Aurangabad: Even as farmers in the drought-hit district of Osmanabad have fallen on hard times, ‘Osmanabadi goat’ has provided a livelihood to 250 families in the region, who have started making soaps using goat milk.
With the help of a local non-government organisation, farming families in 25 villages of Osmanabad district have turned to making soaps.
This project is aimed at helping families of farmers who have committed suicide or have fallen on hard times, CEO of Shivar Sanstha Vinayak Hegana said.
“Rather than providing financial help to the suffering families, we decided to teach them a way of earning their livelihood. We taught them how they could profit by taking care of Osmanabadi goats rather than selling them in the market,” Hegana said.
An agriculture graduate, Hegana has conducted an extensive research about the benefits of goat milk.
“Rich in vitamins A and E, selenium and alpha hydroxy acids, goat’s milk can cure skin ailments, Hegana said, adding that the organisation had registered a patent in July and immediately started production of these soaps.
As the organisation does not have an industrial plant, a workshop is set up at one of the farmers’ home, where the whole operation takes place, he said.
