College- Modern English College , Mumbra Topic- Food & Agriculture Organization (Poverty) Name- Sayyed Mohammad Roll

No- 16

INDEX
SR NO 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. TOPIC
INTRODUCTION THEMATIC PROFILES & SYSTEMS REPORTS & STATISTICAL DATA EVENTS PUBLICATIONS LAND BORDER COUNTRIES GEORGRAPHIC & ECONOMIC GROUPS POVERTY CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY

REMARK

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I Sayyed Mohammad from T.Y.B.A Roll No- 16 have done research on this project. I have collected varied information which has given me a great pleasure to work on this project. Many suggestions are welcomed from different type of books & more importantly from the below sources for improving the content of the project. I am very grateful to the below source on working for the said project & unstinted support during the writing of the said project, I would like to thank them for their efforts & assistance. It was very difficult for me to make the said project without the guidance of Principal, Teachers, College staff, Family members & Friends.

INTRODUCTION
Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts - to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO's mandate is to raise levels of nutrition, improve agricultural productivity, better the lives of rural populations and contribute to the growth of the world economy.

FAO's activities comprise four main areas:

Putting information within reach. FAO serves as a knowledge network. We use the expertise of our staff - agronomists, foresters, fisheries and livestock specialists, nutritionists, social scientists, economists, statisticians and other professionals - to collect, analyse and disseminate data that aid development. A million times a month, someone visits the FAO Internet site to consult a technical document or read about our work with farmers. We also publish hundreds of newsletters, reports and books, distribute several magazines, create numerous CDROMS and host dozens of electronic fora. Sharing policy expertise. FAO lends its years of experience to member countries in devising agricultural policy, supporting planning, drafting effective legislation and creating national strategies to achieve rural development and hunger alleviation goals. Providing a meeting place for nations. On any given day, dozens of policymakers and experts from around the globe convene at headquarters or in our field offices to forge agreements on major food and agriculture issues. As a neutral forum, FAO provides the setting where rich and poor nations can come together to build common understanding. Bringing knowledge to the field. Our breadth of knowledge is put to the test in thousands of field projects throughout the world. FAO mobilizes and manages millions of dollars provided by industrialized countries, development banks and other sources to make sure the projects achieve their goals. FAO provides the technical know-how and in a few cases is a limited source of funds. In crisis situations, we work side-by-side with the World Food Programme and other humanitarian agencies to protect rural livelihoods and help people rebuild their lives.

1.Thematic profiles & systems

A.Countries INDIA
Indias massive 1.2 billion (and growing) population includes a staggering 43 percent of underweight children and 48 percent whose growth is stunted by malnutrition. Various FAO programmes are guiding India on a path towards stronger and more stable alimentary security. Life expectancy and child morality have both improved, and the countrys permanent crop numbers have steadily risen over a period of ten years (from 9 200 in 2000 to 11 175 in 2008). Agriculture as a proportion of Indias Gross Domestic Product by about 7 percent since 2001, even though agricultural exports outnumber imports of the same, and half the population still makes its living in agriculture.

FAO's main in-country programmes

Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS)

The SPFS included the Accelerated Maize Development Programme, which was carried out in 225 districts across India. The SPFS Sub-Programme for Maize Improvement became operational in May 1999, and was undertaken in six districts in three states including Bihar (one district), Uttar Pradesh (four districts) and Rajasthan (one district). The United Nations Development Programme funded its implementation. The Government of India requested FAOs assistance in preparing a strategy for extending the SPFS in the country aimed at developing crop, livestock, (and to a lesser extent) fish production. Regarding the latter this aimed primarily at dry-land rainfed farming areas using a watershed management approach (where applicable). Priority states include Orissa, Madya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The proposed strategy by FAO for extending SPFS is based on a decentralized, participatory approach. The process of adopting and applying the SPFS approach to local conditions is ongoing. The following food security related projects have been carried out in India: The Pilot Project for Developing National Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping System in India was approved in August 2003 and was

implemented through November 2005. Phase two of the project began one year later. Apple production improvement was approved in September 2003 and implemented over the period March 2004 to December 2005. Development of a technical capacity base for the promotion of organic agriculture was approved in November 2004 and implemented for two years.

Regional programme for food security (RPFS)

India is a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) together with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. A regional strategy and programme for food security for the SAARC countries has been prepared with FAOs technical support to the SAARC Secretariat under the project called Support for the Preparation of Regional Programme for Food Security. The SAARC Secretariat and FAO jointly initiated this programme in response to the high priority attached by the SAARC Member States to the achievement of the World Food Summit targets and the Millennium Development Goals of eradicating poverty and hunger. The regional strategies and the programme for food security was endorsed by the 15th SAARC Summit in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in August 2008 and a special statement on food security was issued. The SAARC Secretariat and FAO intend to carry the process forward to mobilize development partners support for implementation of the projects. The Asian Development Bank has approved regional technical assistance in the order of US$500 000 to prepare detailed project proposals for donors based on the project concept notes formulated under the SAARC RPFS, which obtained approval by the SAARC Standing Committee in July 2009. Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animals and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES) - Animal Health Component India declared Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) / H5N1 occurrence in February 2006 but rapid response to outbreaks did appear to eliminate the diseases from becoming widespread. In mid-2007 outbreaks were reported in the state of

