ROLE OF WOMEN IN RABBIT REARING - A CASE STUDY
T.P.Sethumadhavan., C.A. Pradeep
Abstract:- The case study was under taken to assess the role and involvement of women in rabbit rearing and their participation in programme planning and people’s participation. Socio economic profile showed that 17% of families were woman headed. It was found that project is an innovative concept and if popularised well will contribute much to rural economy.
Rabbit production has already attained commercial status in many parts of the world including India and has the potential to become a major source of subsidiary income to the farming households. In India this industry is aimed at wool production in hilly areas of Uttar Pradesh, Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal pradesh and as a broiler industry in temperate and subtropical regions like WestBengal, Manipur and Kerala. In many tribal and backward areas rabbits are blazing a new trial in the field of self employment and picked up as a cottage industry by small and marginal farmers. Rabbit farming is emerging as an important income generating subsidiary occupation in many parts of Kerala. As per recent statistics women play a significant role in rabbit rearing. But their role is mostly remaining invisible and passive as in many other home-based productive work. Having realised the importance of women in rabbit rearing the study was undertaken to assess their role and to analyse their involvement in different activities of rabbit farming.
The study was undertaken in Madakkathara panchayat of Trichur district where rabbit rearing scheme for women under people’s plan campaign was implemented during 1998-99 through Veterinary institutions with the objective of popularising rabbit rearing as a subsidiary occupation and to provide self-employment opportunities to women.
As per the programme, out of 20 beneficiaries selected, two month old six rabbits were distributed to six beneficiaries initially with a sex ratio of one male: five female. Preference has been given to those beneficiaries with previous experience in rabbit rearing and can cultivate enough fodder.
Madakkathara grama panchayat is having a rabbit breeding farm (with a capacity of 100 rabbits) started during the year 1996-97 under the technical guidance of Integrated Rural Technology Centre, Palakkad. Rabbits reared were of broiler breeds such as Soviet Chinchilla, Grey Giant and Newzealand White. Beneficiaries have been given training in breeding, feeding, management and disease control. They have to construct cages using locally available material.
Beneficiaries have to remit their contribution after deducting subsidy alloted (50% subsidy for those below poverty line (BPL), BPL SC-75% and non BPL-25%) from unit cost of Rs 8150 (cost of rabbit @ Rs100 and cost of construction of cage @ Rs. 30 per sq.feet). Beneficiaries are free to supply young ones to breeding unit or they sell it seperately after rearing them for two years. A five-member committee was also set up to monitor the programme.
The case study was conducted to assess the role of women in programme planning and people’s participation. Socio-economic profile showed that 17 % of the families were women headed. Among the sample selected 33% were from scheduled castes and 50% were below poverty line. All of them were literate agricultural labourers and marginal farmers. Traditionally, being women they are destined to play the role of home makers, inspite of inherent possibilities of becoming productive earners. Nevertheless, in poor families, contribution of women to household earnings is substantial. Detailed evaluation of the project revealed that it failed to foresee certain possible contingencies. Objectives were less realistic and attainable. Moreover beneficiary selection was not made transparent. Implementing agency compelled to modify the calender of work due to delay in getting adequate funds. The training imparted to more than 30% of the beneficiaries was mostly inadequate. Members of the local bodies, veterinary surgeons, livestock inspectors, workers of rabbit breeding unit and village extension officer had shown keen interest in this programme. Marketing still remains to be a grey area. The following suggestions may be considered for improving the programme.
a. More awareness creating programmes may be undertaken to increase demand for rabbit meat and vitalise marketing.
b. Encourage formation of womens groups and provide them training in processing rabbit meat and skin.
The project is an innovative concept and if popularised well it will contribute much to the rural economy.
More awareness and training programmes should be conducted with the participation of non governmental organisations. Moreover constituting women co-operative societies for processing and selling of rabbit meat and skin coupled with effective monitoring will help in achieving needed objectives.
