Green fodder
By A CorrespondentÂ
Patna: The National Dairy Development Board and the Bihar State Milk Co-operative Federation (COMFED) have taken a significant step towards initiating a green fodder mapping study across all 38 districts of Bihar, in collaboration with the ISRO Space Applications Centre.
As part of this initiative, a workshop-cum-training programme on remote sensing and GIS-based green fodder mapping was organised on April 6 at Hotel Chanakya.
The programme was inaugurated by Shirshat Kapil Ashok, Secretary of the Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resources Department, Government of Bihar. Addressing the gathering, he emphasised that adopting scientific and technological measures is essential to strengthen milk production in the state.
Sameer Saurabh, Managing Director of COMFED, stated that green fodder mapping would assist livestock farmers in better planning and help control the cost of milk production. The event was also addressed virtually by Dr Sabyasachi Roy, Regional Head of NDDB, Kolkata.
The workshop was attended by Managing Directors of various milk unions including VPMU (Patna), TIMUL (Muzaffarpur), DRMUs (Barauni), and SMU (Ara), along with the Chief Executive Officer of the Bihar Sharif Dairy Project (Nalanda), nodal officers and enumerators from concerned units.
During the training, participants were provided detailed insights into the process of green fodder mapping using remote sensing and GIS technologies, including methods of data collection and analysis.
The primary objective of the study is to accurately assess the area under fodder crops and the varieties cultivated across the state. Fodder and animal feed account for nearly 70 per cent of the total cost of milk production, making the availability, quality and sustained supply of green fodder critically important.
The study will offer a scientific analysis of fodder crop areas, availability of quality seeds and irrigation facilities, thereby presenting a comprehensive overview of the sector.
This initiative is expected to facilitate data-driven policy formulation and strategic planning, making dairy production more profitable and sustainable. The joint efforts of the Bihar Government, NDDB and COMFED are set to open new avenues for livestock farmers and play a crucial role in the overall development of the dairy sector in the state.
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