Chandrapur collector asks farmers to harvest paddy by hand to avoid fodder shortage

Drought-like conditions have developed in Chandrapur district, and planning for fodder must begin now so that livestock do not face a shortage later, District Collector Vasumana Pant directed. She was speaking at a review meeting held to plan fodder production and management in view of a possible fodder shortage.

She said care should be taken that the paddy straw left in fields after harvest is not wasted, and that it should be used as far as possible as animal fodder. She appealed to farmers to give preference to harvesting paddy with manual labour rather than harvester machines wherever possible. She also said all departments concerned should work in coordination on fodder production, conservation and storage.

Pant said that when a harvester is used, a large quantity of straw stays in the field or is not adequately used as fodder. When harvesting is done by hand, she said, the straw can be collected properly and used as fodder for animals. She therefore suggested that the difference between the two methods be explained to farmers through live demonstrations.

For public awareness, she said, activities should first be run on a pilot basis in five selected villages. After that, officials and employees of the agriculture, animal husbandry, revenue, rural development and forest departments should jointly guide farmers and livestock keepers in at least ten villages in every taluka, she noted.

Pant said emphasis should be placed on greater use of chaff-cutter machines to avoid wasting the available fodder. Under the Vidarbha-Marathwada Dairy Development Project, she suggested that as many farmers and livestock keepers as possible be helped to get electric chaff-cutter machines.

The Collector also said that hydroponic maize fodder production, which needs less water, should be encouraged. Livestock keepers with limited water should be shown live demonstrations of this technology and its benefits explained to them. She directed that awareness about fodder production be created among farmers with the help of modern technology, training and audio-visual media.

Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Pulkit Singh, Resident Deputy Collector Dagdu Kumbhar, District Superintending Agriculture Officer Shankar Totawar, Deputy Collector Sanjay Pawar, Deputy Commissioner of Animal Husbandry Dr Suresh Kumbhare, Soil and Water Conservation Officer Nilima Mandpe and Divisional Forest Officer Rajan Talmale were present. Officials of various other departments also took part in the meeting.