Socio- Economic Structure of Dairy Farming& Farmers in Peri-Urban Area of Aligarh City.

Abstract

The demand of milk and milk derived products in developing countries like India, due to improvement in income, urbanization, health consciousness and awareness as well as fall in rural employment especially in crop farming, accelerated dairy farming in the country. A large number of population is engaged, directly or indirectly, in this diversified form of agriculture. Study reveals that the dairy farmers represent a lion share among rural households in various villages of Aligarh district. India is penetrated and enrooted in every sphere of life of people. Politically, three social groups’ i.e. high castes, other backward castes and scheduled castes/ tribes are recognized. Livestock husbandry in particular and agriculture in general is also controlled by both female and male members of farmers’ households. Education status is one of the important indicators of human development. Economic status of dairy farmers is reflected in their income and size of landholding. Income of the farmers or capital for investment is one of the important determinants of development of dairy farming in the study area. The dairy farming households follow various occupations like agriculture (crop farming), dairy farming, agricultural labour and business with changing priority.