South Asia Agriculture and Rural Growth Discussion Note Series Mar 2020 1 12 BUILDING LAST MILE LIVESTOCK SERVICES FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES IN JHARKHAND, INDIA Key achievements 1,020 ‘Pashu sakhis1’ (or livestock friends) trained, accredited and equipped to deliver services to improve livestock productivity and help farmers access markets. 70 percent of targeted households (i.e. 39,900) increased marketable surplus of select meat and eggs and are expected to achieve targeted net profits for goat, layers and dual purpose poultry (Kuroiler) mother units of at least INR 1 lakh2 annually; and pig, broilers and small scale Kuroiler delivering INR 65,000, 42,000 and 14,000, respectively. 100 percent female beneficiaries and service providers (Pashu sakhi). Context Role of JOHAR in Livestock Livestock is one of fastest growing sectors and services that mostly focus on cattle and Interventions and is a promising high-value option for buffalo. landless and marginal households. Market Matching grants to support Jharkhand’s livestock production is in the prices in India for meat and eggs have procurement of improved stock hands of marginal and landless farmers with and establishment of pig and goat increased by 70–100 percent in the past women accounting for over 70 percent of breeding villages and poultry units decade in local markets and have also the production. The JOHAR4 project aims pushed up farm gate prices. Diversification Housing demos for goats, pigs and to enhance and diversify household income poultry to high-value options such as livestock through the livestock component to target could more than double household primary Revolving loans to support nearly 57,000 beneficiaries for enhancing income. working capital for beneficiaries to productivity and accessing markets in purchase inputs and services like Livestock productivity has been low in selected value chains (broilers, layers, pigs, feed and vaccination Jharkhand however; less than 12 percent goats and dual purpose backyard poultry). Organizing beneficiaries into of that in leading states3. Livestock farmers Given the major role of women, especially producer groups and forming have traditionally suffered very high levels of from marginal and landless households, producer organizations to enable mortality (over 30 percent loss of goats, and JOHAR livestock activities target over 90 services and inputs delivery and up to 80 percent of pigs and poultry) and percent female beneficiaries. market access low levels of productivity (egg production Maintaining livestock service While local service providers are an <30 percent of potential, and meat animals centers to support access to important feature in all livestock related inputs, services and aggregation requiring vastly long times (4–6 times) to investments the Bank finances, the hubs, and to operate on cost reach ideal market weights). Smallholders JOHAR model is believed to be the most recovery basis lack access to key services like advisory, comprehensive and successful of all. Training and equipping cluster level training and access to quality inputs This note highlights JOHAR’s livestock managers/paravets supporting nutrition, health, breeding and management. The ratio of veterinarians/ activities, the JOHAR Pashu sakhi model, Providing beneficiary training paravets to livestock in the state is amongst lessons learned and what makes the through farmer field schools the lowest in India, with limited resources JOHAR model different. 1. Pashu sakhis or livestock friends are community service providers offering inputs, advisory supporting productivity (breeding, feeding, animal health), farmer training, market linkage and risk mitigation. 2. INR 1 lakh is highly significant given that baseline household incomes are INR 45,000. 3. Chand R and Parappurathu S. Historical and Spatial Trends in Agriculture: Growth Analysis at National and State Level in India. IGIDR Proceedings Series, National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, New Delhi. 2011. 4. Jharkhand Opportunities for Harnessing Rural Growth (JOHAR). 2 While local service providers are an important feature in all livestock related investments the Bank finances, the JOHAR model is believed to be the most comprehensive and successful of all. there are major differences in the approach, orientation and purview of work of these Image Credit : Rohit Jain health workers. Three models exist in India for delivering livestock services to farmers: Building the capacity of local women to labor force participation in the world5). be ‘Pashu sakhi’ seems to offer a solution Initiated in the early 2000s, there are now I. traditional model (mostly government to improve livestock productivity and help about 15,000 Pashu sakhis across India, veterinary services), farmers access markets. Pashu sakhis earn over 6,300 in Jharkhand6, and 1,020 under II. standard model, and income as entrepreneurs selling services JOHAR. III. JOHAR model. and inputs (very important in India which Pashu sakhis are adopted in many states, The major differences in these models are has amongst the world’s lowest women agencies and projects across India, but