Small Scale Pig Farming in Manipur, India: A Study on Socio-Personal and Socio-Economical Status of the Small Scale Tribal Farming Community

Pig farming is dispensable to the tribal folks of Manipur, India. In this study, we tried to establish baseline information on the socio-personal and socio-economical status of small scale tribal pig farmers in the state. Altogether, 400 tribal pig farmers, rearing ≥ 2 pigs were selected randomly and interviewed from 4 blocks of Senapati district, Manipur. The study showed that majority of tribal pig farmers (69.75%) belonged to middle age groups (31-50 years), followed by 19.25% young age groups (up to 30 years), and 11% old age groups (> 50 years), respectively. Most of pig farmers were female (54%) while, male populations occupy 46%. The study also revealed that 72.25% of pig farmers belonged to medium size family (6-9) followed by 25.25% (small size family- up to 5) and only 2.50% large size family (>9). It was also observed that majority of pig farmers have high school level education (28%) followed by middle school (25.75%), intermediate (14.25%), graduate and above (12%), primary and illiterate (both 10%). The block wise distribution of pig farmers according to social participation showed that the majority (53.75%) of the pig farmers of all four blocks have high social participation followed by medium (33.25%) and low (13.00%) level of participation. Majority (49.25%) of the respondents belonged to low level of extension contact followed by medium (39.25%) and high (11.50%) level, whereas majority (48.50%) of the respondents has low mass media contact while 36.50 and 11.50% belonged to medium and high level media contact, respectively. It was also observed that higher numbers of pig farmer rears 5-7 pigs (63.75%) followed by rearing above 7 pigs (19.75%) and rearing upto 4 pigs (16.50%). It is always important to know the socio-economic status of small scale tribal pig farmers for any interventions to uplift pig production for enhancing livelihood of farmers and household food security.