Track 2-6-2: Forests, Agroforestry and Wildlife towards Integrated, Productive Landscapes
Description
Rangeland covers ~ 51% of the terrestrial surface of the Earth, and supports half of the world‟s livestock. More than 80 % of forage consumed by domestic livestock is supplied by rangelands in Africa and Asia. Hot arid regions of India cover an area of 31.7 million hectares and out of which Rajasthan state constitutes ~ 61.8 % of the entire area. The crop production in this area is low, unstable and risky. Livestock sustains arid farming systems by virtue of their potential to reduce risk, alleviate poverty, important providers of nutrients and traction for growing crops in smallholder systems and the imparting sustainability of household.
The hot arid region of Rajasthan has about 29.08 million livestock. Pastures and grazing lands, residential area and wayside grazing lands, crop by-products and residues, fodder crops etc. are the major feed resources. For the small ruminants and camels, the rangelands are the major source of feed supply. Shrubs are vital component of rangeland vegetation and cover > 70 % of desert landscapes from Aravalli to the international border of the Indian part of Thar desert. They are an important source of feed and assure feed availability in a drought situation. They have remarkable morpho-physiological adaptations to different land forms and survive under harsh edapho-climatic conditions. During recent past, a rapid decline population of browse shrubs is noticed due to their over exploitation, destruction of natural habitat, expending irrigation facilities, increasing agricultural mechanization and changes in land use pattern. In the present paper key species, fodder production and nutritive value of shrubs of hot arid rangelands are discussed.
Included in
Role of Shrubs in Rangeland Based Livestock Production System in Western Rajasthan, India
Rangeland covers ~ 51% of the terrestrial surface of the Earth, and supports half of the world‟s livestock. More than 80 % of forage consumed by domestic livestock is supplied by rangelands in Africa and Asia. Hot arid regions of India cover an area of 31.7 million hectares and out of which Rajasthan state constitutes ~ 61.8 % of the entire area. The crop production in this area is low, unstable and risky. Livestock sustains arid farming systems by virtue of their potential to reduce risk, alleviate poverty, important providers of nutrients and traction for growing crops in smallholder systems and the imparting sustainability of household.
The hot arid region of Rajasthan has about 29.08 million livestock. Pastures and grazing lands, residential area and wayside grazing lands, crop by-products and residues, fodder crops etc. are the major feed resources. For the small ruminants and camels, the rangelands are the major source of feed supply. Shrubs are vital component of rangeland vegetation and cover > 70 % of desert landscapes from Aravalli to the international border of the Indian part of Thar desert. They are an important source of feed and assure feed availability in a drought situation. They have remarkable morpho-physiological adaptations to different land forms and survive under harsh edapho-climatic conditions. During recent past, a rapid decline population of browse shrubs is noticed due to their over exploitation, destruction of natural habitat, expending irrigation facilities, increasing agricultural mechanization and changes in land use pattern. In the present paper key species, fodder production and nutritive value of shrubs of hot arid rangelands are discussed.