Manipur near the border with Myanmar. Since January 2008 outbreaks have occurred in the West Bengal state bordering Bangladesh. The last outbreaks were reported on May 11 2008. However, from November 2008 new outbreaks were reported from Assam, Sikkim and the West Bengal states. The most recent outbreak was reported on 28 May 2009 from West Bengal. The HPAI epidemiological situation in East India is most probably becoming endemic (regionally). No human cases have been reported to date. Since February 2004 FAO has put in place country specific and regional trust fund and Technical Cooperation Programme projects to help curb the outbreaks of HPAI in parts of Asia and continues to play a leading role in the international prevention and fight against outbreaks of Avian Influenza (AI). The projects address several issues, among them the improvement of surveillance (including wildlife issues), laboratory diagnostics, and the development of contingency plans. A regional approach has been chosen and appropriate international support is also considered necessary in order to take into consideration the regional and international dimensions of this crisis. India is currently participating in five HPAI projects in the following way:

Immediate technical assistance to strengthen emergency preparedness for HPAI to India Elucidating international migration routes of priority waterbird species in India and the Central Asian Flyway Strengthening cross border activities among Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Myanmar to control possible cross-border spread of HPAI Emergency assistance for the control and prevention of AI activities in Asia, Middle East and North Africa Regional Coordination of AI control and prevention in Asia.

India will be one of the beneficiary countries (through SAARC) of the EC regional cooperation programme on highly pathogenic and emerging diseases in Asia (targeting mainly HPAI and FMD for the animal health side). This programme will take place within the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases for Asia framework. EMPRES Desert Locust Component India is an active member of the FAO Commission for controlling the desert locust in South-West Asia (three other members: Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan) which held its 24th Session in Delhi (January 2005). India also supports the extension of EMPRES (Desert Locust) activities to the eastern region (same countries) in order to modernize its Locust Warning Organization, to take full advantage of modern technology such as RAMSES and eLocust2, and to make greater use of

alternatives to chemical pesticides such as the biopesticide Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum. National Medium Term Priority Framework (NMTPF) FAO has prepared a NMTPF with the Government of India to outline how FAO can best assist them in meeting the national development priorities in agriculture and allied sectors. The framework consists of three components:

Facilitating multi-lateral cooperation to reduce the risk to food security and economic growth through greater participation by India in multi-lateral technical programmes. FAO will continue to support India to access global public goods related to crucial areas such as trans-boundary crop, livestock and fish diseases and pests, fishery management, food safety and climate change. Moreover, FAO will assist India, when necessary, in contributing to the development of these global public goods. Advocacy for food and nutrition security and the role of FAO as a neutral advisor on contentious issues would also be part of this component. FAO will support other countries to access centres of excellence within India. Offering support to the Government of India in strengthening the implementation of national missions and specific programmes aimed at reducing poverty and achieving food and nutrition security. FAO will provide high quality technical assistance and capacity building from national and international sources to transfer best practices, learn from success stories and build the capacity of government officers to design and deliver programmes. FAO will also assist improving local capacity to monitor, evaluate and undertake mid-term corrections in large government programmes. Piloting innovative approaches with government, NGO and private sector partners in agricultural and rural development; success in ground water and irrigation management will be expanded to include the development of value chains involving small-scale farmers and fishers and other areas where new approaches are identified.

B- Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profiles

1. INTRODUCTION

India, the seventh largest country in the world, lies between latitudes 8oand 37o N and longitudes 68o and 97o, and occupies a geographical area of 32.9 M km2. It measures about 3,214 km from north to south and about 2,933 km from east to west. The country exhibits great diversity in climate, topography, flora, fauna and land use. The precipitation ranges from 150 mm in western and north-western deserts to 3126 mm in north-eastern hills. The altitude varies from the coastline to the lofty, snow clad mountains of the Himalayas. The temperature ranges from sub zero in the Himalaya to about 50oC in the central and western parts. India has common borders with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan (Anon. 1997a). The population of India was estimated in July 2006 to be 1,095,351,995 with a growth rate of 1.38% (World Factbook, 2006). Agriculture is the main occupation of the people and about 70% of the population is engaged in this activity. Livestock rearing is complementary to agriculture. The total area under cultivation is about 169.7 M ha; an additional area of 0.4 M ha is under plantation crops. Traditionally, three systems of agricultural land tenure were prevalent in India. These were Ryotwari (property rights held by the holder), Mahalwari (community proprietorship) and Zamindari (ownership of several villages by a single family). However, with the introduction of various agrarian reforms such as land ownership ceilings and abolition of the Zamindari system, land tenure is now more rational. The average holding in India is tiny and often split into scattered pieces. Five major categories of land holding are: marginal (below 1 ha), small (1-2 ha), semi-medium (2-4 ha), medium (4-10 ha), large (10ha and above). During 1980-81, the total numbers (millions) of these holdings in India were:- marginal (50.12), small (16.1), semi-medium (12.5), medium (8.1) and large (2.2). Fragmentation of land holdings is continuing unabated. Livestock rearing is an integral part of the various farming systems. Arable agriculture contributes a major fodder resource in the form of crop residues which are extensively fed to the animals.Wheat straw is transported from surplus areas such as Punjab and Haryana to deficit areas, mostly the Himalayan hills. Fodder crops like oats, Egyptian clover, fodder rape and chicory are grown during winter, while maize, pennisetum, sorghum and cowpeas are sown during the summer. Cultivation of forage crops is restricted to irrigated areas and land rich farmers. Sale of green fodder through retail outlets is a common practice. Cultivation of perennial grasses such as napier and napier X Bajra (Pennisetum) hybrids is becoming popular. Intensive fodder cultivation is restricted to States such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnatka. The area cultivated for fodder amounts to 4% of the total

