About the theme
One of the Tata Trusts’ key thematic interventions under the Livelihoods portfolio is livestock and fisheries development. Supplementing unpredictable crop incomes through sustainable livestock systems can help reduce poverty, end hunger and improve the health of rural communities. The United Nations (UN) estimates that that 60% of rural households in developing countries depend on livestock for their livelihoods.
The Trusts’ approach is to augment natural resources and develop new income opportunities in crops, livestock and fishery products for permanent income generation. In addition, overlapping multiple disparate projects within a community or household helps to create a sustainable impact. For instance, farmers in a village may continue farming, but they are also encouraged to earn additional income through non-agricultural yet complementary options such as the rearing of dairy cattle, goats, poultry, fisheries, duck farming, and piggeries, which utilise agricultural byproducts as input materials and convert them efficiently into more valuable products.
