
Cattle and dairy rearing reshape economy and opportunities in Telangana forest villages.
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In the forest villages of Bhupalpally district, Telangana, livestock rearing is emerging as a central driver of rural livelihoods, reversing a decline in traditional animal husbandry and offering new economic stability to land-poor farmers. What was once a fading practice has returned with vigor, altering the rural socioeconomic landscape for communities that typically own very small landholdings.
In the Adivasi village of Konampet, large herds of cattle, goats, sheep, bulls and poultry have become a common sight, reflecting a clear shift away from sole dependence on crop cultivation. Many families with less than an acre of land now regard livestock — especially cattle and goats — as their primary source of income, as animal products provide both subsistence and marketable goods.
The natural conditions near forest areas are seen as favorable for expanding herds, and villagers are now supplying milk and dairy products such as curd and ghee to nearby town markets, boosting household earnings beyond subsistence. This gradual rise in livestock numbers is linked directly to improved cash flow in rural economies and diversification away from conventional cropping systems.
The livestock resurgence is also creating employment opportunities, especially for women, who are involved in animal care, fodder cultivation and dairy product handling. Farmers are integrating fodder crops on small land parcels and leveraging cow dung as organic manure, effectively cutting farming costs and enhancing crop yields where agriculture remains part of the livelihood mix.
Despite these positive trends, locals call for greater governmental support to sustain and scale livestock growth. They’ve urged the Animal Husbandry Department to expand veterinary services, vaccinations and health camps, while also appealing to forest officials for controlled grazing access and support for cattle shelters to protect animals from wildlife threats — measures they believe would cement livestock rearing as a long-term pillar of rural stability.
Source: The Hans India – https://www.thehansindia.com/telangana/cattle-rearing-reshapes-rural-life-in-bhupalpallys-forest-villages-1042529
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