India Needs a Green Fodder Revolution

Syllabus: GS3/Agriculture

Context

• India, the world’s largest milk producer, is facing a severe shortage of fodder and livestock feed, and risks undermining decades of progress in rural development and nutrition.

About

• India is accounting for approximately 23–24% of global milk output, and over 70 million farmers are directly involved in dairying.
• It contributes to one-third of rural household income, especially for small and marginal farmers.
• Livestock contributes over 5% to India’s Gross Value Added (GVA) and more than 30% of the agriculture and allied sector’s GVA, supporting 80 million rural households.

Challenges Facing Dairy Sector in India

• Fodder Crisis: According to government estimates, India faces a deficit of 11–32% in green fodder, 23% in dry fodder, and over 40% in concentrated feed.
  • The situation is particularly dire in high-output states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan, where demand far outstrips supply.
• Low Per Animal Yield: India’s per-animal yield remains low, largely due to poor nutrition, despite being world’s largest producing milk.
• Economic and Livelihood Impact: Poor feeding practices cause up to half of the potential productivity loss in dairy animals.
  • For smallholders owning two or three animals, even a one-litre drop in milk yield per day can lead to serious economic distress.
  • Malnutrition also extends calving cycles, increases disease risks, and raises veterinary expenses.

Reasons Behind Fodder Gap in India

• Urbanization and infrastructure expansion have encroached upon traditional grazing lands.
• Crop residues such as paddy straw are increasingly diverted to industrial use, leaving less for livestock.
  • Some residues provide low nutritional value, sustaining but not enhancing productivity.
• Climate variability — including droughts, erratic rainfall, and rising temperatures — has hurt seasonal fodder crops like berseem and maize.
• Rising Prices of Fodder Seeds & Commercial Feed: Many farmers are being forced to sell livestock prematurely, breaking productive herds and destabilizing milk procurement chains.
  • If unchecked, this could erode rural incomes, threaten food security, and compromise India’s dairy leadership globally.

Why Does Fodder Matters?

• Fodder isn’t just animal feed — it’s the fuel behind India’s dairy economy. Poor-quality or insufficient fodder leads to:
  • Reduced milk yield and quality;
  • Higher veterinary costs;
  • Increased methane emissions from inefficient digestion;
  • Greater vulnerability to diseases like Lumpy Skin Disease;

Way Forward

• Addressing the fodder crisis demands coordinated policy and scientific interventions:
  • Establish dedicated fodder zones at village levels.
  • Promote multi-cut, high-yielding, drought-resistant fodder varieties such as sorghum, maize, and napier.
  • Train farmers in silage making, hydroponics, and fodder preservation.
  • Encourage fodder-food crop integration through sustainable agronomic practices.
  • Use satellite mapping and AI-based forecasting to identify fodder-deficit areas.
  • Develop region-specific fodder packages through agricultural and veterinary universities.
• Towards a Green Fodder Revolution: Inspired by the success of the Green Revolution in food grains, the Green Fodder Revolution would involve:
  • Diversifying cropping systems to include high-yield fodder varieties like Napier grass, maize, and legumes;
  • Promoting agroforestry and silvopasture to integrate trees and fodder crops;
  • Investing in fodder banks and cold chains to store surplus during lean seasons;
  • Training farmers in sustainable fodder cultivation and feed management;
  • Policy support through subsidies, insurance, and inclusion in flagship schemes like PM-Kisan;
• Role of Cooperatives and Private Dairy Players: India’s dairy cooperatives like Amul can lead the response by:
  • Setting up local fodder banks.
  • Distributing fodder seeds and providing feeding advisory services.
  • Establishing contract farming partnerships with private players to ensure steady fodder supply.
• Just as India overcame past challenges through the White Revolution, it now needs a Green Fodder Revolution — one ensuring every dairy animal has adequate, nutritious feed year-round, securing both rural livelihoods and the nation’s food future.

Source: DTE