Livelihood Mapping of Punjab Poultry Layer Farmers: A Nine Square Mandala Approach
Nallapati Sai Anjana *
Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
Rajesh Kasrija
Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
Jaswinder Singh
Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
Pavan Kumar
Department of Livestock Products Technology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
Jaspal Singh Hundal
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
Veenu Sharma
Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Poultry layer farming has emerged as a fast-growing, income-diversifying enterprise in Punjab's agricultural sector, yet it remains exposed to livelihood risks. This study applied the Nine Square Mandala approach to map the socio-economic profile and livelihood status of 210 poultry layer farmers in Punjab, selected using random and snowball sampling. Sixteen socio-economic variables were analysed quantitatively using SPSS version 25 and interpreted qualitatively across the mandala's nine dimensions: physical, knowledge, emotional, economic, family, human, collective, family orientation, and individual orientation. The findings showed a middle-aged, male-dominated community with moderate education, small landholdings, and medium income financed mainly through bank credit. Farmers displayed strong individual capacities, including high innovativeness, information-seeking behaviour, and egg production. Critical gaps were evident in training exposure, the wide gender disparity in uptake of the enterprise, and collective marketing, all of which were nearly absent. The mandala effectively revealed a community that was individually competent but collectively underdeveloped, highlighting the need for stronger extension services and producer collectives.
Keywords: Poultry layer farming, livelihood mapping, nine square Mandala, socio-economic profile, collective marketing, training exposure, information-seeking behaviour, innovativeness, farm income