BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Government has chalked up a new ambitious plan under which feed and fodder mapping would be undertaken in the State for livestock development besides creating a network of cooperative societies which would help farmers in a big way.
The new scheme 'Feed and fodder production in different agro-climatic zones and its utilisation for livestock in Odisha' is planned at an estimated `18.08 crore over a period of three years beginning 2016-17.
It will prepare a comprehensive situation analysis on feed and fodder availability in the State as well as make an agro-climatic zone-wise resource mapping and nutrition analysis. It would also suggest feeding pattern for different livestock based on particular cropping pattern and agro-climatic zone.
The Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (FARD) Department has joined hands with International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi in this regard.
Since ILRI has global expertise in feed and fodder development, it will work on the production and availability of different types of feed and fodder in the State and its utilisation, besides estimating nutritional aspects.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary of FARD Bishnupada Sethi said the scheme also envisages storage mechanism of crop residue and roughage through post-harvest processing to improve shelf life and on-farm research on cultivation of different fodder and dual-purpose crops in different agro-climatic zones to create an institutional arrangement for providing solution to fodder production and its utilisation at farmers' level.
The Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry and ILRI will undertake a study for analysis and estimation of nutritional value of different variety of fodder crops in Odisha.
The Department has also planned formation of 45 Fodder Cooperative Societies while 120 farmers will be supported to develop fodder nurseries. While demonstration of balance feeding practice to 10,800 farmers will be taken up under the scheme, at least 50,000 farmers are expected to benefit.
A platform will also be created to share the knowledge on fodder production in the State by different stakeholders. ILRI has been working with Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh on similar sectors.