Entrepreneurship and Self-employment through Livestock among Scheduled Tribes

Abstract

Self-employment through livestock rearing among tribal communities help to manage their own businesses and become economically self-sufficient. It allows them to leverage their indigenous knowledge of local ecosystems, animal behaviour, and traditional breeding practices to create niche markets for their livestock and related products. Moreover, self-employment provides tribes with a sense of autonomy and control over their economic destinies, thereby strengthening their cultural identity and resilience. By engaging themselves in these entrepreneurial ventures, tribes can create alternative income sources, reduce their dependence on traditional occupations, and foster economic empowerment within their communities.However, entrepreneurship and self-employment in the livestock sector among tribes also present unique challenges. Limited access to capital, lack of formal education and training, and inadequate infrastructure often hinder their entrepreneurial endeavours. Henceforth, partnerships between tribal communities, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and the private sector can play a vital role in creating an enabling ecosystem for tribal entrepreneurship in the livestock sector.Therefore, this paper compiles emerging knowledge on significant livestock aspects of entrepreneurship and support services, including practical skills and information needs among self-employed tribal people. Furthermore, it tries to investigate governmental interventions and institutional policy development on livestock enterprises as growing self-employment. Lastly, it concludes the relationship between tribes and livestock-based livelihoods and its impacts on their economic enhancement via entrepreneurship development.