Over 60% of Odisa is rural and amongst this population one finds representatives of 62 different tribes. The major livelihood sources of this rural population are agriculture, livestock and forestry. 3.47% of the country’s population lives in this state which is rich in animal resources and accounts for 5% of livestock population of India. But, the lack of needed resources, relevant knowledge and traditional methods of agriculture, livestock husbandry and management, rural people do not get desired output and income, which, if enhanced could pull them out of the abyss of poverty. It is based on the premise that right information can help in better production and more income thus giving a solution to food security.

It is in this light that “Arupa Mission Research Foundation” initiated the Livestock for Livelihood project with the aim of providing relevant support to farmers and livestock keepers for maintaining their livestock. In this initiative health camps were organised for cattle and other smaller breeds of livestock where free medical check up and treatment was delivered with assistance from veterinary doctors in Biridi block of Jagatsinghpur district in August 2004 (150 farmers, 100 Cattle and 150 small breed were covered August 2004). These initiatives were further strengthened with collaboration with The Livestock Development Group (LDG), University of Reading, Reading UK. The LDG has developed an interactive computer based training module for information and knowledge dissemination on Livestock health and management for farmers and poor livestock keepers.

This Information Communication Technology called the Livestock Guru training module was carried to vulnerable poor livestock keepers of five slums of Bhubaneshwar and five villages of Pipili and Balipatna blocks of Puri district. The slums covered include: N-3 Behera Sahi, Rental Colony Behara Basti, Jaydev Vihar Behera Basti, Nayapalli Behera Basti and Ganapati Nagar Behera Basti. The five villages covered include: Siula village of Pipili block, Sisilo, Satkabad, Badakhandi and Solbani villages of balipatna block.
The training programme was an amalgamation of various mediums of knowledge and information dissemination which included- videos, leaflets and of course the ICT kiosks loaded with training programme on health, nutrition and management of livestock. Target group of 240 vulnerable poor livestock keepers were covered in this initiative. The project duration was 10 days (21st September to 1st October 2004). Further, the animal health, management and nutrition videos were shown in five villages of Bangiriposi block, Mayurbhnaj district on Januray 23rd and 24th 2005.

The 2005-2006 (12th May- 1st June 2005) initiative included information and appropriate knowledge dissemination on livestock health, nutrition, reproduction, production and management in 9 villages of Khurda district (Malipada, Champajhara, Ramchandi, Narayangrah, Patna, Panichatra, Damanbhuin, Gayabandha and Olasing) and one village of Puri district (Ostapur Sana and Bada Muduli Sahi), covering 302 farmers.
Video shows were done in two villages- Ostapur (Puri district) and Olasing (Khurda district) where more than 300 farmers saw knowledge based videos. 485 multicolour training leaflets were distributed. This entire knowledge dissemination process was carried by Livestock Development Group and Arupa Mission Research Foundation.