cultivable area. However, exclusive pastures and grasslands are widespread and are grazed by domestic animals. The total area of permanent pastures and grasslands is about 12.4 M ha or 3.9% of the country`s geographical area. An area of 15.6 M ha, classified as waste land, is also used for grazing. Forests, and their associated grasslands and fodder trees, are another major source of grazing and fodder collection. The ruminant sector provides a significant proportion of self-employment opportunities and supplements the income of most sections of India's agrarian society. Livestock are more significant for people living in drought-prone, hilly, tribal and other less favoured areas where crop production may not be certain. Animal raising is a means of supporting the earning capacity of landless, marginal and small farmers. The importance of this sector can be assessed from the fact that the gross value of output from the livestock sector was about Rs 797 billion (US$ 1 is equal to about Rs. 40) in 1994-95 or about 20% of the total output from the agricultural sector. The contribution in the late 90s of the livestock sector to GDP was 8.5 to 9% (Anon. 1997 b). India is also a major exporter of various livestock products and during 1996-97 livestock products worth Rs 8130 M were exported (APEDA 1997). The country possesses 26 indigenous breeds of cattle and 6 breeds of buffalo. The total size of the livestock population in 2001 was 191.2 M cattle, 94.4 M buffalo, 60.4 M sheep and 120.9 M goats (Table 1). By 2005 cattle numbers had decreased slightly to 185.0M, buffalo numbered 98.0M, sheep 62.5M and goats 120.0M. India produced 1.5 M tonnes of beef and veal, 1.4 M tonnes of buffalo meat, 0.23 M tonnes of sheep meat, 0.47 M tonnes of goat meat and 84.8 M tonnes of milk in 2001 (Table 1); by 2005 production levels were beef and veal 1.5M tonnes, buffalo meat 1.5M tonnes, sheep meat 0.24M tonnes, goat meat 0.48M tonnes and milk 91.9M tonnes. As well as imports of live cattle from neighbouring countries India has substantial imports of dairy products, in particular dry milk. In 2003 and 2004 milk equivalent imports were 124,600 and 48,900 tonnes respectively

2. SOILS AND TOPOGRAPHY

Major crust movements have been responsible for the sharply demarcated threefold structural and physiographical divisions of India, each with its own characteristic features: the Peninsula, consists mainly of Pre-Cambrian rocks in a stable shield area; the extra Peninsula consists of folded and faulted sedimentary beds; and an intermediate tectonic rift valley, known as the Indo-Gangetic trough, is filled with a thick deposit of alluvium (Pichamuthu, 1967). These major topographical features have given rise to a mosaic of features, which are unique to the various geographical areas.

Soils are diverse and differ from area to area. Sixteen major types of soils have been recognized. These are red loamy soils (eastern Himalaya, eastern Ghats, Tamil Nadu uplands), red and lateritic soils (eastern plateau, north-eastern hills, western Ghats), red and yellow soils (eastern plateau adjoining central highlands), shallow and medium black soils (Deccan plateau, central Maharashtra and Karnatka plateau), medium and deep black soils (central highlands, Narmada Valley, Malwa plateau, Bundelkhand and Kathiawar peninsula), mixed red and black soils (parts of Deccan plateau, Telangana, Bellary and Anantpur regions of Karnatka plateau), coastal alluvium - derived soils (eastern and western coastal plains), alluvium - derived soils (western, northern and eastern plains), desert soils (southwestern Punjab, Haryana plains, Rajasthan, Marusthali and Kachchh peninsula), Tarai soils (foothills of central and western Himalaya), brown and red hill soils (eastern Himalaya), saline and alkali soils (Kathiawar peninsula, alluvial plains of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan), shallow and skeletal soils (Ladakh and Kashmir). Grey brown soils (foothills of Aravallis), brown forest and podzolic soil (north-western Himalaya),sandy and littoral soils (Lakashdweep and coastal areas of Andaman and Nicobar islands)

3. THE PASTURE RESOURCE

The grazing of animals takes place on a variety of grazing lands. True pastures and grasslands are spread over an area of about 12.04 M ha. Other grazing lands are available under tree crops and groves (3.70 M ha), on wastelands (1.50 M ha ) and on fallow lands (2.33 M ha). Pastures and grasslands have often resulted from degradation and destruction of forests until savannas are formed (Misra, 1983). True pastures as climax vegetation are found only in subalpine and alpine pastures in the higher altitudes of the Himalayas. Dabadghao and Shankaranarayan (1973) have grasslands classified into five types.

Sehima - Dichanthium grasslands arespread over the Central Indian plateau, Chota Nagpur plateau and Aravallis, covering an area of 1,740,000 km2. The elevation ranges between 300-1200 m. There are 24 species of perennial grasses, 89 species of annual grasses, and 129 species of dicots including 56 legumes. Dichanthium - Cenchrus - Lasiurus grasslands are spread over an area of 436,000 km2, including northern parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Aravalli ranges, south-western Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Punjab. The elevation ranges between 150-300m. There are 11 perennial grass species, 43 annual grass species, and 45 dicots with 19 legumes. Phragmites - Saccharum - Imperata grasslands cover an area of 2,800,000 km2 in the Gangetic plains, the Brahamputra Valley and the plains of Punjab. The elevation ranges between 300-500 m. There are 10 perennial grasses, 26 annual grasses, and 56 herbaceous species including 16 legumes.

