Tag: cottage and small scale industries

The need for diversification arises from the fact that there is greater risk in depending exclusively on farming for a livelihood. Diversification towards new areas is necessary not only to reduce the risk from the agriculture sector but also to provide productive sustainable livelihood options to rural people. 

Much of the agricultural employment activities are concentrated in the Kharif season. But during the Rabi season, in areas where there are inadequate irrigation facilities, it becomes difficult to find gainful employment. Therefore expansion into other sectors is essential to provide supplementary gainful employment and in realising higher levels of income for rural people to overcome poverty and other tribulations.

Also, agriculture is already overcrowded, a major proportion of the increasing labour force needs to find alternate employment opportunities in other non-farm sectors.

The sectors which are allied to the rural farm economy and have the potential but seriously lack infrastructure and other support include traditional home-based industries like pottery, crafts, handlooms etc.

As agriculture is already overcrowded, a major proportion of the increasing labour force needs to find alternate employment opportunities in other non-farm sectors. However, there is an immediate necessity to develop the same to improve them to provide supplementary gainful employment and in realising higher levels of income for rural people to overcome poverty and other tribulations.

Operation Flood, launched in 1970, was a project of India's National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), which was the world's biggest dairy development program. 

It transformed India from a milk-deficient nation into the world's largest milk producer, surpassing the USA in 1998, with about 17 per cent of global output in 201011. In 30 years it doubled milk available per person and made dairy farming Indias largest self-sustainable rural employment generator.

It was launched to help farmers direct their own development, placing control of the resources they create in their own hands. All this was achieved not merely by mass production, but by production by the masses; the process has been called the white revolution.

Operation Flood's objectives included:

• Increase milk production ("a flood of milk")
• Augment rural incomes and 
• Fair prices for consumers

"Operation Flood" started the White Revolution in India and made our country self-sufficient in milk and this was achieved entirely through the cooperative structure. 

Though in terms of numbers, our livestock population is quite impressive but its productivity is quite low ascompared to other countries. It requiresimproved technology andpromotion of good breeds of animals to enhance productivity. Improved veterinary care and credit facilities to small and marginal farmers and landless labourers would enhancesustainable livelihood options through livestock production.

Operation Flood was a rural development programme started by India's National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1970. One of the largest of its kind, the programme objective was to create a nationwide milk grid.

It resulted in making India one of the largest producers of milk and milk products and hence is also called the White Revolution of India. It also helped reduce malpractices by milk traders and merchants.