Women from rural areas in Rajasthan, backed by ‘Livelihood Pathshalas’ are running the operations of backyard poultry farming in full swing. The said pathshalas or classrooms, are training and educating women, so that they can take on the tasks of business functions, with ease and efficiency. The classroom model is being run by women self-help groups for other women, to provide skill-based learning, support and means of empowerment.
Over 6000 families in Rajasthan are associated with ‘Livelihood Pathshalas’
The State Minister Director-Livelihood Projects and Self Help Groups, Suchi Tyagi, stated that self-help groups are being skilled to run the pathshalas for other women. Besides business training, these classrooms will also cater several medical benefits for the livestock, which otherwise are not easy to find in a rural setting. Aids like deworming, vaccination, mineral mixture, Azolla making, and primary treatment, will be provided to the cattle, read reports.
According to the state, the ‘Livelihood Pathshala’ trend has picked pace in Rajasthan since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic. The provision inducts a supplementary income for women of several remote villages, easing financial crunches across. Official figures suggest that over 6000 families across Rajasthan have been associated with the process.
The classrooms are proving to be very successful and beneficial for women who hail from academically poor or financially weaker backgrounds. The training is helping them to understand poultry farming better, where they are also learning skills to overcome the setbacks of livestock infection and related issues.
The pathshalas are equipping women with skills to minimise the occurrence of diseases and infections, nurturing a healthy stock. Besides, veterinary services are also being provisioned at local hospitals of the State Animal Husbandry Department for further help and care.
Associating women with livelihood & occupation
The Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad takes the credit for rapidly cultivating a landscape for the association of women with poultry and other cottage industries through self-help groups.
“In rural areas, while there are limited sources of income, the women with the additional responsibility of the household are often unable to travel for work. Various efforts are being made by the state government to help these women discover additional sources of income and cottage poultry farming has emerged as a successful model. The self-help groups are being skilled and facilitated for establishing livelihood pathshalas as a local source of support for the women,” the State Minister Director-Livelihood Projects and Self Help Group said.
‘Pashu Sakhi’ to empower & train other women
Several women across Rajasthan have greatly profited from the Livelihood Pathshala scheme and Matra Devi from Rajpura Village of Ajmer can be cited as one of the many success stories here. This woman trudged her way from a rural folk background to an entrepreneur, with a modest investment of ₹2,500, to raise 25 chicks within 3 months. As per reports, each of these were sold at ₹550 each.
She is presently running the third phase of her business, with a doubled stock and a profit that counts over ₹21,000. This amounts to a supplementary income of ₹7000 each month. Like her, there are hundreds of other such women, who are trained as Pashu Sakhi and are empowering other women in their neighbourhood, the state government said.
“The cottage farm-bred chickens are preferred by several people in comparison to the major farms; also the eggs of these hens are often able to draw a premium price as ‘Desi’ egg. The state government is also working towards providing better marketing venues for such women and helps them to become financially independent.”, the administration added.
-With inputs from ANI
