RCE Chandigarh - 2023

Enhancing Adaptive Capacity of Livestock Farmers & Youth Entrepreneurs in Changing Climate Scenario
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Enhancing Adaptive Capacity of Livestock Farmers & Youth Entrepreneurs in Changing Climate Scenario
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Chandigarh
Contributing organization(s) : 
Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Government of India

Punjab State Council for Science & Technology

Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University

Dairy Development Board
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Dr. Jatinder Kaur Arora, Executive Director
Organizational Affiliation: 
PUNJAB STATE COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
E-mail: 
jkarora20@rediffmail.com
Name: 
Er. Pritpal Singh, Additional Director
Organizational Affiliation: 
PUNJAB STATE COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
E-mail: 
pritpal.pscst@gmail.com
Name: 
Dr. Rupali Bal, Scientist-C
Organizational Affiliation: 
PUNJAB STATE CLIMATE CHANGE KNOWLEDGE CENTRE
E-mail: 
rupalibal@gmail.com
Format of project: 
manuscript
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Update
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Asia-Pacific
Country: 
India
Location(s): 
Punjab
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Punjab State Council for Science and Technology

MGSIPA Complex

Sector 26, Chandigarh 160019
Ecosystem(s):

Target Audience:
Community, Youth (Informal)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
India's dairy sector has come a long way since the pre-White Revolution era. From humble beginnings to global recognition, it stands as a symbol of progress, innovation, and rural development. Now, India is the largest producer of milk in the world, contributing 24% of global milk production. But further growth of dairy sector is a significant challenge in the wake of climate vagaries, which can impact animal health, productivity and economic loss to farmers.Punjab has always been ahead in the white revolution in the country. The State continues self-sufficiency in food grain & milk production for past several decades.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
The Climate Resilient Shed initiative is a visionary approach that addresses several sustainable development challenges, with a particular focus on empowering youth, enhancing education, fostering adaptation, and promoting climate resilience. By introducing innovative and cost-effective designs for livestock shelters, the initiative tackles multiple issues simultaneously.
Generally, small & marginal farmers seldom get benefits of interactions with experts as compared to progressive farmers. Therefore, customized programs organized aimed at bringing awareness among marginal farmers/youth entrepreneurs to enhance education & knowledge of farmers & youth to tackle climate change challenges and also motivate youth for driving innovation and growth oflivestock sector for sustainable development.
Contents
Status: 
Completed
Rationale: 
Intense Heat Waves are already becoming increasingly frequent in Central & North-west India due to climate change. India's National communication to UNFCCC reported negative impact on Animal productivity due to projected warming conditions.Since milk productivity of milch animals gets adversely impacted by heat stress mainly due to rise in Temperature Humidity Index (THI) which affect livelihood of small/marginal farmers& youth entrepreneurs, therefore, an innovative and cost-effective Climate Resilient Cattle sheds needed to be designed and demonstrated in the State for building capacities of communities to adapt with changing climate patterns.
The State has put together focused efforts to empower small and marginal farmers to make informed decisions forlivestock management in changing climate scenario. Overall rationale of the intervention is to address the pressing need for sustainable dairy farming practices in the context of a changing climate. By promoting climate-resilient livestock sheds and providing education for sustainable development, the project contributed to enhance milk productivity, improve livelihoods of dairy farmers, and contribute to the long-term resilience of the dairy sector in the face of climate change impacts.
Objectives: 
The objective of the project has been to enhance adaptive capacities of rural communities, particularly livestock farmers through demonstrations & trainingsonclimate resilient housing conditions & optimal feeding practices of animals for ensuring sustainable levels of livestock production in heat stress conditions. The focus has been to sustain livelihoods of small & marginal livestock farmers in projected warming scenarioand minimizing decline in milk yield due to illnesses in animals.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
Innovative and cost-effective designs of climate resilient sheds for bovine stock developed at institutions and at farmers’ household level to enhance the livestock performance during heat stress conditions. This design incorporates optimum orientation, adequate ventilation, controlled cooling system, powdered coated reflective GI sheet as roof, tick-free environment, flexible barricading to segregate sick animals and calves, apt access to feed and water and proper management of wastes. These CR sheds of different animal capacity have been demonstrated in the State and extensive trainings and outreach programs organized across the state to educate farmers, youth entrepreneurs & university scholars of dairy sciences, etc. on climate resilient livestock production.
Size of academic audience: 
The project directly benefitted > 280 farmers where CR sheds demonstrated at their households and >5000 farmers through trainings and outreach activities at village level.
Results: 
Innovative & cost-effective design of heat resilient cattle sheds (comprising adequate ventilation, controlled cooling system, tick-free environment, apt access to feed and water and proper management of wastes) has been developed for small and marginal farmers of the State. These sheds have been demonstrated in the 3 districts of the State at >280 farmers’ households and at 8 regional institutions for focused trainings. As a result of comfortable housing conditions, the expected results of increase in productivity of animals ~ 20% per household is being experienced along with reduction in parasitic infection incidences by ~35% due to average decline of stress in animals by about 11% in comparison to those kept under traditional system.
Lessons learned: 
The innovative and cost-effective designs of climate resilient sheds have proven to be cutting-edge adaptation for enhancing resilience of livestock sector & communities. In addition to benefiting the farmers, these innovative climate-resilient sheds have created opportunities for youth entrepreneurs to venture into the dairy sector and motivated young minds to explore the potential of modern technology for sustainable development.

This tech-intervention showcases immense potential for replication across the country. This is not only a significant step towards climate adaptation but also a promising opportunity for the nation's dairy industry to thrive and for young entrepreneurs to actively contribute to the agricultural revolution.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
The project is in-line with the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC), which aims to meet the information and knowledge needs of stakeholders to address regional climate change challenges. It has received direct support from the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Government of India under National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change. The programme also aligns with the State Action Plan on Climate Change, which provide strategies to address concerns of vulnerablesectors & communities to take coordinated climate action for a sustainable future.
Funding: 
Climate Resilient Cattle Sheds have been developed with the funding support of Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change, Govt. of India under National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC) to achieve sustainable milk production through climate resilient bovine stock management and for sustainable livelihoods of small & marginal farmers.
The climate resilient livestock sheds have been designed and demonstrated in the districts Tarn Taran, Bhatinda and Ludhiana by involving Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University and Dairy Development Board. The initiative also led integration of efforts of state development department and research institutions to enhance resilience of livestock sector as well as communities. Further, Department of Science & Technology, GoI supported Punjab State Climate Change Knowledge Centre is promoting this adaptation strategy through extensive outreach & capacity building programs across the State.

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon WhatsApp Image 2023-08-03 at 4.00.22 PM.jpeg (150.92 KB)
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References and reference materials: 
PDF icon RCE Livestock Project Report.pdf
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Direct
Theme
Traditional Knowledge  
Indirect
Plants & Animals 
Direct
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
Yes
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes