Information Needs and Interaction Pattern of Buffalo Farmers

Buffalo husbandry in the Indian context is very intimately interwoven with the country's rural economy such that its prevalence as a source of food and additional income transcends all socio-economic boundaries of rural life. Skills in buffalo rearing, milk production and processing have been handed over from generation to generation. This is a blessed heritage of people of India which needs to be resurrected through applied innovations and cooperative human resource utilization.The major stakeholders who influence buffalo development in the state were buffalo farmers, scientists, SDAH field functionaries, input agencies, administrators,planners and non-government organizations. Scientists of ICAR institutes and State Veterinary University generated technologies which were passed on to State Department of Animal Husbandry field functionaries/veterinarians. Farmers were supposed to utilize these technologies and information. Administrators from ICAR institutes, State Veterinary University, State Department of Animal Husbandry, Non-government organizations,cooperatives and banks were responsible for framing policies.