described on page 3. Interventions Each Pashu sakhi delivers services and control, castration, first aid and referral offering this service. This has led to a inputs to about 50-100 farmers, and to vets for challenging cases — for change in attitude of farmers to undertake upwards of 1,000 livetock supporting health; timely castration of animals, and the ability productivity, market access, farmer training II. feed and water advisory and supply of to identify key production traits in the new- and risk mitigation. Because many Pashu mineral mix and other supplements, born. sakhis work part-time, they can effectively climate tolerant fodder saplings and Farmer training and advisory in cover a maximum of 100 farmers and 1,000 seed, and climate mitigating fodder JOHAR is central to project success and livestock while receiving good remuneration. storage approaches — for climate adopts the farmer field school approach Services and inputs provided by Pashu smart feed storage; whereby the Pashu sakhi organizes regular sakhi comprise: III. advise and collection of records get-togethers at different farms, and farmers Market access support through in breeding villages to support meet to learn skills (‘learn to do by doing’) supporting organization of farmers into performance recording and selection covering the above areas, which the Pashu producer groups; maintaining records to of outstanding breeding animals — for sakhi then supports with services and identify animals that have reached ideal breeding; inputs. Because the Pashu sakhi is a part market requirements; providing a link IV. advisory and assistance in demo of the farming community, she can readily between farmers, producer groups and housing construction, farm hygiene and follow-up with farmers to remind them of traders; advising farmers on preparing waste management — for housing. the new skills and lessons learned. Farmer animals for market/production cycle training to develop and help them practice management; advising farmers on market new skills is a long-term activity. The farmer Establishment of breeder villages prices; supporting grading and weighing field school approach supported by Pashu through performance recording and of animals so that farmers are in a better sakhi has led to high adoption rates of new selection of top males for breeding based position for negotiation; and supporting productivity and marketing practices. on defined techno-economic parameters. filling buyer/trader orders for animals of The Pashu sakhi trains and increases specific breed, sex, age, weight, color, etc. While the three main risks related to disease, awareness among farmers in breeder climate and markets are dramatically Comprehensive productivity villages about the importance and economic reduced by services and inputs (see box enhancing services and inputs benefits of rearing breeding stock for use on page 5), the Pashu sakhis also support such as: and sale. Castration of low performing adoption of livestock insurance and claims. I. vaccination, deworming, ectoparasite animals is practiced, with the Pashu sakhi 5. National Rural Livelihoods Mission.2019. Feature story: Working for Women in India. www.worldbank.org Less than a third of women – 15 years or older – are working or actively looking for a job. 6. Nearly all recruited and trained through the Jharkhand State Livelihoods Promotion Society. 3 Comparison Traditional system Standard Pashu sakhi JOHAR Pashu sakhi criteria before JOHAR program model Service centralized at Service at farmer’s Service at farmer’s Service location dispensary or hospital doorstep doorstep Focus on small Focus on large Focus on small ruminants (goats, Livestock focus ruminants: cows and ruminants: pigs and sheep): pigs and buffalos poultry poultry Focus on prevention, Focus on prevention, Treatment focus Focus on treatment improved practices improved practices and management and management Services focused on Services include Full range of services vaccination for foot- vaccination, include comprehensive and-mouth disease deworming, sale of support for productivity Service focus and artificial insemination feed supplements, weighing enhancement; improving of animals to inform market access to markets; training prices (some programs also farmers; risk reduction through support farmer training as in insurance Jharkhand) No animal tagging All animals tagged. An No animal tagging precluding accurate App based system to precluding accurate Service records records of treatment, record all treatments, records of treatment, vaccination, services rendered (still vaccination, etc. conception in development stage) Limited training duration Training duration 1-3 days common, 3-7 days training 30 days training sometimes up to 7 days Master Trainer No requirement Trainer Animal specially trained as Trainer specifications that the trainer be a Husbandry staff or trainer, selected on training professional NGO skills and experience No requirement to No certification of Master Trainer certified assess ability of trainers Master Trainer through Agriculture involved in training Skill Council of India Credentials of the farmers. No assessment of (ASCI) trainer effectiveness