Keynote Lectures
Description
Natural resources degradation for agricultural production and environmental protection has been a matter of concern for future food, nutrition, environment and livelihood security. As per current estimates, 120.7 million hectare (mha) is under degraded or wastelands. These lands provide ample opportunity for growing fodder trees and grasses to bridge the gap between demand and supply of green and dry fodder.Several species of fodder trees and grasses have been identified and their agro-techniques standardized for raising in different categories of wastelands such as affected by soil and wind erosion, salinity, acidity and mining etc. A brief account of such plants is discussed in this paper. For example, Prosopis juliflora–Leptochloa fusca agroforestry practice in highly sodic soil (pH > 10.0) is found highly promising for fuel wood and forage production and also for bio-amelioration of high pH soils. The information in the present paper is discussed under the following sub heads: (1) nature, extent and distribution of degraded/wastelands in India, (2) suitable fodder trees, bushes and grasses, (3) agro-techniques for fodder production and agroforestry, (4) production potential and amelioration of wastelands by trees and grasses and (5) future research and policy issues.
Included in
Exploitation of Wastelands for Fodder Production and Agroforestry
Natural resources degradation for agricultural production and environmental protection has been a matter of concern for future food, nutrition, environment and livelihood security. As per current estimates, 120.7 million hectare (mha) is under degraded or wastelands. These lands provide ample opportunity for growing fodder trees and grasses to bridge the gap between demand and supply of green and dry fodder.Several species of fodder trees and grasses have been identified and their agro-techniques standardized for raising in different categories of wastelands such as affected by soil and wind erosion, salinity, acidity and mining etc. A brief account of such plants is discussed in this paper. For example, Prosopis juliflora–Leptochloa fusca agroforestry practice in highly sodic soil (pH > 10.0) is found highly promising for fuel wood and forage production and also for bio-amelioration of high pH soils. The information in the present paper is discussed under the following sub heads: (1) nature, extent and distribution of degraded/wastelands in India, (2) suitable fodder trees, bushes and grasses, (3) agro-techniques for fodder production and agroforestry, (4) production potential and amelioration of wastelands by trees and grasses and (5) future research and policy issues.