Themeda - Arundinella grasslands cover over 230,400 km2 and include the States of Manipur, Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The elevation ranges between 350-1200 m and there are 37 major perennial grasses, 32 annual grasses, and 34 dicots with 9 legumes. Temperate - Alpine grasslands are spread across altitudes higher than 2100 m and include the temperate and cold arid areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and the northeastern states. There are 47 perennial grasses, 5 annual grasses and 68 dicots including 6 legumes.

Small areas of grazing lands are found in the States of Punjab (5.9%) and Haryana (8.9%), while 79.3% and 81.7% of grazing lands are found in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, respectively. Punjab and Harayana States have large areas under intensive fodder production. One ha of fodder cropped area supports 11 to 12 adult cattle units. In the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, fodder is not cultivated (Singh and Misri, 1993). Livestock production is more efficient from cultivated fodder than from the degraded grazing lands. Shankar and Gupta (1992) have classified the Indian grazing lands as fragile ecosystems and have ranked them as class IV and V in their land capability classification. The carrying capacity of these areas is 0.20 to 1.47 adult cattle units (ACU)/ha, but the present stocking rates are much higher. In semi-arid areas, the present stocking rates are 1 to 51 ACU/ha against the carrying capacity of 1 ACU/ha (Shankar and Gupta 1992) while in the arid areas, the stocking rates are 1 to 4 ACU/ha against the carrying capacity of 0.2-0.5 ACU/ha (Raheja, 1966). The deterioration of Indian pastures, grasslands and other grazing lands may be ascribed to the large bovine population, free grazing practices, lack of management, and natural constraints like extremes of temperature, steepness of slopes, variable precipitation, and scarcity of moisture in arid and semi-arid situations. The situation in Himalayan pastures is even more alarming due to the severe pressure of the sedentary, semi-migratory and migratory graziers. Overgrazing has caused the near complete loss of edible species. Weeds such as Stipa, Sambucus, Aconitum, Cincifuga, Adonis, and Sibbaldia have heavily infested these pastures (Misri, 1995). Fodder cultivation has remained static at 4% of the total cultivated area. Availability of fodder seed is another limiting factor. The annual requirement for 6.9 M ha under fodder cultivation, and for improvement of an additional 1 M ha of wastelands, is 10 M tonnes of cultivated fodder seed, 25,000 tonnes of range grass and legume seed and 500 tonnes of fodder tree seed per year. Against this, availability is only 20, 15 and 10%, respectively, of these crops (Singh and Hazra, 1995a).

4. OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURE RESOURCES

Despite various constraints on the productivity of pastures and grasslands, the development of grazing areas and fodder cultivation has tremendous potential in India. Research at the Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi (IGFRI) and at various other organizations, such as ICAR Institutes and State Agricultural Universities, has developed appropriate technologies for the improvement of these areas. Studies conducted at IGFRI have revealed that the initial protection from grazing of newly improved grasslands can lead to better establishment and higher biomass (3.31 tonnes/ha against 0.93 tonnes/ha without protection). Live-hedge fencing has been found to be economic and suitable. Extensive grazing studies have revealed that the appropriate stocking rates are 2530, 20, 17, 12 and 6 ACU/100 ha for the management of excellent, good, fair, poor and very poor classes of rangelands, respectively. Basic moisture conservation techniques like contour furrowing, contour bunding and contour trenching can lead to increases in herbage yield (Ahuja 1977). IGFRI studies, undertaken on natural pastures dominated by Sehima nervosum, Heteropogon contortus and Iseilema laxum, have revealed that their production can be increased from 4.1 to 7.6, from 3.4 to 5.6 and from 4.5 to 6.4 tonnes/ha/year by the application of nitrogen at a rate of 40 kg/ha (Shankar and Gupta, 1992). Kaul and Ganguli (1963) have recommended that pastures must have 14% of the area under edible bushes to obtain best production results. Silvipasture systems on degraded grazing lands (Pathak and Roy, 1995) have enhanced biomass by up to 7-15 tonnes/ha/year. Misri (1986) has reported an additional herbage availability of 35-48 tonnes/ha under hortipasture systems. Singh and Hazra (1995b) have suggested methods to substantially increase pasture seed production in India. A number of highly productive, disease resistant and area specific cultivars of various forage crops, and range species have been developed. Hazra (1995) has listed more than one hundred cultivars of fodder crops developed by various research institutes. When fully adopted, these varieties may increase biomass yield from Indian pastures many-fold.

5. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND PERSONNEL

Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi-Gwalior Road, Jhansi 284 003. This national Institute has the mandate to carry out

research on various aspects of fodder production, utilization and management. One hundred and sixty scientists are grouped in six scientific divisions and three regional research stations located at Avikanagar (Rajasthan), Dharwad (Karnatka) and Palampur (Himachal Pradesh). Contact: Dr. P.S. Tomer, Director. Regional Stations for Forage Production and Demonstration. Seven stations have been established for the production of high quality forage seeds and demonstration of proven forage production technologies in various parts of the country. They are located at Hissar, Kalyani, Gandhinagar, Alamadi, Hyderabad, Suratgarh and Shehama. Contact: Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Govt. of India, Ministry of Agriculture, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi - 110 001. All India Co-Ordinated Research Project (Forage Crops),IGFRI, Jhansi-284 003. Responsible for national testing and release of forage crop varieties. Contact: Dr. N.P.Malkenia. Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur-342 001. Responsible for development of range management technologies for arid areas. Contact: Dr. M.S. Yadava. ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umroi Road, Barapani-793 103. Fodder tree management Contact: Dr. K.A. Singh. National Research Centre for Agroforestry,Jhansi-284 003. Fodder tree production and management. Contact: Dr. K.R. Solanki, Director. BAIF Development Research Foundation,Pune - 411 016. An NGO undertaking R&D activities on forage production and tree fodder research. Contact: Dr. G. Hegde. G.B. Plant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development, KosiKatarmal, Almora-263 643. 4. RUMINANT LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

4. RUMINANT LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Ruminant livestock husbandry has been a major component of Indian agricultural production systems since time immemorial. The major ruminant production systems are:- Peri-urban, Urban, Rural and Transhumant. Cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat are the preferred animals. In peri-urban systems, milk animals are reared in the peripheral areas of large cities and the milk is carried to the cities for sale. Urban systems comprise dairy units of 10-50 cows and buffaloes. It is common to find these systems in and around Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Bangalore and other large cities. Rural and transhumant systems are practised in and around villages where community grasslands and forests are the major source of feeding. In urban systems, milk is transported to the cities for sale. Co-operatives have become very common and effective methods for collection and sale of milk.

Amul, the largest co-operative society, is the role model for the co-operative movement. The number of registered co-operative societies went from 1,588 in 1970/71 to 69,000 in 1994/95. The average annual growth rate for employment in the livestock sector from 1972-73 to 1987-88 was 4.15% as against 1.1% for the agriculture sector as a whole. A livestock holding survey carried out a few years ago revealed that the ratio of milking bovines per 100 households rose from 37 in 198182 to 46 in 1991-92. The average size of holdings is directly influenced by the fodder resources available. However, in general the entire enterprise is based upon small-holdings (4-6 animals per family). Nevertheless, there are still very large herds in some arid areas where animals are more of an insurance against recurring droughts than an income generating enterprise. There are different feeding systems for the various livestock rearing practices. In peri-urban and urban systems, the livestock are mostly tethered. Green fodder (Egyptian clover, rape, maize, pennisetums, sorghums, oats) is purchased from nearby rural areas and fed to the animals. This practice is heavily supplemented with crop residues mainly maize, pennisetum, rice and wheat straw. There is significant use of concentrates for milk animals. Premixed cattle feeds are readily available from local markets. Dry animals are adjusted to rural areas. The transhumant system is prevalent in the Himalayas where there are several nomadic tribes such as the Gujjars, Bakarwals, Gaddis and Changpas, who rear sheep and goat under this system. The animals are moved to sub-alpine and alpine pastures during summer, while during winter, they are grazed on adjoining plains. The scale of this enterprise is widespread and is practised by a variety of farmers including landless and marginal farmers who have adopted this profession for earning a livelihood. Sale of wool and live animals for meat is their only source of income. The rural system involves free grazing of community grazing lands and forests, supplemented with green fodder cultivated in the farmer`s fields. During lean periods, such as summer and autumn, tree leaf fodder is also used. The preferred fodder trees are Acacia Artocarpus, Albizia, Bauhinia, Dalbergia, Dendrocalamus, Ficus, Grewia, Terminalia, and Toona. Concentrates are fed only to lactating animals. While the urban and peri urban systems comprise mostly milk animals, the rural herds are mixed, with goats, sheep, cattle and buffalo. Goats and sheep are, however, reared only on grazing lands. Average quantities of daily feed offered to milk animals are 6.3 kg dry fodder, 5.3 kg green fodder and 0.25 kg concentrates for cows, while a milking buffalo is offered 8.3 kg dry fodder, 2.25 kg green fodder and 0.1 kg of concentrates. The transhumant system is practised in order to locate the best herbage resources from pastures and grasslands. There are also well recognized pastoral tribes who practise a complete transhumance, moving from one

place to another on traditional migratory routes. The dates of migration have traditionally been fixed. Even grazing rights rest with the migratory graziers by traditional usage, though they do not hold proprietory rights over the land. The transhumant system is prevalent in the Himalayan region. However, this system still exists in some states situated in the plains such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujrat and Uttar Pradesh. Livestock rearing is strongly integrated with various farming systems. Besides providing drought power and transportation, it is a major source of income supplementation. Since crop residues form the major portion of animal feed, the integration of livestock rearing in farming systems is common. Recently, hortipasture and silvipasture systems of fodder production have been adopted, thus integrating livestock husbandry with plantation crops as well. Under the on-going national programme on watershed development, these systems are being introduced to enhance biomass productivity of degraded lands which in turn helps in increasing the livestock production. Silvi pasture systems with trees such as Acacia, Leucaena, Albizia, Melia, and understorey grasses Cenchrus,Chrysopogon, Panicum, Pennisetum, Dichanthium and legumes Stylosanthes hamata and Macroptilium are becoming very popular with the farmers. Although livestock rearing has made remarkable progress in terms of increased production and income of farmers, this sector still requires strengthening of its infrastructure. In 1992/93, the country had 124 intensive cattle development projects, 75 frozen semen stations, 38,613 artificial insemination centres and 135 liquid nitrogen plants. The educational infrastructure for training and extension requires improvement. Pastures and grazing lands are commonly overgrazed and degraded. Therefore improved management, better use of crop residues, and production of dry fodder are required. The Indian Veterinary Research Institute, the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute and a number of national research centres are active in research on various aspects of ruminant livestock production.

