Production of Azolla as feed supplement

at farm level

D R O U G H T M E N A C I N G F O D D E R A V A I L A B I L I T Y – A Z O L L A A S A F E E D S U P P L E M E N T

Background

● India faces 63.5% of green fodder shortage

and a further increase is projected to reach a deficit of 65.5% by 2030 if Indian farmers do not act.

● In similar vein, the cost of green fodder has

increased by 3 times during 2011 to 2016.

● In Odisha state livestock is one of the major

sources of income for rural landless and marginal farmers.

● Odisha’s livestock sector is faced with dif-

ferent problems such as low productivity, high cost of commercial feed, low green fodder production, insufficient availability and quality of dry fodder and low level of technology.

● It is also reported that high temperature and

scanty rainfall have dramatically affected green fodder availability in grazing land and forests.

India faces an acute fodder shortage that has left

drought-hit farmers and livestock vulnerable.

The cost of dry fodder escalated from Rs.2750 during

2012 to Rs.9500 in 2016 and similarly the cost of

green fodder as well from Rs.1000 to Rs.2500 in 2016.

(Vikas Kumar, IGFRI, 2016)

To address the shortage of fodder, the pilot project

under CCKN-IA were proposed for cultivation of

Azolla, a water fern, in backyard of dairy farmers.

Watershed Organization Trust (WOTR) has

implemented the pilot project and has organized

specific trainings for farmers related to the production

of Azolla and its benefits as an alternative supplement

fodder source. Awareness was created through a

video on Azolla and the construction of tanks for the

culture of Azolla. Then the farmers were selected after

3-4 rounds of discussion within the society members

of the milk producer cooperative. Each farmers was

provided with construction materials like bricks,

cement and concrete at a cost of Rs.3200 for the

construction of tanks for Azolla cultivation. All the

farmers constructed the tank with a great interest and

within the stipulated time frame.

With the support of Dr. Mrutyunjay Behera, AVAS,

Sanakhemundi 1 kg Azolla was supplied to each

farmer by the CDVO Office, Ganjam, Berhampur. And

within a 15 days Azolla has grown extensively.

Odisha is facing a shortage of paddy straw of

annually 4.2 million tons. In future, it will aggravate

the unavailability of straw for livestock feed due to

increased cultivation of short-duration and low-height

paddy and use of combine harvester that leaves a

huge portion of straw in the field, often discarded -

(Niranjan Panda et al. 2015)

Sl. No Name Village Name

1 Jayanti Swain, W/O: Simanchal Osta-Jagannathpur

2 Kanak Nayak, W/O: Ramahari Radhadeipur

3 Gouri Sahoo, W/O: Surendra Radhadeipur

4 Mamata Gouda, W/O: Padmanav Palaspur

5 Pramod Kumar Panigrahi Osta-Jagannathpur

6 Subasini Sethi, W/O Niranjan Patapur

7 Pancha Gouda Harina

8 Sukadev Gouda Patapur

9 Brundaban Sahoo Radhadeipur

10 Ajay Barik Patapur

ODISHA, Ganjam District Sanakhemundi Block

The tanks were constructed under pilot project and Azolla was releases into the tank.

It has grown luxuriantly and farmers collected Azolla to feed their cattle.

Subhashini Sethi a women farmer reports that she produced 1 kg Azolla daily and fed her three cattle.

In a month she produced 30 kg of Azolla and fed the cattle.

She observed that the cattle produced more milk.

Now she is planning to construct 2 more Azolla tanks to fed her 3 cows with the profit earned from Azolla tank

Before feeding Azolla she was earning Rs. 100/- per day. But after feeding Azolla she earns Rs. 200/- per day. In a month she earns Rs. 6000/-.

My cows are healthy now after feeding

Azolla. We got additional nutrition from

Azolla. I am less dependent on paddy

straw which is becoming more scarce in

our village (Subhashini Sethi, a women

farmer from Patapur, Sanakhemundi

Block)

ECONOMICS

Particular Before feeding azolla After feeding azolla

Daily milk production from one cow 10 ltr 12 ltr

Daily cattle feed worth Rs. 150/- Rs. 100/

Daily income from milk Rs. 250/- Rs. 300/-

The increase in income and milk production before and after feeding Azolla:

The Azolla harvested from the tanks has not only

increased the milk production of our milch animals but also when

applied to the field it has increased the soil fertility of

our agricultural fields— Says Ms. Jayanthi Swain

(Osta-Jagannathpur village, Sanakhemundi block)

“ Every day we got an additional income of Rs.50 through extra milk and our monthly in-come has increased Rs.1500 from Azolla” – admits Ms. Gowri Sahu –from Radhadeipur

village in Sanakhemundi block of Ganjam district.

Information prepared by: CCKN-IA Climate Change Knowledge Network in Indian Agriculture A network which makes a difference. Foster knowledge through exchange.

http://cckn-ia.org/en/ https://nice.cckn-ia.org/