of training based on farmer adoption of practices/ knowledge; no assessment of increased productivity or profitability from training Credentials of Pashu No certification sakhi (or traditional requirement for the No certification Certification through Community Animal service provider / or requirement ASCI Health Worker) trainer No focus on women to Over 95 percent Over 95 percent Gender focus deliver services female female 4 JOHAR targets over 1,020 Pashu sakhis (99 sakhis (90 percent women). The key steps implementation of the Pashu sakhi model percent women), and 29 Master Trainer Pashu and considerations required for successful are described and summarized in the box. JOHAR Pashu sakhi model The Pashu sakhi model in JOHAR is believed to offer the first accredited and potentially most comprehensive and sustainable model in the country. Pashu sakhis, meaning ‘livestock friends’, are critical to providing door-step services and inputs to farmers to support productivity, market access, farmer training and risk mitigation. Pashu sakhis are enabled through Technical Service Support contracts7. The Jharkhand Women’s Self Supporting Poultry Cooperative Federation Limited supports commercial poultry implemented as a turnkey operation; and Asset & W/Heifer International supports Master Trainer Pashu sakhi, Pashu sakhi and farmer training, capacity building and technical advisory support for goats, pigs and backyard poultry. MoUs with private sector suppliers provide quality inputs, such as Kuroiler chicks by Kegg Farms, vaccine by Hester and other productivity enhancing inputs like mineral mix and feed supplement. Technical service provider offers training-of-trainers (ToT) and coaching. Heifer International’s India subsidiary Asset & W were contracted to select and train Master Trainer Pashu sakhis (Heifer has over 10 years of experience in training Pashu sakhis in India). They also provide coaching and handholding support in: the selection and training of Pashu sakhis, Pashu sakhi supported services and inputs delivery, demos conducted by the Pashu sakhi and farmer training. A total of 29 Master Trainers were selected according to the following criteria: (i) Pashu sakhi with proven training skills based on earlier experience with farmer training, (ii) hands-on experience with livestock, (iii) female 30-45 years of age, (iv) education: 10th pass and above, and (v) ability to travel to different parts of the state. Selection criteria. Pashu sakhis are selected from the farming community to enable timely services and follow-up; and also because they most often have experience raising livestock themselves. Nearly all are women (>95 percent), preferred for reasons of sustainability and skills, and found to offer higher quality of service. Pashu sakhi training and certification.They are trained in batches of 15-20 by Master Trainer Pashu sakhis. Each receives 30 days of training over 18 months in 5 sessions of 4–7 days each. Training content is similar to Master Trainer Pashu sakhi training and covers all roles and responsibilities. After the completion of the third training session and 6 months of experience, the Pashu sakhi is eligible to take the ASCI certification examination. Further preparation for the certification is provided by ASCI over a period of 7 days. The cost for training a Pashu sakhi including the costs for training the Master Trainer Pashu sakhi in ToT mode, is INR 75,000 per Pashu sakhi. This includes accommodation, travel costs for the Pashu sakhi and all associated training costs such as services of Asset & W in preparation of materials, training Master Trainers and coaching support for Pashu sakhi. ASCI certification offers several benefits. Firstly it professionalizes the Pashu sakhi, and offers a way to standardize the quality of Pashu sakhis across the country. Certification of Master Trainers offers the added benefit that they are recognized as highest quality professional trainers and can work anywhere in India. Equipment supplied to the Pashu sakhi. Fundamental to providing support is the provision of equipment which includes a smartphone and a kit containing a blue sari, apron, hat, cool box for carrying medicines, weighing scales, castrator and a basic initial stock of supplies to support first aid. Ayurvedic treatments are provided when available. The cost to equip each Pashu sakhi is INR 5,000 for the kit and another INR 5,000-7,000 for a smartphone accruing to a total of about INR 12,000. After the first inventory of supplies is provided, the Pashu sakhi earns income to maintain her stock of supplies which she purchases from the Livestock Service Center. Institutional support, monitoring and evaluation. Emergency back up support (such as for a broken leg or complicated birth) is provided by the project and local veterinarians. This referral service that operates through smartphones and WhatsApp also enables vets to focus their time on cases they are best trained to handle. A Pashu sakhi’s delivery of services and inputs is monitored by the farmer producer group through broad criteria such as number of farmers trained by them; number of animals marketed; and number of animals vaccinated. An App can support service delivery as well as monitoring and evaluation. Connection to input supply to access quality timely cost effective inputs. Producer groups operate a Livestock Service Center, which serves about 1,000 farmers and enables the capture of data on economies of scale due to bulk purchase. Each Livestock Service Center supports about 8-10 Pashu sakhis who restock from these Centers where feed inputs like mineral mix and supplements are stocked, and cold chain is provided for vaccines. The Livestock Service Center also provides an aggregation point for meetings, training and marketing support. However, if a Livestock Service Center has not yet been established, the Pashu sakhi is oriented to be able to identify quality cost-effective inputs from agro-vet shops. 