B.Technologies by country
Rainwater syringe: Low cost technology for rainwater harvesting in coastal areas Due to saline conditions, drinking and pure water is a major problem in coastal areas. Most of the open wells and tube wells in the coastal areas contain salty water. Rainwater harvesting is a viable option for solving the issue of drinking water. Construction of rainwater overhead tanks is a costly affair and marginal farmers cannot afford it. Moreover the tank has limited capacity for storing water. The method developed by Mr Antoji from Kerala, India is a cost effective method for harvesting rainwater in costal areas. Rainwater is collected from the roof tops of houses and stored in a pressure tank in the ground and with the help of PVC pipes, water is lowered below sea level (up to 16 - 24 feet). The water is retained in the underground water column and this harvested water can be subsequently collected by a simple piston pump or motor by constructing a tube well in the vicinity before mixing with saline water. 500 to 2500 litres of water can be drawn daily. The water thus harvested is used both for drinking and for minor irrigation. He has installed more than 150 tanks in different parts of Kerala including in his home village of chellanum in Ernamkulam district. He started the construction of tanks in wide scale from 2000 onwards. The cost of construction or total unit cost is Rs 22,000/- or 500 US $ which includes cost of pump, motor, PVC pipes, labour charges etc. The clients are satisfied with the quality of harvested water. Sample of water collected from the tanks has been tested scientifically in laboratory and approved for drinking.

2.REPORTS & STATISTICAL DATA

A- IMPORTS / EXPORTS - commodities by country

B-Major Food and Agricultural Commodities

and Producers

3.EVENTS
A-Molecular marker technology for crop improvement
Organised by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and supported by the Indian Department of Biotechnology, this training course provides participants with expertise in the use of molecular markers, gene/QTL mapping and marker-assisted breeding, focusing on the experimental design and data analysis components of molecular markers. The course is open to Indian, as well as a few non-Indian, scientists and the deadline for applications is 31 March 2009. Date: 18/05/2009 - 29/05/2009 Location: IND Country: India Region: Asia

B-Transgene expression in plants

A theoretical and practical course organised by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB). Participants must have a basic working knowledge of molecular biology and be directly involved in research covered by the course. Admission is limited to 16 participants and deadline is 30 June. Date:

03/11/2008 - 14/11/2008 Location: IND Country: India Region: Asia

C-Molecular marker applications in crop genetics and breeding

Organised by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), with support from India's Department of Biotechnology (DBT), this training course provides participants with a hands-on opportunity to gain expertise in the use of molecular markers in diversity analysis, gene/QTL mapping and marker-assisted breeding. It focuses on the experimental design and data analysis components of molecular markers. The expenses of selected participants from India are covered by DBT and the course is also open to a few participants outside of India, who have to cover their own expenses. Deadline is 31 December 2007. Date: 31/03/2008 - 11/04/2008 Location: IND Country: India Region: Asia

D-8th Asian Fisheries Forum

Organised by the Asian Fisheries Society and co-sponsored by a number of organisations including the WorldFish Center, this conference is organised into 10 technical sessions, one of which is dedicated to biotechnology. The conference also features a special symposium on 22 November on "Shrimp aquaculture in Asia: Current status and future prospects", that is co-sponsored by FAO. Date: 20/11/2007 - 23/11/2007 Location: IND Country: India Region: Asia

4. PUBLICATIONS
The Second Report on the State of the Worlds Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture Indigenous Peoples'Food Systems: the many dimensions of culture, diversity and enviroment for nutrition and health Animal Genetic Resources Information Livestock Policy and Poverty Reduction Poultry in the 21st Century: avian influenza and beyond Poultry sector country review - India Pro-Poor Livestock Policy and Institutional Change Efficiency of soil and fertilizer phosphorus use Animal Genetic Resources THE STATE OF THE WORLDs ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE PROMISES AND CHALLENGES of the informal food sector in developing countries Farmers knowledge of wild musa in India Animal genetic resources information Livestock and Development - CARTMAN special issue Livestock Environment and Development in Watersheds Policy Note

5.LAND BORDER COUNTRIES

A-BANGLADESH
Food insecurity remains a critical issue in Bangladesh. Although the number of malnourished has decreased in recent years, it remains high: over 41 million people or 27 percent of the total population are malnourished, and just under half of all Bengali children are underweight. Approximately 82 percent of the population live in rural areas, and almost half depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, although the countrys agricultural imports outnumber its exports twelve-fold.

