Being as a multi-functional animal, goats play a significant role in the economy and nutrition of landless, small and marginal farmers in the country. Goat rearing is an enterprise which has been practiced by a large section of the population in rural areas. Considered as ‘poor man’s cow’, goats can efficiently survive on available shrubs and trees in an adverse harsh environment in low fertility lands where no other crop can be grown. In drought-prone areas, the risk of goat farming is very low as compared to other livestock species. In pastoral and agricultural subsistence societies in India, goats are kept as a source of additional income and as an insurance against disaster.
Sinnar, located around 30 Km west of Nashik was identified as a drought-prone area, wherein out of 129 villages in Sinnar Taluka, 43 villages get water supply through tankers in the summer season. Due to consistent drought, undertaking agricultural activities became a challenging task. This affected the socio-economic prosperity of people living in Sinnar and posed a challenge to the development organizations of Sinnar to transform the scenario. Hence it became highly important to work in this area especially with a target group of women who are either widow or single, the most vulnerable sections of the society for creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for them. Secondly, it would be important to work with local resources to create livelihood opportunities.