b'RIGHT Shifting Paano Devi weighs herthe Powergoat on a scale before selling it to a buyer.With the scale, buyersCOMMUNITY TRAINERS LIKE CHHOTI and sellers noKUMARI BRING DIFFERENT GROUPS together longer rely onto break social and cultural barriers and unite estimating weights tobehind a shared vision: resilience.determine prices. As communities realize the power of BOTTOM collective action, they are able to overcome Paano receivesroadblocks that impede their economic growth. payment for the sale of her goatsWhile raising goats in Bihar can be at the Bakra Bikriprofitable and push thousands of smallholder Haat, or Goatfarmers closer to a Sustainable Living Income, Sale Market, in Bihar, India.inadequate knowledge around production techniques and unfair payment practices traditionally hold producers back from earning a fair price.When we used to sell goats, there was no fixed rate, shared Paano Devi, a smallholder farmer in Darbhanga, Bihar. The local buyer would come and buy at a price convenient to them.There was no choice.But now, producers like Paano are shifting the power. With Heifers support, Paano joined aself-help group and received animal well-being and business training to improve her goats production and scale her business. My way of rearing has changed, she shared. We all are not doing it the old way.I see this as a business and a source of income, and I rear them with that mindset.Heifer also established the Bakra Bikri Haat, or Goat Sale Market, an organized market in which buyers and sellers mutually agree on a fair price per kilogram, and payment is made based on live weight instead of visual speculation.Through this effort, Paano and thousands of other women are earning additional income, improving the nutrition of their families, providing education to their children and living a more dignified life. I am earning and I can ensure my children get milk, fruits and enough food, Paano said. At the haat, we measure [the goats] and ask for the set price per kilogram. We have a say and we ask for what we deserve, nothing less.nHEIFER.ORG |15'