Port Blair, Aug 04: Animal Science Division of Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blairorganized a Field Day on 2nd August 2017 on the tropic “To improve livestock productivity through fodder production in A & N islands” at CIARI Conference Hall. Thirty two farmers from adopted villages of Animal Science division namely Sippighat, Coffee Baghia, Manglutan, Gupta para, Kamrajnagar and Maccapahar participated in this programme.
Dr. A. Kundu HOD Animal sciences in his inaugural address briefly gave an overview about the role of fodder in livestock rearing to increase the livestock productivity. The farmers were taken to the fodder field wherein Dr M.S. Kundu, Course Director showed the standing fodder crops to the farmers in the different tropography including cultivation in the shaded area. He also demonstrated the different characters of the fodder and the difference among different varieties of fodder. They were also convinced to maintain a cow by cultivating fodder only in an area of 200 square meters in plain land and 600 square meters in plantation area which will enable them to supply 20 kg fodder per cow per day throughout the year. The farmers were often demonstration the chaff cutting machine to chaff the fodder for better utilization of fodder and to reduce the wastage. The scientists answered the different questions raised by the farmers related to livestock and poultry. The farmers expressed their confident for cultivation of fodder for rearing the dairy animals.
The Director ICAR- CIARI, Dr S. Dam Roy in his address highlighted the importance of fodder for livestock. He also suggested increasing the fodder supply by cultivating fodder in the community fodder land situated in each panchayat and also in the forest area in consultation with the forest department. He also recommended submitting fodder project under RastriyaKrishiVikashYojana (RKVY) by the CIARI scientist to mitigate the fodder problems in these Islands. The Director also gave away the fodder cutting to the farmers for cultivation in their field.
At the end, Dr Jai Sunder Principal Scientist proposed vote of thanks.
