Pashu Paalan

Pashu Paalan is a digital game meant to educate poor people/households about the economics of pig rearing and the importance of various techniques of livestock rearing insurance. The game also deals with the issue of risks and tries to convince people of the usefulness of buying livestock insurance. In rural India most households are engaged in multiple economic activities to make a livelihood. Livestock rearing is very common, both among those who own land, and those who are landless. The landless generally tend to keep smaller animals like goats, sheep, pigs, chicken and ducks whole those with land (and this the ability to grow fodder) tend to keep milch cattle – cows and buffaloes. The key elements of any livestock rearing activity are: 1. Building safe and clean enclosures for the animals to grow. 2. Procuring of the young livestock (fish fingerling in case of fishery, day old chick in case of poultry, piglets in case of piggery, goat kids and lambs in case of goats and sheep, calf or heifer in case cows and buffaloes, etc.), immunizing, putting them in safe, clean enclosures for them to grow. 3. Producing or procuring feed (usually a combination of protein, fat and minerals) for feeding the young ones to grow. 4. Producing or procuring feed supplement such as green fodder for cattle, finisher rations for poultry, etc. for feeding the young ones to have balanced grow. 5. Procuring and administering medicines as needed (vaccines, antibiotics, etc.) 6. Feeding and treating the growing livestock and culling the sick and weak ones so that the others can grow better. 7. Selling the grown-up animal at the farm-gate or supplying to some nearby place. Main player's objectives are: 1. Player should understand that any family can raise livestock and enhance their overall income and happiness but it requires some capital outlay for the enclosure and some working capital for each cycle of rearing and training for the activity 2. Understanding the economics of livestock rearing - various items of expenditure and income 3. Understanding the production and market risks in livestock rearing 4. Understanding the economics of a loan for livestock rearing