Report of the National Commission on Agriculture,1976 Chapter- VI
Subtitle: Fodder Crop
Publisher: Controller of Publication, New Delhi
Published: 1976
Table of contents: title: Report of the Nation Commission on Agriculture, 1976.; title: 25; title: Fodder Crops; title: 25.1.2 For the all-round development of animal industry, breeding feeding and health cover should receive adequate attention. Feeding and nutritional requirements of the animals have been grossly neglected in the past and even now feed and fodder development programmees are receiving comparatively little attention. It is commonly known that the improved breeds of livestock unless fed properly will be unable to portray their genetic potentiality fully. Improved breeding and health cover are no substitute for proper feeding.; title: 7. Organizational Aspect:; title: 25.7.1 In a vast country like India with diverse agro-climatic conditions, the requirements of research in fodder of each region of the country would be specific and different. Special research project should therefore be undertaken to cater to the needs of each region. At present the emphasis laid on research work on fodder crops in the Agriculture universities is not uniform. It is desirable that all of them devote adequate attention to this field. The Haryana Agricultural University has created a separate department of fodder crops. We recommend that other agricultural universities should similarly create a separate department or unit to deal with fodder of all types in an integrated manner.; title: 25.7.2 Earlier in this chapter we have pointed to the absence of a suitable organization to look after the needs of the development programme on feed and fodder. The sub-committee of the Central Council of Gosamvardhana very pointedly emphasis as early as 1961 this fact and had suggested the creation of Animal Feed and Forage in each State with a similar board at the centre. It was recommended that these boards should be entrusted with full executive powers and responsible and provided with separate personnel, budget, equipment etc. to effectively carry out the programme on their own. It was also suggested that these boards could eventually be converted into departments.  The aforesaid sub committee also suggested the appointment of an Animal Feed and Forage Development Commissioner and his duties and responsibilities were indicated in detail in the Committee’s Report. None of the aforesaid recommendations have been implemented so far. This shows the low priority being attached to this important sector of livestock development.; title: 25.7.3 At present the Department of Animal Husbandry in most of the State is responsible for fodder development. The present set up of the department, insofar as fodder development is concerned, is however, extremely inadequate considering the magnitude of the task. The staff consists of one Fodder Development Officer- generally of Class II service of the State Government and assisted by one or two Technical Assistant but no field staff. In most of the State the Fodder Development Officer is taken on deputation from the Department of Agriculture. As such there is no avenue of promotion in the Department of Animal Husbandry for him and this creates lot of dissatisfaction among the staff as a result of which the work suffers. In some State the Fodder Development Officer is a Veterinary Graduate and thus lacks necessary expertise in fodder production. It was not, therefore be wrong to say that fodder development organization exists only in name since it hardly comprises two to three officials for the whole state. It is not surprising that no significant headway has been made in this field. We are of the opinion that a strong organization should be set-up in each State to look after the activity right down to the field level.; title: 25.7.4   We have indicated earlier the importance and the necessity of fitting in fodder crops, particularly legumes, in the major crop rotations. It is the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture to formulate suitable crop sequence for the different agro-climatic conditions. After giving due consideration as to the department which should be entrusted with the responsibility of fodder development we have come to the conclusion that development aspects of fodder crops can be taken care of more effectively by the same organization which deal with fodder & cash crops and which has already a large extension organization from the State head quarters down to the field level. This appears to us to be most suitable arrangement unless a complete hierarchy is to be set up in separate department or in the Animal Husbandry Department. Fodder production is a comparatively new field in which new techniques are being developed for maximizing yields under different conditions. Management of fodder crops (for optimum production of fodder and seed) is difficult and complex and requires a through knowledge of the crop, and technique of soil and water management for which a basic knowledge of agronomy is necessary. Therefore, the Department of Agriculture should be in much better position to under take this responsibility. We would, however like to emphasize that the Agriculture Department of the State should give this programme full attention. It would be desirable that the Agriculture Department creates a separate and strong wing at the headquarters headed by a senior officer not below the rank of a Joint Director for this work. This officer not be entrusted with any other crops so that he is able to devote his entire attention to this important work. In addition, there should be one Fodder Development officer in each region within the State and Fodder Development Assistants at the district levels. The activities concerning fodder promotion at the block and the village levels may be conducted by the regular extension officials of the Department of Agriculture under the overall guidance of Fodder Development officer. Besides extension activities it will be the responsibility of this wing to arrange for the production of seeds of fodder crops at the fodder seed production farms and cattle breeding farms where area are set apart for seed production, and by registered growers. It should also arrange for timely supply of such seed to farmers.; title: 25.7.5 We are convinced that unless a strong base is created for undertaking a massive extension programme on fodder crops(including production and supply of improved crop seeds) it would be extremely difficult to achieve the target  production  of green fodder to meet the requirement of the livestock sector. But mere conduct of demonstration with improved varieties and improved packages of practices in the farmer’s fields will not serve the purpose. The department should be able to advise the farmers on proper rotations to be followed for production of fodder on year-round basis depending on individual resources and facilities available, so that these farms are run efficiently and make profit. It would then be in a position to assist the small farmers and farmers of field crops in switching over to mixed farming thereby ensuring greater return and stability of the farming unit. To ensure proper co-ordination it would be advisable for the concerned officials of the two departments to meet well before each crop season and do the planning for fodder development together.; title: 25.7.6 So far as grassland improvement is concerned, we have indicated earlier in Section 4 the responsibilities that may be  assigned to the forest, Animal Husbandry/Sheep Development Departments in this regard. The programmes of rangeland development and management, grass reserves and mixed forestry with grass and fodder development envisage coverage of a vast area. In order to handle these programme effectively, it would be necessary to strength all these department. in our Interim Report on Social Forestry, we have urged the creation of an extension wing in the Forest Department. Where a large programme of grassland development is taken up by the Forest Department, they should employ adequate number of agrostologists, agronomists and range management specialists. It should also be ensured that once the programme  of grassland development, including grass reserve, is taken up by the Forest Department, the area should on no account be converted later into forest plantations. Where large areas are taken up for grassland development by the Animal Husbandry and Sheep Development Department, a separate wing should be created in these Departments. The strengthening of the infrastructure would necessarily vary from State to State, depending on the availability of large blocks of grasslands and on the development  programme to be under