Kadaknath Poultry Units & Training to Tribal Farmers

26 April 2023, Khunti: Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology (ICAR-IIAB), Gadkhatanga, Ranchi, in collaboration with Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra, recently provided training and input to tribal farmers as part of the Lakhpati Kisan program. The event took place under the Scheduled Tribe Component (STC), Government of India, and resulted in the distribution of poultry units consisting of 10 Kadaknath chicks and poultry feed to each among 152 local farmer families residing in Chhota Baru, Gajgaon, Siankel, and Otongora villages in Murhu and Khunti block of Khunti district.

The farmers were educated about the management of poultry units, particularly health care and disease prevention. Dr. Soumen Naskar, Principal Scientist at ICAR-IIAB and coordinator of the scheme, informed the farmers that Kadaknath is an Indian poultry breed, also known as Kali Masi, which originated in the Dhar and Jhabua districts of Madhya Pradesh and has received the GI tag. Kadaknath is renowned for its adaptability and brownish-black flesh. The weights of the cock and hen go up to 2 kg and 1.5 kg, respectively, and their eggs are brown in color. Due to its wide popularity, the meat of Kadaknath chicken is quite expensive, which will help increase the income of the farmers.

The initiative was fully supported by Mr. Somnath Das from CInI-Tata Trust, Mr. Mohit Purti from NBJK, and their teams. They expressed their delight in collaborating with ICAR-IIAB to empower the local farmers with the necessary skills and resources to enhance their income and improve their livelihoods.

Overall, this initiative has been successful in enabling local farmers to access new income-generating opportunities and improve their standard of living. With continued support and collaboration from government bodies and organizations, such programs can be scaled up to reach even more individuals and communities, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth in the agriculture sector.