7. These are contracts awarded to the partner organization that undertook capacity building efforts; in this case Heifer International – the very best organization involved in the training of Pashu sakhi. 5 A detailed breakdown of the services offered service areas – marketing, productivity mitigation are presented below. by the Pashu sakhi for the four broad enhancement, farmer training and risk Service Area Service/Role • organization of farmers into producer groups • animal identification and record keeping • inventory of animals for market • facilitating trader contact point and link between farmers, producer groups, so traders can access animals according to number and specifications (such as Marketing weight, age, breed, sex, color, vaccination and health status) • advising farmers on preparing animals for market/production cycle management • advising farmers on market prices • weighing animals • facilitating castration to enable higher prices • facilitating vaccination • deworming and ectoparasite control • facilitating castration • providing first aid and referral to vets for challenging cases • ensuring climate smart feed sampling • providing feed and water advisory • supplying mineral mix • supplying other feed supplements Productivity • supplying climate tolerant fodder saplings and seed enhancement • demonstrating fodder storage approaches • giving breeding advice on selection of high quality breeding animals • collecting records in breeder villages to support performance recording and selection of outstanding breeding animals • giving housing demos and advisory • advising on farm hygiene and waste management • organizing monthly training sessions to train farmers in batches of 20-25 • ensuring farmer participation for 4-8 training sessions to learn skills necessary Farmer training for improved feeding, animal health, breed improvement, housing and water through farmer availability, farm hygiene; producing animals for market demand field schools • providing ongoing coaching to farmers • organizing exposure visits to aid peer-to-peer learning Risk • helping producer groups to access livestock insurance mitigation • assisting farmers with insurance claims The key outputs tracked are number of: through producer groups. Value addition is expected to achieve targeted net profits for producer groups formed; service centers through providing quality eggs and healthy goat, layers and Kuroiler mother units of at established; Pashu sakhis trained and market animals of consistent size and least INR 1 lakh annually; and pig, broilers equipped; breeding bucks and boars numbers according to market demand. and small scale Kuroiler delivering INR supplied; farmers trained; farmers with The key outcome was that 70 percent of 65,000, 42,000 and 14,000, respectively. improved shelters; animals vaccinated; targeted households increased marketable and goats, pigs, eggs and birds marketed surplus of select meat and eggs and are 6 Key Learnings Master Trainer Pashu sakhis Empowerment and entrepreneur sakhi through biweekly meetings builds effectively train Pashu sakhis. training are critical to revenue confidence and support and offers a peer Master Trainers travel within the state and generation and sustainability. mechanism for problem-solving. stay overnight for several nights at village Sustainability of Pashu sakhi relies on a training sites. Master Trainers are certified viable revenue model based on charging Access to quality, cost-effective by Agriculture Skill Council of India (ASCI) fees for services. Two years into the JOHAR and timely inputs in adequate with the same test that is used to certify Pashu sakhi program and after about quantity through Livestock vets or paravets. The most effective Master 6 months of field practice, each Pashu Service Center according to a Trainers are: Pashu sakhis with 2-3 years sakhi initially covers about 50 animals viable business model. It is critical of experience, and ideally women as they monthly owned by 50 farmers in 1-2 to connect Pashu sakhis to the input supply also have experience in livestock rearing. villages, with the aim to double this. There chain that assures sufficient quality, quantity Master Trainers also enable sustainable is considerable variability in earnings from and timely availability of feed and nutrition expansion of the Pashu sakhi program over INR 6,000 to INR 12,000 per month inputs, as well as vaccine