The World Bank-aided Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZM) in the State is providing an alternative livelihood for the fishers whose occupation has been severely affected due to a mandatory ban on fishing. They are being encouraged to pursue dairy as a livelihood option in the ecologically sensitive coastal region.
As part of its initiative of alternative livelihood to fisher folks in a pilot project area in Chilika and Bhitarkanika region, 800 fisher families have been benefited directly from the dairy activities where 63 self-help groups (SHGs) were formed by the Fishery and Animal Resources Development Department, a project executing agency of ICZMP. The SHGs were given the best technical know-how through a series of capacity building programmes organized in regular intervals in the Puri and Kendrapara districts.
The SHGs were selected after a series of consultative process and the ICZMP assisted Rs238 lakh to the SHGs as financial assistance. Each SHG dairy unit got Rs4.59lakh. The ICZMP also engaged Odisha livestock Resource Development Society - OlRDS to select right breed of cows, impart training on dairying and linking market supports for the milk produce. The dairy units are now producing 2,400 liters of milk per day and have been linked to the milk route of OMFED. “We have encouraged by the SHGs to choose dairy as a trade because of its proven potential for success in remote areas. In addition to this, the technical collaboration with OlRDS benefited these dairy groups immensely,” said ICZMP PD Dr Ajit Kumar Pattanaik.