Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, has signed a MoU with National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), Delhi for promoting goat production for the benefit of down trodden and marginal farmers of the State. 
The MoU was signed at the headquarters of NSFDC at Delhi. Dr. Harish Kumar Verma, Director of Extension Education, GADVASU revealed that Regional Research and Training Centre, Talwara of GADVASU has identified a cluster of villages in Talwara Block of Hoshiarpur district which has tremendous potential for goat production. The Scheduled caste and under trodden goat farmers of this cluster will be provided financial help through modernizing their existing goat sheds. The improved germplasm will also be provided to the needy farmers. The interested farmers of the area will be provided skill training in scientific goat rearing. Sufficient finances will also be provided for channelizing their output for efficient marketing. All the farmers will be helped to form a Farmer Interest Group (FIG) or Self Help Group (SHG). These groups will be linked to various Banks for financial management of their enterprises. Improved goat production through better housing and feeding practices has direct implication on income of millions of households as well as national food security.
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Dr. Verma said that goat is gaining popularity in Punjab as it can consume wide variety of feed resources, requires less capital or investment, fast sexual maturity (9-12 months) and proliferation. Due to lower input requirements, goat rearing highly suits unemployed youth, women, ex-servicemen etc. who can easily learn skills in this profession. Apart from meat, goat milk remains in high demand. The demand increases many folds during outbreaks of dengue and other viral diseases. There is huge scope in value addition and processing of goat milk and meat which can further enhance income. He told that GADVASU will cover all the skill imparting training work as the knowledge partner while NSFDC will provide financial help. He shared that this year GADVASU will confer Chief Minister’s Award to a goat farmer at March Pashu Palan Mela, 2017.
Dr A S Nanda, Vice-Chancellor said that this pact will form a new bond of collaboration with NSFDC and the benefits will percolate to the end users more easily. The agreement will go a long way in sustaining the livelihood of poor livestock farmers of the State.
