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When Ajay Sahini returned to his native village, Mirzapur, in India’s Bihar state, about three years ago, he was determined never to migrate again. Although he is a political science graduate, he had been working in Hyderabad as a migrant laborer for several years, returning once after he lost his job during the COVID-19 lockdown but leaving again just three months later to continue earning income for his family.
Migration is a way of life and livelihood for most men in Ajay’s village, and in Bihar more broadly. Seeking work in a city can offer opportunities for steady income when rural communities cannot, and Ajay had felt he had no other option. But migration such as this also has its challenges, Ajay explained.
Many migrant workers are barely able to make ends meet, he said, and they do not earn enough to save in most cases. They may have to mortgage their assets, like mobile phones, or borrow money just to buy return tickets and manage other travel expenses. In addition, most migrants must return for good as they age and find it difficult to continue hard physical labor.
Having himself returned a second time to be with his family after his younger brother had a fatal accident, Ajay and his family agreed this time he would stay in Mirzapur.
It was not an easy decision to live and work locally. Ajay’s family needed money more than ever now as they had sold their farmland and almost all their assets to provide medical care for Ajay's brother.
At the time, the only physical asset the family had remaining was their two buffaloes. But another asset Ajay had — and still cherishes today — was the phenomenal support he received from his extended family and community.
He vividly remembers how Rupam, a social worker associated with Heifer’s work in India, extended much needed support to him and his family during their difficult time; Ajay’s mother, Goliya Devi, and his wife, Arati Devi, were participants of Heifer’s Bihar Sustainable Livelihood Development project.
Goliya received support to start her goat farm from Heifer and, on a plot of land about 1/5 an acre, Ajay, Goliya and the rest of their family started raising goats. They began with 20, eventually growing their herd to 35. To feed their animals, they cultivated janera, a type of goat fodder. The income from these goats allowed them to rent farmland where they could grow grains for their household consumption instead of relying on sharecropping, which required a portion of yields as payment for using the land.
While their food security has improved, they still struggle to manage regular expenses that depend on consistent cash flow, such as children’s school fees and books, clothing for the family and medical care. Usually, they will sell a goat or borrow money and repay it later when they are short on income.
Though managing without regular cash flow has not been easy, Ajay has decided against migrating again for work. He is inclined to work hard right in his village where, he believes, he is destined to return in any case. He is convinced that if he works hard now, he and his family can own a profitable goat farm and even offer employment to youth in his village.
Ajay has been visiting other goat farms and attending trainings offered by the renowned Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University — popularly known as Pusa Agricultural University — which is not far from his native village of Mirzapur. He is also aware of government policies aimed at promoting goat farming, including subsidies and loans through the government of Bihar and how they support goat farmers.
Ajay is planning to apply for a small loan of about 150,000 rupees, about $1,787, to expand his goat farm. His household fulfills all criteria to apply: The family earns about 120,000 rupees per year, and they already have 35 goats, green fodder and a decent goat shed. Ajay is quite confident that his family will get the loan and will be able to earn a good income after expanding their farm.
He never had this confidence as a migrant laborer, he said.
Ajay derives this confidence from his extensive research on goat farming as an agribusiness and understanding of the economics, with demand that increases significantly during festival and marriage seasons. Ajay wants to show how a successful goat farm can work and encourage the youth of his village to consider goat farming or other such safe and profitable agribusiness right in their village.
He believes people will come see for themselves once he starts earning a decent income from his goat farm.
Ajay is aware of the high unemployment in his village and also of the prevalence of migration. He sees goat farming as a promising livelihood opportunity for a state like Bihar.
While sharing his recommendations, Ajay emphasized the need for more investment in micro, small and medium enterprises. If invested in properly and strategically, goat farming could be developed into a profit-making company, he argued. Apart from training and credit access, Ajay also thinks that goat farmers could benefit remarkably if they start rearing a varied range of goats in their farms.
Currently, Ajay is only rearing the Black Bengal goat breed. The maintenance cost of this breed is very low, but so is its pace of growth. On the other hand, breeds like Totapuri or Surjapuri goats require more care but grow at a comparatively faster pace; these goats attain desirable weight sooner and the farmer can earn more frequently.
Today, Ajay is working hard and is confident he and his family will not only be able to earn a decent income from their goat farm but also employ youth in their village.
“If Heifer had not helped us to start our goat farm, I would have been working as a daily wage laborer, loading and unloading stones in the ... summers of Hyderabad and Jaipur," he said. He believes Heifer’s support saved him and his ability to dream; it encouraged him to transcend from a wage laborer to an entrepreneur.
Ajay is keen to share his story and pass on the gift of knowledge about livestock-based livelihood opportunities to the migrant workers who want to return and earn a reliable income in or around their homes. He advocates for goat farming specifically because he finds it to be a relatively low-cost business with minimal risk and, as he and his family are on the pathway to earning a dignified income with their own farm, he believes in the prospect of rearing goats to help his entire village achieve a better living.
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