Punjab’s paddy straw can feed Maha livestock: Swaminathan

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 8

Eminent agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan, who played a crucial role in the Green Revolution, has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to approach Punjab and other paddy-growing states to manage paddy straw for feeding livestock in drought-hit Maharashtra.

In a letter addressed to Modi, Swaminathan has drawn his attention towards the crisis being faced by farmers due to the shortage of water and fodder for livestock in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.

About 600 farmers have committed suicide in the drought-hit region due to crop failure over the past few months. Swaminathan has pointed out that the harvesting of paddy is about to start in states like Punjab.

Farmers do not feed paddy straw to livestock there. It will be proper to approach Punjab farmers to spare paddy straw for Maharashtra to feed the livestock there. “Saving the livestock should be a priority under extreme drought conditions,” Swaminathan has stated in a statement released by Jayashree B, his media manager.

“Since livestock and livelihood are closely related, particularly in case of small farmers, immediate action is needed to save livestock,” he has written to the PM.

“Fortunately, there is a very good opportunity for ensuring adequate nutrition to the livestock. The need is to organise cattle camps near water sources and feed animals with straw enriched with urea and molasses. The paddy harvesting season is starting in Punjab and other adjoining states where the paddy straw is usually not used to feed animals, but burnt,” Swaminathan said.

“Maharashtra should make immediate arrangements with Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan for sending paddy straw to its drought-hit areas,” he said.

According to him, other biomass (cellulosic material) can also be used to feed livestock. Maharashtra has adequate quantities of molasses because of sugarcane cultivation. Agriculture and veterinary universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras can organise cattle camps for feeding animals with the enriched straw.