Challenges:

The main challenges in providing adequate and quality fodder and feed include:

♤ While numbers of livestock are growing, but the grazing lands are gradually diminishing. The area under fodder cultivation is also limited.

♤ A majority of the grazing lands have either been degraded or encroached upon restricting their availability for livestock grazing.

♤ Due to increasing pressure on land for growing food grains, oil seeds, and pulses, adequate attention has not been given to the production of fodder crops.

♤ Diversified use of agriculture residues like paper industry, packaging, etc. widening the gap between the supply and demand for fodder.

♤ There is lack of authentic data on availability of fodder, crop residues, agro industrial by- products and feed grains (coarse cereal grains). This is required to build an actual database, on feed and fodder, to be used for more effective and realistic planning of livestock sector development.

♤ A substantial amount of crop residues is burnt by the farmers after harvesting of main crop like wheat and paddy.

♤ In most of the states there are inadequate staffs to address the problems related to fodder.