Employment and income generation capabilities of duck farming: Experience from Kuttanad wet land ecosystem

Duck farming is a customary livelihood option utilizing the topographical peculiarities of Kuttanad wetland ecosystem and is important for income generation and employment opportunities .Present study was conducted to analyse labour utilization pattern and income generation from duck farming in Kuttanad region of Kerala. Multistage random sampling was employed for selection of respondents and comprised of total of 150 farmers. Four systems of rearing viz., Back yard rearing, semi intensive, nomadic and nursery rearing were identified and majority followed semi intensive system of rearing. The labour utilization pattern and income generation varied among different systems of rearing. Backyard rearing was found to provide an average daily employment of nearly 22.8 days per annum for the family. All other systems of duck rearing in Kuttanad region utilized both family labour and hired labour. The nomadic farming system found to be providing full time employment to the labourers throughout the season of flock migration and generated highest income. The gross income from backyard rearing system ranged from Rs. 300 to Rs.21,000 with an average of Rs. 5036/annum. The gross income from duck nurseries ranged from Rs. 15,990 to Rs. 3, 75,000 with an average income of Rs. 93,077/annum. The gross income from semi-intensive rearing system ranged from Rs. 5,000 to Rs.5, 26,000 with an average of Rs. 2, 30,119/annum. The gross income from nomadic rearing system ranged from Rs. 2, 50,000-7,40,000 with an average of Rs. 3,50,750/annum. The annual family income of farm families were concomitant with their respective income from duck farming.