and animal health after the project ends. Government Animal based on availability and experience of inputs (like dewormer). Bulk purchase of Husbandry Department staff often do not the Pashu sakhi; they receive a subsidy inputs by the producer group and making have the required skills and knowledge in of INR 1,200 per month during the initial it available through the Livestock Service diverse areas for supporting productivity 2 years until they can establish their Center where the Pashu sakhi can access, enhancement, marketing, farmer skills business. Earning success is enhanced by is not only cost-effective, but also enables development and risk management to empowerment and entrepreneur training, suitable storage, including refrigeration for be Master Trainers. Vets/paravets are which builds confidence, provides charge vaccines. The Livestock Service Center not officially certified by ASCI as Master rates for suggested services, as well as is managed by the farmer producer Trainers. builds capacity in managing inventory organization. The Livestock Service Center and finances. Ongoing coaching of Pashu is a new innovation that supports market Image Credit : Rohit Jain 7 aggregation, access to inputs and also Currently 300 Pashu sakhis have reached One of the major challenges is the lack of serves as a demo and training hub. the necessary training requirement for ASCI timely diagnostic services and emergency certification, and have been certified based support services from the Animal Husbandry Impact on productivity on both an online test and oral examination Department. Options for an effective and dramatically higher than by veterinarians contracted by the ASCI. sustainable approach to diagnostics are anticipated. Project data showed that being explored. mortality among livestock before JOHAR, Use of social media application which was upwards of 35-85 percent, got “WhatsApp” has proven reduced because of services offered by extremely successful for peer and Pashu sakhi. emergency support. WhatsApp is used to share good practices among Pashu Certification rate is nearly sakhis; both video clips and photos are 100 percent and higher than taken to share experiences. WhatsApp has expected. This is because of the careful been vital for providing timely emergency selection of Pashu sakhis by producer backup support to Pashu sakhis to receive groups and the excellent training by the advise on actions to take or resolve Technical Service Provider, which resulted challenges. in 100 percent of them being certified by ASCI. The Pashu sakhi model Pashu sakhis are ready for certification by in JOHAR is believed to ASCI after the third training session and 6 offer the first accredited months of experience. Pashu sakhis are effectively trained over 3 sessions of 7 days and potentially most each, and each of these sessions covers comprehensive and new skills related to productivity (feeding, sustainable model in the animal health, housing and management, country. farmer training and market support). Image Credit : Helen Leitch 8 Way Forward An alternative strategy to support disease diagnostics is under development that will make maximal use of cheap, accessible diagnostic kits and low cost technology like famacha cards to assess parasitic infection to inform deworming regimen. Private diagnostics labs may also prove to be a viable option. An App-based decision support system for supporting disease diagnosis would also be useful. Emergency veterinary services alternatives are being explored (to support cases such as difficult kidding problems or undiagnosed diseases), via Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that support emergency animal health services. Image Credit : Rohit Jain Opportunities for better The JOHAR Pashu sakhi model is Trainer Pashu sakhi cadre, facilitate integration with Animal being expanded to other states training and equip Pashu sakhi to support Husbandary Department are through new project financing to firstly hire productivity, market access, farmer training being explored to support animal an experienced technical service support and risk management. Lessons learned are health services more broadly in the state, organization to build capacity of a Master being shared broadly. and monitor animal health coverage. ABOUT THE DISCUSSION NOTE SERIES This note is part of the South Asia Agriculture and Rural Growth Discussion Note Series, that seeks to disseminate operational learnings and implementation experiences from World Bank financed rural, agriculture and food systems programs in South Asia. JOHAR livestock activity was designed supervised and implimented with technical support through the joint program with UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Authors: Helen Leitch, Abhinav Gaurav & Bipin Bihari Series editor: Vani Kurup Publication Design & Illustrations: Parth Varshney We are grateful for the generous support from DFID. Disclaimer: The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this note are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to the World Bank, to its affiliated organizations or to members of its Board of Executive Directors or the countries they represent.