Constraint analysis of dairy farming in tribal areas through descriptive statistics and non-parametric ranking techniques

Introduction

The livestock sector plays a significant role in Indian agriculture and allied activities, contributing substantially to rural livelihoods and the national economy. With the changing global scenario, there is an increasing need to educate dairy farmers about scientific dairy management practices, including clean milk production, processing, preservation, storage, and transportation of milk and milk products. However, several constraints continue to hinder the adoption of improved dairy practices. Major challenges identified include inadequate knowledge of scientific dairy animal management, lack of awareness regarding balanced feeding, poor availability of quality feed and fodder, shortage of high genetic merit indigenous bulls, low conception rates through artificial insemination, and insufficient veterinary services (Gamit et al., 2021) [3] . Similar factors contributing to the discontinuance of adaptation strategies were also reported by Ghasura et al. (2024) [4] . Chinchmalatpure (2022) [2] observed that dairy farmers faced several difficulties in adopting improved dairy management practices for quality milk production. The major constraints included inadequate veterinary services in villages, high costs of feed and fodder, lack of financial resources to invest in dairy enterprises, year-round scarcity of green fodder. The study further highlighted that most farmers expressed the need for training programs on improved dairy farming practices and suggested that cooperative societies should provide more remunerative prices for milk and milk products. Similarly, Ashwar and Vekariya (2023) [1] reported that the high cost of concentrate feed and feed ingredients was the most serious constraint faced by dairy farmers. Other major problems included non-remunerative milk prices, poor availability and high cost of dry fodder during the monsoon season, inadequate supply of green fodder throughout the year, reproductive disorders in animals. In addition, Pandey et al. (2024) [7] reported that healthcare practices were less widely adopted compared to other dairy management dimensions. The authors stressed the importance of organizing demonstrations and training programs on animal healthcare practices to improve disease management and maintain better animal health among dairy farmers. In light of the above challenges, the present study was undertaken to examine the constraints faced by dairy farmers, particularly in tribal areas, in order to understand the ground realities and provide insights for policymakers to formulate appropriate measures for making dairy farming more sustainable and profitable.

Objectives

To study the constraints of dairy farmers in adoption of improved animal husbandry practices

Methodology

The study was conducted in Chhotaudepur district, which was purposively selected for the investigation due to its predominantly tribal population. A total of 30 villages were selected from three talukas, namely Bodeli, Sankheda, and Pavi Jetpur. From each selected village, seven dairy farmers were randomly chosen, resulting in a total sample size of 210 respondents. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire specifically designed for the study. The constraints faced by dairy farmers were assessed using a three-point continuum scale, where a score of 3 indicated "most serious," 2 indicated "serious," and 1 indicated "least serious." The collected data were analysed using appropriate statistical tools, including descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation, along with the Friedman test, Kendall's coefficient of concordance (Kendall's W), and ranking methods for prioritization of constraints.

Results and Discussion

Constraints Faced by Dairy Farmers

The mean scores of different constraints perceived by dairy farmers were calculated based on respondents' ratings and are presented in Table 1 in descending order of severity. Ashwar and Vekariya, 2023) [2,1] . Fig. 1 illustrates the relative severity of different constraints through a horizontal bar chart for better visual interpretation. www.extensionjournal.com

Group-wise Descriptive Statistics of Constraints

The 24 identified constraints were grouped into eight major categories, namely breeding, feeding, management, health, financial, marketing, infrastructural, and socio-personal constraints. The descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, mean rank, and overall ranks, are presented in Table 2. [8] reported that breeding constraints were the most serious challenge faced by Scheduled Caste dairy farmers, mainly due to insufficient knowledge of heat detection. Feeding constraints ranked second because of the high cost of feed and limited availability of fodder, followed by healthcare and marketing constraints. www.extensionjournal.com

Visual representation of Constraint Dimensions

A radar chart was employed to illustrate the mean scores of the major constraint categories, which clearly indicated that financial constraints constituted the most severe dimension among all categories. In contrast, socio-personal constraints exhibited the lowest severity. The graphical representation provides a comprehensive overview of the multidimensional nature of challenges experienced by dairy farmers. Fig. 2 presents a radar chart depicting the severity levels of different categories of constraints faced by dairy farmers. [6] , who observed a strong and statistically significant agreement among respondents, with a p-value of 0.000 indicating that the agreement was highly unlikely to have occurred by chance. Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W = 0.239) indicated a low to moderate level of agreement among respondents regarding the ranking of constraints. This suggests considerable variability in farmers' perceptions, possibly due to differences in socio-economic status, resource availability, possession of milch animals, frequency of extension agency contact and mass media participation.

Conclusion

The study identified several constraints affecting dairy farmers, with financial and marketing-related issues emerging as the most severe. Low milk prices, high input costs, and limited financial support were the major challenges perceived by respondents. The Friedman test confirmed significant differences in the severity levels of various constraint categories, while Kendall's coefficient of concordance indicated low to moderate agreement among farmers. The findings suggest the need for policy interventions aimed at improving milk pricing mechanisms, simplifying loan procedures, creating awareness about government provisions, strengthening veterinary and extension services, conduct trainings and capacity building programs. Addressing these constraints could contribute significantly to improving the profitability and sustainability of dairy farming in the study area.

Implications

• The findings of the study provide valuable insights into the various constraints affecting the adoption of improved animal husbandry practices and the entrepreneurial behaviour of dairy farmers in the study area.

• The findings imply that cooperative societies need to offer more remunerative prices for milk and milk products to improve the economic condition and sustainability of dairy farming among farmers. • The study highlights the need for targeted policy interventions, training programmes, and awareness campaigns by the government and extension agencies to address financial, management, and marketingrelated constraints, thereby improving the profitability and sustainability of dairy farming in such regions.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors sincerely acknowledge all the respondents who voluntarily participated in this research. Their time, effort, and valuable insights were instrumental to the completion of this study.

References

1. Ashwar MRB, Vekariya SJ. Socio-economic status and constraints faced by dairy farmers. Gujarat Journal of Extension Education. 2023;36(2):54-63.
2. Chinchmalatpure UR. Socio-economic status of dairy farmers and their constraints in adoption of improved dairy management practices. Gujarat Journal of Extension Education. 2022;34(1):22-25.
3. Gamit V, Odedra M, Ahlawat A, Prajapati V, Patel H, Gamit K. Constraints faced by dairy farmers in different states of India: an overview. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies. 2021;9(1):19011906.
4. Ghasura RS, Rani DV, Singh RR. Dairy farmers' views on overcoming barriers to adopting climate change adaptation strategies. Gujarat Journal of Extension Education. 2024;37(2):195-200.
5. Lekha USS, Singh AK, Madhava MC. Assessing association and challenges faced by farmers in accessing Rythu Bharosa Kendra services. Gujarat Journal of Extension Education. 2025;39(1):74-79.
6. Naik A, Dash SR, Das KS, Bahubalendra S, Mohanty PR. Deciphering the constraints perceived by farmers in the adaptation of climate-resilient technologies in the NICRA village of Jharsuguda district in Odisha, India: RBQ and Kendall's coefficient of concordance approach. Nature Environment and Pollution Technology. 2026;25(1):1-13.
7. Pandey S, Ponnusamy K, Manasa K. Adoption level of improved dairy farming practices by resource-poor dairy farm households. Gujarat Journal of Extension Education. 2024;38(2):59-65.
8. Raj M, Sankhala G, Samaddar S. Unveiling and prioritizing dairy constraints faced by scheduled caste households. Gujarat Journal of Extension Education. 2025;40(1):165-171.