FAO's main in-country programmes

Special Programme for Food Security

The Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS) became operational in 1999 with an on-farm water management pilot programme and a budget of US$338 000. This was expanded to include activities in soil testing and fertility management and crop yield forecasting and agro-meteorology. These projects were operated by FAO from March 2000 to February 2003 within the Agricultural Sector Innovation and Reform project. The US$941 500 budget was funded by a World Bank loan. The Government of Japan also supported the SPFS in Bangladesh through a US$3.3 million Japanese trust fund project. An external evaluation mission in 2003 recognized the positive impact of the SPFS on the livelihoods of beneficiaries in Bangladesh. Under the SPFS, FAO is also assisting the formulation of the project "Food security through market access and agricultural commercialization of smallholders in Bangladesh". The Government of Italy is providing funds for the budget of US$3 million. National Programme for Food Security The National Food Policy Capacity Strengthening Programme aims to increase the capacity of the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit to support the implementation of a national food policy and address issues of access to food, its utilization and nutrition. The budget of US$6.6 million is being funded by the EU and USAID. The timeframe for implementation is October 2005 to April 2010. The Ministry of Agriculture of Bangladesh has prepared a draft outline plan for implementing the national programme covering 249 of the most food insecure upazilias (sub-districts) over an eight-year period. The government is expected to contribute 40 percent of the US$320 million budget, with 10 percent provided by project beneficiaries and the remaining 50 percent coming from external resources.

The draft outline will serve as the basis for formulation of the programme by a national team with assistance from FAO. Bangladesh is also involved in a Regional Programme for Food Security.

EMPRES animal health component

The Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES) is focusing on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease in Bangladesh. HPAI is endemic in Bangladesh with the first outbreaks officially reported in February 2007. A second wave of outbreaks started in September 2007, peaked in January/February 2008 and still continues, with outbreaks reported in January 2009. One case of human death has been officially reported. In response to the first outbreaks, an FAO team mission worked with veterinary services, poultry producers, veterinary professionals and local leaders to help facilitate outbreak response efforts. FAO continues to provide assistance to Bangladesh through global, international and regional HPAI projects in the areas of public-private partnership, biosecurity and highly pathogenic emerging diseases. The last rinderpest outbreak in Bangladesh occurred in 1958 and the last vaccination campaign was carried out in 1998. Based on this history, Bangladesh will apply for international recognition of freedom from rinderpest. The Global Rinderpest Eradication Programme is assisting Bangladesh to prepare a dossier for official accreditation. In 2008 FAO conducted a cattle foot-and-mouth vaccination campaign to limit the anticipated spread of this disease after the cyclone of November 2007

National Medium Term Priority Framework

Since January 2009, the government has taken a pro-agriculture stand. This has provided FAO with the opportunity to revitalize the formulation of the National Medium Term Priority Framework. The aim is to provide FAO with a solid basis for a country programme compliant with the policies and priorities of the Government. It will also help coordination among donors and other UN programmes, a step forward towards the UN "Delivering as One" initiative. A team of national and international resource persons, supervised by the FAO Representative, will identify FAO's strategic niche and competitive edge in the national policies, strategies and action plans on agriculture. The process will build on consultations with all stakeholders. Learning from the experiences of neighbouring countries, FAO will assist the government to identify gaps and define priority steps.

B-PAKISTAN
Despite steady economic growth over the past ten years, access to food for vulnerable populations remains a major issue in Pakistan. Consistently-rising food prices have resulted in 43 million Pakistanis living with severe food insecurity. (This data is from 2007, and excludes the millions more that have been affected and that have lost their agricultural livelihoods after the devastating floods of August 2010.) A combination of conflicts, natural disasters and other detrimental factors continue to augment figures such as the number of those undernourished, which unlike in most other underdeveloped and undeveloped countries, have worsened over a period of twenty years.

FAO's main in-country programmes

Special Programme for Food Security
FAO has been assisting Pakistan to improve its food security since 1998. The Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS) carried out water control in five villages in Punjab, the North West Frontier Province and Sindh targeting over 500 families. This successful programme encouraged the Government of Pakistan to expand the programme to 109 villages in 20 union councils of 15 districts between 2001 and 2006. The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock allocated over US$8 million for this work. A participatory training project strengthened provincial capacities. From 2002 to 2004, it took initiatives to improve the capacity of agricultural extension agents, rural community organizations and village-based business support services.National Programme for Food

Security Based on the positive experiences with the SPFS, the Government of Pakistan has been implementing a National Programme for Food Security since July 2007. The Crop Maximisation Project, funded with US$130 million from the government itself, supports 55 000 households in 1 012 villages. Major activities are the organization and empowerment of farmers' communities, capacity building for farmers and extension staff, enhancing productivity of crops and livestock, increasing income by establishing small enterprises and developing market linkages. The project is based on farmers' leadership and assists in organizing

the farming community at village level through establishing village organizations. Investments are made through revolving funds at the community level. Pakistan is also involved in a Regional Programme for Food Security.

EMPRES animal health component

The Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES) has focused on two main animal health problems on Pakistan: highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and rinderpest. Pakistan is known to have co-circulation of several HPAI viruses. EMPRES monitors the situation through a regional network, running in parallel with ongoing FAO projects. The regional network addresses improvement of surveillance (including wildlife), laboratory diagnostics and the development of contingency plans. Pakistan successfully obtained international recognition of freedom from rinderpest in 2007. The country had been one of the last reservoirs of rinderpest persistence in Asia and was a high priority country for the Global Rinderpest Eradication Programme. Pakistan has benefited considerably by regaining livestock markets in the Middle East lost earlier because of rinderpest. EMPRES activities also include gaining a better understanding of disease dynamics, particularly foot-and-mouth disease, peste des petits ruminants and Haemorrhagic Septicaemia through regular programme activities and a Trust Fund supported by Italy

EMPRES Desert Locust component

Pakistan is a member of the FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in Southwest Asia, together with Afghanistan, India and Iran. In line with the FAO Conference recommendation to extend EMPRES to the whole Desert Locust distribution area, these four countries called for the establishment of the EMPRES Desert Locust component in the region to provide training and to support applied locust research. The secretariat is presently provided by the Locust Group at FAO headquarters.

