The paper ‘Livestock systems, vulnerability, and climate change – Insights from the grass roots’ attempts to explore indications of vulnerability at the grass roots. It attempts to see the impact of the logic of using technology (crossbreeding) and sedenterisation as a means of poverty alleviation/higher economic returns for livestock keepers and the rural poor. Have the poor really benefitted economically, or have we increased their vulnerability further, especially in the context of climate change? The paper urges the need to clear certain areas of prejudice against indigenous cattle, small ruminants, and poultry breeds, and proposes special policy measures for livestock production in dryland regions of India in the context of climate change, a reality that is here to stay.