By Jayashree Sapkale, Program Manager
Sharada Ashok Pawara, 29, lives in Ranipur village of Nandurbar district with her husband and two children. The family owns only one acre of rainfed farmland. Since farming depended on seasonal rainfall, it could not provide enough income. To support the family, both Sharada and her husband worked as agricultural labourers, earning only Rs.150/- to Rs.200/- per day. Their income was just enough to meet basic needs, and they lived in a small kachha house made of mud and bricks.
Everything changed when Sharada joined a goat rearing training programme organized by CYDA and ASK Foundation, where she learnt scientific methods of feeding, breeding, healthcare and shelter management. She also visited successful goat farms, which gave her the confidence to start her own livestock enterprise.
The family contributed their share of the investment, and in March 2025, Sharada received 4 female goats and 1 breeding buck through the project. She applied the knowledge gained during the training and took good care of the animals. With regular monitoring and proper management, her goat unit grew steadily over the next year.
Within just one year, Sharada transformed her family’s livelihood through goat rearing. Starting with only four female goats and one breeding buck, she expanded her livestock to 13 animals (11 goats and 2 bucks). By selling 3 bucks and 2 goats, she earned Rs.39,000/-, helping her family begin constructing a pucca house to replace their old kachha house. Today, goat rearing has become a reliable source of income, reducing the family’s dependence on uncertain agricultural wage labour and giving them hope for a better future.
Sharada says, “Earlier, my husband and I depended only on daily wage work, and it was difficult to provide a better life for our children. The goat rearing training and support from the project gave us a new source of income. Our herd has grown steadily, and the income from selling goats has helped us start building our own pucca house. Today, I feel confident that livestock rearing will continue to strengthen our family’s future.”
As the number of goats increased, Sharada began earning income by selling healthy animals. She earned Rs.39,000/- from the sale of 3 bucks and 2 goats. The additional income reduced the family’s dependence on daily wage labour and strengthened their financial security. They also started building a pucca house, creating a safer and better home for their children.
Today, Sharada manages a growing goat rearing enterprise with confidence. She has created a sustainable livelihood that supports her family throughout the year and offers a brighter future for her children.
