Report of the Sub Group III on Fodder and Pasture Management

Development of fodder resources and rehabilitation of grazing lands on forests and in forest fringe areas is of paramount importance in view of the total dependence of a large number of people on this resource for their livelihood needs.

This proposal is based on the hypothesis that the development of fodder resources will be best achieved through allocation of clear and mutually exclusive but closely inter-linked roles and responsibilities to the various line departments, viz.

• the department of animal husbandry, in collaboration with research institutes, will be responsible for development of better livestock breeds; and fodder storage, feed development, value addition protocols.
• the department of agriculture, in collaboration with agricultural universities and research institutes, will be responsible for developing, promoting and extending nutritious and high yielding varieties of fodder species for cultivation on agricultural lands.
• the department of forests, in collaboration with Panchayati Raj Institutions, Joint Forest Management Committees, Centre of Excellence, and research institutes will be responsible for rehabilitating the degraded grazing lands through promotion of fodder