International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Brijesh Kumar, Vandana, Nikhil Pal Bajia, Pradeep Chandra and Pradeep Dangi

abstract
A vital component of India's rural economy, the livestock industry employs millions of marginal, small and landless farmers and substantially contributes to the country's food supply. The cattle industry has shown resilience throughout time, continuously registering positive growth rates despite hardships like droughts. Small and marginal farmers mostly depend on cattle as a source of income, devoting a sizeable amount of their budget to animal husbandry. The economic surveys conducted in 2016–17 and 2017–18 emphasize how livestock contributes more to agricultural revenue overall, underscoring the sector's expanding importance. Women are vital to the cattle industry and many of them are involved in dairy groups. A comprehensive strategy for enhancing the livelihoods of small and marginalized farmers, Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) encourages resource efficiency, food security and recycling of nutrients. IFS provide options for employment, revenue generation and sustainable production by combining field crops with farm animals. IFS improves environmental sustainability, profitability and productivity by managing resources well. Different models have been created to improve farm revenue and productivity in the context of dairy-based IFS. These models provide small farmers with a holistic solution by combining crop growing, hydroponics, vermicomposting and other related practices with dairy farming. To bolster the dairy-focused industry, steps need to be taken, including making loans to small farmers hassle-free, encouraging the use of sex-sorted semen technology, creating online marketplaces for bovine germplasm, applying genomic technology to breed improvement, and incorporating livestock into agricultural systems. The livestock industry is greatly aided by research and development, which focuses on topics including breed improvement, thermostable vaccinations, ethno-veterinary treatment and animal feeding plans unique to a certain location. India can increase agricultural production, guarantee food security and improve farmers' livelihoods in a sustainable way by focusing on dairy-based IFS development and provide the required assistance.