availability of farmers due to more farm work- hindering the work with farmers like meeting seed distribution

8. others • Purchase of Tablets-Micromax by Chirag for field data work

9. Data collection • Till now there is recording of interventions but not in the format of ILRI- How to capture the data for feed interventions • Shankar explained how it is being done in Sult area • Has 2 components- identification of trial type and details of the farmer and feed details

10. FEAST output- Chhona • Prioritised problems or issues • Less grass land and less quantity of grass is available • More feed cost towards purchase of grass from other areas • Water source is limited • Conclusion and recommendation • Scarce crop land or grass land due to land grabbing by mine industry • Migration and employment is high, scarcity of labour for livestock activities • Cost for collection/purchase of grass is high • No surplus milk to sell outside settlement, dominance of informal milk marketing to neighbours • Interventions can be limited to conservation of grasses, chopping the fodder can decrease the waste. • Interventions for the green fodder in crop land is limited as they use for subsistence staple food production

11. FEAST output- Saing • Prioritised problems and issues • Shortage of green fodder in summer (May, June) and winter(December and January) • Lack of feeding knowledge for dairy animals • Lack of AI service • Conclusion and recommendation • Year round green fodder-Barley, oat, dual purpose wheat-for green fodder in December and January • Use of the irrigation facilities • Berseem? • Napier, Sita grass and Guinea grass- production volume is high • Good quality grass varieties- Broom, Rye and Kucchi etc. • Promotion of concentrate feeding either private feed or CHIRAG or Anchal feed. • AI service can be supported with BAIF • Promotion of chaff cutter for prevention of fodder wastage • Silage making trial?

12. Staff suggestion for Bageshwar • May-June green fodder- • Hons Grass (Thysolenia)-where we can get? • Cherry or berseem legumes?-before 10 yrs Anchal gave they found good production- Sowing time- Mar- Apr or Sep- Oct • Silage- pilot in Tana or Kolseer village- October- try in 2 villages community level- can be distributed among farmers • Dual purpose wheat • White clover- will do in October- seed from Palampur • feedback- Rye and Dholni and Kucchi not so good in saing?

13. FEAST output- Saknara and Baseri • Prioritised problems and issues • Shortage of green fodder in summer especially in May and June • Lack of quality veterinary services and breeding services • Lack of accessibility to concentrate feed • Lack of milk marketing facility • Lack of Improved dairy cattle • Conclusions and recommendations • Grassland improvement • Improved grass varieties in the uncultivated lands • Dual purpose wheat • Barley and oat as fodder crop • Health check-up camps can be organised with help of AH department • BAIF for their service in AI. Local persons can be trained through ULDB for AI services. • Link with Anchal for marketing improvement and also accessibility to concentrate feed. We can source for availability of private concentrate feed in this area.

14. Work plan- CHIRAG-Jul-Dec 2013

15. Work plan- INHERE-Jul-Dec 2013