KOLAR/BENGALRU: In this harshest of droughts in Kolar, the driest of districts in Karnataka, a less water-intensive crop is proving to be the farmers’ savior. It’s their ATM in fact. The rural economy here would have been battered but for African Tall Maize (ATM).
The crop is providing an assured and steady income for farmers while also boosting dairy farming with a regular supply of fodder for cattle. ATM, a low water-intensive crop, is being grown throughout the year now as a fodder crop.
Concerted efforts by local farmers, the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) and the Kolar district administration in encouraging cultivation of ATM are now paying dividends.
Suresh is among the many farmers in Doddahasahalla village of Kolar taluk who have entered into an agreement with the local milk cooperative union to grow ATM. "Earlier, I used to grow tomato or other vegetables,” he says. “The problem with tomato is that you are never sure of the income. If all goes well, I might make Rs 1.5 lakh per acre in one season and almost nothing the next."
Fed up with unpredictable rains and unreliable support prices, Suresh decided to grow ATM. Now he is assured of around Rs 50,000 per acre with the ATM fodder pre-sold to dairy farmers in his village.
M Venkatesh, a farmer of E Kamballi village is an ATM fan too. "Earlier, it was difficult to get fodder, especially in the summer.
We used to import dried fodder from Andhra or Tamil Nadu which is not good for cattle," he said. It was also a costly affair, as each kilo of dry fodder costs Rs 10-15. Due to ATM initiative ,farmers like Venkatesh are now getting fresh fodder for less than half that amount.
Dry fodder, according to Dr Chennakeshava, deputy director of animal husbandry, causes a lot of complications for cattle. "Apart from causing blisters in their mouths, dry fodder results in kidney stones among cattle and reduces the quality and quantity of milk produced," he said.
Dr Srinivas Gowda, deputy manager of KMF, said that since November 2016, the state’s Animal Husbandry Department and KMF have distributed almost 70,000 mini-kits of ATM seeds. He said agreements are being made with farmers to grow all the fodder that is required to feed cattle in the district. "ATM fodder has increased the quantity of milk generated by two to three litres per animal, he added.
Speaking to New Indian Express, Dr K V Thrilok Chandra, deputy commissioner of Kolar district, explained that such a project was essential, as 90 per cent of the 2.76 lakh heads of cattle in the district were milch cows. "Since starting this project, the solid not fat (SNF) content of milk too has increased, making farmers eligible for incentives offered by the state government,"he said.
Though there are several other projects to improve water availability, and others are being implemented in the district, the ATM project has impacted many people in a short period. Maintaining that Kolar is the first district where fodder cultivation is being taken up on a large scale, he said the model can be emulated elsewhere to ensure income security for farmers.