Page 33 - Think Grain Think Feed - April'25

www.benisonmedia.com ARTICLE and dhaman are used, but · alongside cereals Think Grain Think Feed - Volume 11 | Issue 6 | April 2025

haymaking to store
surplus fodder for periods
productivity is limited. To
Educate farmers on
of scarcity.
combat scarcity, promoting
modern conservation
drought-tolerant species such
Drought-Resistant
techniques
·
as guar, sorghum, and fodder
bajra is essential. Ensuring a
promote climate-resilient,
high-yielding, drought-
year-round supply of fodder · Develop and distribute Varieties: Develop and
high-yield fodder crops
resistant fodder varieties
remains a major challenge tailored for arid and semi-
· Enhance infrastructure for
(Chaudary and Singh 2019). arid zones.
fodder storage and
Overall Fodder Scenario in · Efficient Irrigation:
preservation (e.g., silos,
Punjab Encourage water-saving
hay barns)
As one of India's top dairy- technologies such as drip
Fodder Availability and
producing states, Punjab Deficit in Punjab irrigation and sprinkler
places strong emphasis on systems to enhance
Punjab's livestock population
livestock feed availability. fodder productivity in
is approximately 5.85 million
Despite this focus, the state water-stressed regions.
Adult Cattle Units (ACUs),
faces a fodder deficit of · Fodder Banks: Establish
which collectively require
approximately 20–25%, community-level fodder
about 14.94 million tonnes of
especially during lean banks to store and
feed and fodder annually. The
seasons (May–June and distribute feed during
estimated annual availability
December–January). critical shortages and
stands at 24.24 million
Major Fodder Crops: tonnes, suggesting an overall natural calamities.
· Winter (Rabi): Berseem surplus of 62.18%. However, Conclusion
(Trifolium alexandrinum) this apparent surplus Climate change poses a
and oats (Avena sativa) overlooks critical regional significant threat to India's
· Summer (Kharif): Maize, shortages in fodder dairy industry—impacting
bajra, and jowar availability. livestock health, reducing
Several challenges limit District-Level Variations: feed availability, and
consistent fodder Regions such as Amritsar and undermining farm
availability: SAS Nagar experience profitability. In Punjab, where
· Excessive focus on cereal notable fodder shortages dairy farming plays a vital
crops like wheat and despite the state-wide role in rural livelihoods and
paddy, reducing land for surplus, underscoring the the state economy, the dual
fodder cultivation importance of localized challenges of climate
· Declining water table and planning and resource variability and fodder scarcity
allocation. demand immediate and
deteriorating soil health
sustained attention.
Green Fodder Deficiency:
· Limited adoption of
Punjab faces a green fodder Adopting climate-smart
fodder conservation
deficit of 28.57%, equivalent practices, promoting resilient
practices such as silage
to 22.99 million tonnes livestock breeds, and
and haymaking, especially
among small holders (Tanwar and Verma, 2017). providing institutional
support are essential to
Recommendations to
· Inadequate infrastructure safeguarding the livelihoods
for fodder storage, Improve Fodder Security
of millions of smallholder
leading to seasonal · Crop Diversification:
dairy farmers. Building fodder
shortages and income Integrate fodder crops
security through better crop
loss into existing cereal-
management, conservation,
dominated cropping
Addressing these issues and infrastructure will be key
systems to ensure
requires a strategic to ensuring a stable supply of
approach: balanced land use.
milk and nutrition for India's
· Promote crop rotation · Farmer Training: Educate growing population.
that includes fodder crops farmers on silage and References are available upon request
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