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Integrated Farming: A Profitable Option for Farmers
Integrated farming has proven to be highly effective for farmers, offering low-cost and profitable income opportunities. In addition to poultry farming, raising goats and cattle can also be a lucrative alternative in the agricultural sector for increasing farmers’ income. The trend of integrated farming is growing among farmers, with many like Santosh Kumar from Giddhaura village in Banka district opting to raise chickens, ducks, cows, and goats, resulting in good earnings.
A Diverse Livelihood with Multiple Livestock
Santosh Kumar shared that after the lockdown, he was unable to find employment for a long time. Therefore, he started poultry farming with the Kadaknath breed of chicken as a means of earning a livelihood. Now, he is earning more than five lakh rupees annually by raising three breeds of chickens, as well as cows, goats, and ducks.
He has Sahiwal breed cows and Black Bengal breed goats. In addition to raising three breeds of chickens ★Kadaknath, Sonali, and Desi ★he also has a hatchery for egg production and sells chicks. Furthermore, he sells milk from his Sahiwal cows and raises Black Bengal breed goats, with a total of 25 goats.
Growing the Farming Business with Proper Training
Santosh Kumar mentioned that the initial phase of integrated farming was challenging, as chickens and goats are susceptible to diseases. Therefore, he received training from the Agricultural Science Center in Banka and is now expanding his agriculture-related business in an organized manner.
He feeds his cows with regular fodder, while the Black Bengal goats, also known as Desi goats, and Desi chickens require more attention due to their vulnerability to diseases. He provides them with green fodder along with wheat, resulting in increased growth rates for the goats and chickens.
Additionally, he produces chicks from egg production in the hatchery. With 250 hens, he produces over 150 eggs per day. With the help of the hatchery, he prepares 20 to 25 chicks daily, which are sold at a price between 60 and 70 rupees each. This business enables him to earn an annual income of 5 to 6 lakhs.
बांका जिले के शंभूंगज प्रखंड क्षेत्र के गिद्धौरा गांव के निवासी संतोष कुमार द्वारा इंटीग्रेटेड फार्मिंग का उदाहरण दिया गया है। उन्होंने बताया कि उन्हें लॉकडाउन के बाद रोजगार की समस्या का सामना करना पड़ा था, जिसके चलते उन्होंने कड़कनाथ मुर्गी का पालन शुरू किया। अब उन्हें गाय, बकरी और बत्तख के साथ सालाना पांच लाख से अधिक की कमाई हो रही है। उन्होंने बताया कि उन्हें कृषि विज्ञान केन्द्र बांका से प्रशिक्षण मिला है और अब व्यवस्थित तरीके से व्यवसाय को बढ़ा रहे हैं। इसके अलावा उन्होंने बताया कि उन्हें हेचरी में अंडे से चूजा तैयार करके लोकल मार्केट में बेचने का भी व्यवसाय है और इससे सालाना 5 से 6 लाख तक की कमाई हो रही है।
