Chief Secretary Gokul Chandra Pati has lauded the efforts of the progressive farmers in the State in improving the dairy sector. He was speaking at an International Workshop on Improving livestock Feeding Practice and Enhancement of Feed and Fodder Availability in Odisha here on Thursday. He was happy to learn the steps taken by progressive farmers who left cozy jobs and joined the White Revolution in the State.
The Chief Secretary stressed on scientific breeding and farming to yield better results. Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (FARD) Commissioner-cum-Secretary Bishnupada Sethi said the FARD has taken various steps for improvement of feed availability.
It was revealed that the State’s livestock sector is faced with different problems such as low productivity, high cost of commercial feed, low green fodder production, insufficient availability of dry fodder and low-level of technology.
There has been an increasing shortage of feed and fodder, and in future it would be worse, said experts. So, several speakers urged for chalking out a roadmap for improving availability of fodder. They wanted a linkage between agriculture, animal husbandry and watershed management for availability of green fodder.
Minister of Agriculture Pradeep Kumar Maharathy inaugurated the workshop, which was attended by leading progressive farmers, scientists, fodder officers and other stakeholders.