Salt and mineral Licking Block (SMLB) Technology to attract Mithun in one spot as a drudgery reduction Intervention for Mithun rearing farmers of Anjaw district (A.P)

Abstract

Salt and mineral licking block (SMLB) technology is developed based on drudgery reduction intervention for mithun rearing famers of Anjaw District, Arunachal Pradesh. SMLB is a permanent concrete structure, composed of two layers, Base and Apex: The base part of SMLB, 2 ft above the ground level are compose of sand, cement and stone gravels in 4:1:2 ratio respectively. The apex parts of SMLB, 0.4 ft are composed of Salt, Mineral Mixture, Cement and Fine Sand in 1:0.05:1:3 ratios respectively. SMLB is constructed at strategic location most preferably plain area, with aim to attract mithun in order to assemble them in one spot for easy monitoring by owners, thereby reducing the workload of most tedious and tiresome part in mithun husbandry system in traditional method. SMLB intervention reduces the monitoring workload by 4-5 hours per visit by owner in jungle and 1.5 man-day labour involvement per month compare to traditional system of monitoring mithun. It also facilitates easy monitoring digitally through CCTV camera and act as a recreational spot, Eco-tourism purpose as mithun viewpoint to earn extra revenue and even woman and children can participate in monitoring mithun, which was a dream distant in traditional method of mithun production system in tribal society of Arunachal Pradesh, India.