Banda Pig

Origin: Banda Islands and coastal tribal regions. Also found in similar form in various tribal areas of central and eastern India.

Colour / Look: Variable - black, brown, or mixed. Lean, wiry body with long legs. Looks similar to a wild boar.

Body Weight: Adult body weight: 30-50 kg.

Purpose: Meat production for tribal and rural communities. Mostly reared in free-range or backyard systems.

Key Features: Very hardy and requires almost no inputs. Roams freely and finds its own food. Disease-resistant. Produces lean, flavourful pork. Low input cost makes it ideal for very poor farmers.

ICAR Guidance: ICAR recommends backyard pig rearing with local breeds like the Banda for Below Poverty Line (BPL) farmer households as part of livelihood improvement programmes.