Emergency and rehabilitation

In flood-and-earthquake-affected districts, FAO has supported the renewal of farming activities through the distribution of seeds, fertilizers, agricultural tools, veterinary supplies and the rehabilitation of community-based on-farm irrigation and water harvesting systems. Under the Initiative on Soaring Food Prices, FAO seeks to bolster food production through targeted investments in the agriculture sector and to render food accessible to the most vulnerable. FAO also helps smallscale farmers raise their output and earn more income.

6.GEOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC GROUPS

A-South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation(SAARC)
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an organisation of South Asian nations, founded in December 1985 and dedicated to economic, technological, social, and cultural development emphasising collective self-reliance. Its seven founding members are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan joined the organization in 2005. Meetings of heads of state are usually scheduled annually; meetings of foreign secretaries, twice annually. It is headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal. The 16 stated areas of cooperation are agriculture and rural, biotechnology, culture, energy, environment, economy and trade, finance, funding mechanism, human resource development, poverty alleviation, people to people contact, security aspects, social development, science and technology; communications, tourism

Objectives
The objectives of the Association as defined in the Charter are:

to promote the welfare of the people of South Asia and to improve their quality of life; to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realize their full potential; to promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia; to contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another's problems; to promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields; to strengthen cooperation with other developing countries; to strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common interest; and to cooperate with international and regional organisations with similar aims and purposes.

B- Economic Cooperation Organization

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), is an intergovernmental regional organization established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey for the purpose of promoting economic, technical and cultural cooperation among the Member States. ECO is the successor organization of Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) which remained in existence since 1964 up to 1979. In 1992, the Organization was expanded to include seven new members, namely: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan. The date of the Organizations expansion to its present strength, 28 th November, is being observed as the ECO Day. The ECO region is full of bright trading prospects. Despite its young age, ECO has developed into a thriving regional organization. Its international stature is growing. Nevertheless, the organization faces daunting challenges with respect to realization of its objectives and goals. Most importantly, the region is lacking in appropriate infrastructure and institutions which the Organization is seeking to develop, on priority basis, to make full use of the available resources in the region. Over the past 12 years the member states have been collaborating to accelerate the pace of regional development through their common endeavors. Besides shared cultural and historic affinities, they have been able to use the existing infrastructural and business links to further fortify their resolve to transfer their hopes and aspirations into a tangible reality. ECO has embarked on several projects in priority sectors of its cooperation including energy, trade, transportation, agriculture and drug control. Current Membership: Islamic State of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan Republic, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Turkey, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan Finance Source: Member contributions. Language: English. Key Executive: Secretary General.

Secretariat Staff: International staff of the General Secretariat of ECO includes the Secretary General, 3 deputy secretaries general, 6 directors, 3 assistant directors and other professionals and technical, administrative and support personnel. The total number of staff is over 60.

OBJECTIVES
Sustainable economic development of Member States Progressive removal of trade barriers and promotion of intra- regional trade; Greater role of ECO region in the growth of world trade; Gradual integration of the economies of the Member States with the world economy; Development of transport & communications infrastructure linking the Member States with each other and with the outside world; Economic liberalization and privatization; Mobilization and utilization of ECO region's material resources; Effective utilization of the agricultural and industrial potentials of ECO region; Regional cooperation for drug abuse control, ecological and environmental protection and strengthening of historical and cultural ties among the peoples of the ECO region; and Mutually beneficial cooperation with regional and international organizations.

7. CONCLUSION
A-Visions for the future

Since its inception in 1997, the UNSystem Network on RuralDevelopment and Food Security has achieved significant progress in strengthening partnerships andenhancing collaboration amongst development partners, and is attracting ever-increasing commitment and resources for action to fight hunger and alleviate rural poverty. The Special Session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC, October 2000) reiterated the Networks key role as a coordination mechanism forfollow-up to the World Food Summit, while the Network and many of its national Thematic Groups have actively supported government preparations for and implementation of the next World Food Summit, during which progress made in theimplementation of WFS goals will be reviewed by Heads of State and governments. Although the full potential of theNetwork is clearly still to be realized in many developing countries, it isundeniable that the Network and its national Thematic Groups have a significant role to play in building partnerships and improving existingones at the country level for sustained and focused follow-up to the WFS Plan of Action. Indeed, such is the flexibility of the Network and its national Thematic Groups that they can evolve to respond to country- and region-specific development challenges as they arise.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
A-BOOKS REFERRED
FAO. 1998a. Predictions of cattle industry, cultivation levels, and farming systems in Kenya by W. Wint & D. Rogers. AGA Consultants Report. Animal Production and Health Division. Rome. FAO. 1998b. The role of green water in food production in Sub-Saharan Africa, by H.H.G. Savenije (available at http://www.fao.org). FAO. 2000a. Land resource potential and constraints at regional and country levels. World Soil Resources Report No. 90. Rome. FAO. 2000b. Food security and sustainable development in the Middle East Region, by P. Koohafkan. Farshad, A. & Zinck, J.A. 1998. Traditional irrigation water harvesting and management in semiarid western Iran: a case study of the Hamadan region. Wat. Int., 23: 146154.

B-WEBSITES
WWW.FAO.ORG WWW.GOOGLE.COM WWW.SCRIBD.COM