Chandrapur plans fodder cultivation around 502 tanks as drought-like conditions hit district

Chandrapur district is facing drought-like conditions this year. To ensure livestock do not face a fodder shortage in the coming days, the district administration has taken several steps. As part of this, it has planned to grow fodder on available and suitable land around 502 tanks in the district.

Sites at 502 tanks have been identified for the purpose. Fodder will be grown on this land under the Viksit Bharat Rural Employment and Livelihood Mission (VB-G RAM G) scheme, with the participation of women's self-help groups. The administration's emphasis is on meeting livestock needs through the fodder while also giving women's self-help groups in villages employment opportunities.

In addition, fodder seed will be given to 4,708 beneficiaries under various schemes. The plan is to produce about 3.57 lakh metric tonnes of fodder. Along with growing fodder, priority will be given to conserving existing fodder, storing it and managing it properly.

The Animal Husbandry Department is running several schemes. Under the District Annual Plan, 17,114 kg of fodder seed will be distributed to 2,633 beneficiaries. This is expected to yield 1,68,510 metric tonnes of fodder.

Under the Vidarbha-Marathwada Milk Development Project, 27,877 kg of fodder seed has already been distributed to 2,072 beneficiaries. This is expected to yield 1,88,829 metric tonnes of fodder. In all, the two schemes will benefit 4,708 beneficiaries, and the plan is to produce 3,57,339 metric tonnes of fodder.

The Animal Husbandry Department is also running a "Fodder Literacy Campaign" across the district. It began on October 8, 2026, in Bhadravati tehsil. Farmers and livestock keepers are being given demonstrations, training and guidance on growing fodder with less water, azolla production, making spoiled fodder nutritious with urea and enzymes, making silage, and hydroponic fodder production.

Farmers are being encouraged to take advantage of schemes such as fodder seed at 100 per cent subsidy under the District Annual Plan, supply of livestock breeding supplementary feed under the Vidarbha-Marathwada Milk Development Project, subsidy for perennial fodder crops, distribution of electric fodder-cutting machines, and silage distribution. The ATMA department has planned 120 demonstrations on making spoiled fodder nutritious, at a cost of Rs 2.40 lakh.

In the first phase, the Soil and Water Conservation Department has chosen five tanks in three tehsils of the district on a pilot basis. These include the tanks at Sakharwahi and Waygaon in Chandrapur tehsil, Avalgaon in Brahmapuri tehsil, and Ashti and Katwal Tukum in Bhadravati tehsil.

The Panchayat Department, Soil and Water Conservation Department, Agriculture Department, Animal Husbandry Department, Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission and Employment Guarantee Scheme Department will work together on the fodder cultivation here. Using available water sources, the effort will be to increase local fodder production while providing employment to women's self-help groups.