Track 1-1-2: Biodiversity, Growth and Management of Temperate and Mediterranean Grasslands
Description
In Himachal Pradesh 89.96 percent as per 2011 census of population lives in rural areas. The mainstay of the people of Himachal Pradesh is agriculture and has an important place in the economy of the State. Agricultural census shows that 87.95 percent of the total holdings are of small and marginal. Rearing of livestock is an integral component of rural economy (Anonymous, 2014). Livestock depend to a certain extent on fodder and grass grown on common property resources (CPR) as well as on crops and residues. Animal production is an integral part and forms part of the earning of small and marginal farmers. Almost every household in the State maintains a few heads of livestock of one kind or the other. The indigenous livestock population, and in many cases their cross bred progeny are dependent on grazing/pasture land and forest. When these animals become unproductive, old or sick, there is a tendency to abandon them rather than be responsible for feeding them. Grassland/pastures produce far below their potential and there is a gap between demand and supply of green fodder. The geographical area of Kangra is 5, 63,832.3 ha and area under grasslands is 69,781.7 ha that comes around 27. 51%. (Singh et al., 2009). The problem of animal productivity has been exacerbated by the shortage of fodder as holdings have become smaller and the extent and productivity of common grazing lands has also reduced over time. There are mainly two reasons which are responsible for poor performance of livestock, i.e., low productive animals and low availability of fodder.
Citation
Radotra, S.; Dev, Inder; Kanan, A.; and Singh, Birbal, "Assessment of Grasslands and Livestock Production in Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh" (2020). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 7.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/23/1-1-2/7
Included in
Assessment of Grasslands and Livestock Production in Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh
In Himachal Pradesh 89.96 percent as per 2011 census of population lives in rural areas. The mainstay of the people of Himachal Pradesh is agriculture and has an important place in the economy of the State. Agricultural census shows that 87.95 percent of the total holdings are of small and marginal. Rearing of livestock is an integral component of rural economy (Anonymous, 2014). Livestock depend to a certain extent on fodder and grass grown on common property resources (CPR) as well as on crops and residues. Animal production is an integral part and forms part of the earning of small and marginal farmers. Almost every household in the State maintains a few heads of livestock of one kind or the other. The indigenous livestock population, and in many cases their cross bred progeny are dependent on grazing/pasture land and forest. When these animals become unproductive, old or sick, there is a tendency to abandon them rather than be responsible for feeding them. Grassland/pastures produce far below their potential and there is a gap between demand and supply of green fodder. The geographical area of Kangra is 5, 63,832.3 ha and area under grasslands is 69,781.7 ha that comes around 27. 51%. (Singh et al., 2009). The problem of animal productivity has been exacerbated by the shortage of fodder as holdings have become smaller and the extent and productivity of common grazing lands has also reduced over time. There are mainly two reasons which are responsible for poor performance of livestock, i.e., low productive animals and low availability of fodder.
