A Kerala district has devised a programme under which people are being requested to donate cows to the poor who lost their cattle in the recent floods and landslides.

The hill district of Wayanad, which recorded the death of 223 cows during the calamity, has come up with the Donate a Cow programme, under which the administration will rebuild the livelihoods of those affected.

“Eight cows have been donated so far, 10 more are waiting to be handed over and many more are on the list,” Harsha V.S., the dairy extension officer who is in charge of the programme, told The Telegraph on Thursday.

One of the worst-affected districts in the floods and landslides, Wayanad has witnessed massive loss of livelihood.

“It (the programme) is basically a sustainable livelihood support. By putting the affected people back on the rails, the donors are lending a hand in rebuilding their lives,” Harsha said.

People who earn their livelihood by selling milk to cooperatives have been struggling because of the widespread loss of livestock.

“Just one milch cow can help them (each affected family) make a quick turnaround by selling milk. We have

already seen that happening with the eight families that have received cows,” Harsha said.

The list of recipients was prepared after an assessment of their financial situation and capability to handle cows.

“We want to be certain that the donated cows are going to the right people,” the dairy extension officer said.

The department has also been monitoring how the families use the cows. “Since they supply milk to the cooperatives, which are linked by a computer software, it is easy for us to keep track of how much milk they are able to sell,” Harsha said.

The recipients of cows are being provided with free cattle feed for at least two weeks or until such time they earn sufficient money by selling milk to sustain the animals. Arrangements have been made to supply subsidised feed for a much longer time, she said.

Among the donors are some former students of the National Institute of Technology at Silchar in Assam, alumni of the College of Dairy

Sciences and Technology at Thrissur in Kerala, ex-students of the Institute of Rural Management at Anand in Gujarat and several individuals. Most of the donors are Malayalis.

“We have had offers of repeat donations after people saw the suffering. One donor who handed over a cow to a family that has a cancer patient and two children with hearing and speech disability had tears in his eyes. He is now trying to donate another cow,” Harsha said.

A large number of people who suffered loss of cattle live in the district interiors. Several tribal people have also lost cattle they used to rear in their forest hamlets.

The price of each cow that yields between 15 and 20 litres of milk a day is Rs 60,000.

But people who do not own cows and are donating by buying animals from farms are being offered discounts by sellers. Cattle farmer Moidu, who is one of the eight recipients, said the donation had come as a big relief. “This has been a great help as I lost seven cows and my house in a huge landslide,” he told this newspaper.

While Moidu has resumed selling milk to the cooperative society, he does not see himself buying any more cows. “We lost everything, including our land that was gobbled by the landslide. We are now living at a friend’s home,” he said.

Mary Kurien, who ekes out a living by selling milk, lost three milch cows and two calves in flash floods.

“This one cow (that she has received) gives me 15 litres of milk a day. At least now I can manage on my own,” she said.