By Mrinal Banik
In an ambitious move, the Forest department of Tripura coupled with a NBARAD sponsored Farmers Producers Organizations (FPO) has taken an initiatives to resolve the cattle fodder problems at a time when, farmers of rural Tripura have been struggling to get their livestock well-fed due to the rapid rate of urbanizations and shrinking of rearing fields.
According to the new model – a brain child of PCCF Tripura Alind Rastogi and members of Bagma Agri Producers Company limited – the farmers of the region will get the desired quantity of fodder delivered to their door-step at a very cheap rate. It will help the farmers to feed the lactating animals well and also enhance productivity.
PCCF Tripura Alind Rastogi, on being asked on this, said, “See this is an agro forestry model. In Tripura, the government is keen to develop diary entrepreneurship, but lack of fodder can play a spoilsport. Thus, through JFMC, we are trying to develop fodder for the cattle as well as the animals living in Sepahijala wildlife sanctuary. The Bagma case is specific, because we already have an organization which is working to develop dairy in this region, since we have tied up with them. And similarly, fodder cultivation is being done at Kamthana under Sepahijala. This initiative has been fetching multi-pronged benefit for us”.
“This is a unique model, perhaps , for the first time this kind of initiative has been taken to facilitate the rural farmers. As per the model, the farmers can have their desired quantity of fodder delivered to their homes at a price of Rs 5 per kilogram. The local JFMC (Joint Forest Management Committee) which has started producing cattle fodder–napier grass, drumsticks and jackfruits since a few years will source the fodder. A local FPO turned agriculture based company–Bagma Agri Producers Company Limited has agreed to mediate and it will oversee the distribution mechanism through its dedicated workers and members”, said a forest department source.
BAPCL chairman Sudip Majumder said, “The local JFMC has a huge plantation of grass, jackfruits and drumsticks in forest land. We have been told to make this fodder reach the farmers. The model that we have designed will enable everyone in the system to earn something through this chain. We will be buying the products at Rs 2. Adding Rs 2 extra as transportation cost we will ask the vendors to sell it at Rs 5, the extra Re 1 will be for the vendor that will knock every door bell. We are hopeful of getting good benefits out of the project. An MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) has been also signed in this regard”.
Mrinal Kanti Banik may be contacted at mrinalbanik168@gmail.com
