www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org IMPACTS OF GOAT REARING IN CURBING DISTRESS MIGRATION M.M. MAJHI, P. SWAIN, B. C. DAS & D.SWAIN Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India ABSTRACT The study was undertaken in the Nuapada district of Odisha to assess the impact of goat rearing in curbing distress migration. The data was collected through well designed questionnaire from 50 non-migrant goat rearers selected randomly from 5 blocks of the district, and from fifty migrant bonded labourers taken from one migratory destination i.e. suburbs of Raipur in Chhattisgarh. The migrants were selected on the basis of their experience in migration. The collected data were analyzed with suitable statistical measures like standard deviation, percentage, Pearson Coefficient of Correlation, two sample sign test and Mann-Whitney U test. The study revealed that 90 percent of non-migrant respondents were not credit worthy, 86 per cent were under stress condition and 76 percent of them were borrowing money from labour contractor before goat rearing. However, after goat rearing, 94 percent of the them reported that they are now credit worthy, 86 per cent expressed they are not under stress condition, 84 per cent never remained wage earners and 78 per cent borrowed money from organized sources only. Further, 84 per cent opined that they have made reasonable expenses for traditional rituals and 88 per cent are getting employment after harvest of paddy. The study further revealed that 90 percent of the non-migrant respondents were in strong agreement that there is social development due to their non-migration. Whereas, 69.8 percent of them strongly agree that there is financial and psychological development due to non-migration. KEYWORDS: Goat Rearing, Impact, Migration, Nuapada, & Distress Received: Jan 15, 2017; Accepted: Feb 22, 2017; Published: Feb 25, 2017; Paper Id.: IJASRAPR201721 INTRODUCTION Odisha is one of the poorest eastern states of India. The economy of state is dependent on agriculture and the performance in this sector is crucial to the development of the state. The prevalence of small farming system having small sized land holdings, seasonal unemployment, non-application of modern technology in agriculture are important factors behind the migration of resource poor farmers to other places in search for alternate sources of livelihood. Besides, migration in Odisha, especially in the tribal districts, is an outcome due to the repeated draughts that strike the state at regular intervals. Cyclones and floods hit the state at different times in different regions. There have been more than 30 natural disasters during the period 1963 to 1999. The coastal region is more prone to cyclones, floods where as the western districts and southern region are vulnerable to droughts and famines and have created a vacuum in livelihoods. In Odisha there’s a trend of seasonal migration of labour force during the agricultural lean season. The small farmers, marginal farmers and landless labourers get gainful employment from June to November (sowing to harvesting of paddy). But they sit idle for the rest six months of the year. Disguised unemployment occurs and families of these people are dragged into distress which forces them to embrace seasonal migration. The state suffers from distress migration mostly from south west regions including KBK (Koraput, Bolangir and Kalahandi) districts. The KBK districts account for 19.80% population over 30.60% Original Article International Journal of Agricultural Science and Research (IJASR) ISSN(P): 2250-0057; ISSN(E): 2321-0087 Vol. 7, Issue 2, Apr 2017, 147-154 © TJPRC Pvt. Ltd