The State Government seems happy over successful implementation of Kalyani, the Integrated livestock Development Programme (IlDP), which was started to provide gainful employment to the rural livestock keepers though dairy and livestock development.
Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (FARD) Secretary Bishnupada Sethi while reviewing the Kalyani being implemented by BAIF Development Research Foundation in the State during last six years expressed satisfaction over the achievements.
BAIF was roped in for IlDP in 14 districts of northern, southern and western divisions to develop cattle, goat, fodder and providing technology and act as knowledge and strategic partners of the Odisha Government for this allied sector of agriculture.
While looking at the performance of Kalyani project, it came to the fore that on cattle development front, 100 centers have been set up covering 1,920 villages to provide Artificial Insemination (AI) services. Till date over 2.50 AIs have been performed and more than 67,000 calves have been born. Mostly Below Poverty line (BPl) families have reaped the benefits, said official sources in FARD.
On fodder development component, nearly 62,000 plots are covered for demonstration of fodder production covering 4,530 hectares.
Over 24,000 demonstration of Azolla productions was done at farmers’ doorstep and production of Azolla was quite satisfactory. So far goat development programme is concerned; it has provided quite satisfactory results with the centers established in five districts like Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Deogarh, Balangir and Sundargarh.
The move was to improve genetic potential rate of the local goats through breeding elite breeding bucks of Black Bengal and Ganjam breeds. And to provide preventive health care services to bring down mortality in goats.
While the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (DoAHVS) provided all out support, results are quite encouraging. The programme has in fact brought down rate among goats from a high of 29 per cent to 9 per cent.
Healthy goats are yielding better negotiation capability for the farmers with the traders during the sale, admit farmers.
It was found that there is positive change in average weight of the goat population over the year due to adoption of best management practices, like breeding with elite buck, vaccination, deworming and proper feeding.
BAIF provided platform for Technology Knowledge Strategic Partnership and developed the barren land of an area of 90 acres in the State livestock Breeding Farm at Chiplima for production of fodder seeds and slips of Hybrid Napier, said sources.