Cultivation of protein-rich foliage for cattle begins

Initiative to help poor farmers sustain their livelihood in drought-hit areas

The Northeast monsoon has kickstarted the cultivation of protein-rich foliage for cattle, especially milch cows in Vellore, Ranipet and Tirupattur districts, as woman workers under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme have began to sow seeds on large tracts of land in these districts on Friday.

Along with Ranipet Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian, and Assistant Project Officer (APO), Rural Development Madhumita, the Minister for Handlooms and Textiles, R. Gandhi, initiated the cultivation by sowing grass seeds for the season in Ladavaram village panchayat in Arcot panchayat union.

The cultivation is being done under the State Fodder Development Programme (2020-2021), jointly implemented by the Department of Animal Husbandry and the Department of Rural Development (RD) in these districts. “Nutritious foliage is key to ensure more yield in milch cows and sustain the livelihood of poor farmers in drought-hit areas like Vellore, Ranipet and Dharamapuri. Each district is earmarked with one village to cultivate fodder and foliage for the entire district,” J. Navaneetha Krishnan, Joint Director (JD), Department of Animal Husbandry (Vellore Region), told The Hindu.