BackFARMERS’ AWARENESS PROGRAMME ON CLIMATE RESILIENT SHEEP PRODUCTION

---

Farmers’ Awareness Programme” on climate resilient sheep production during hot summer organised at ICAR-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar on 03-06-2015 under NICRA. More than fifty sheep farmers from nearby villages in and around Malpura (Rajasthan) participated in the event. They were exposed to different nutritional and shelter management strategies undertaken at the institute to counter summer stress. The farmers intrigued about their experiencing on different shelter design and management to mitigate heat stress during summer, feeding of thorny cactus to sheep as source of both feed and water. On farm feeding trials in sheep on Azolla, silage, Oont Kentela, farm-leftover water melon are also demonstrated to the farmers. Farmers showed interest on Azolla cultivation and silage preparation and feeding to sheep during scarcity. Feeding micronutrient pellets to combat heat stress attracted the farmers’ interest because of its simplicity and convenience.

Sh Niranjan Singh Rathore, Deputy Director, Agriculture, Dist-Tonk was invited as the Chief Guest to have an interaction with the farmers of the region and to make aware the farmers about ‘Government Sponsored Schemes and Programmes’ that are being implemented for their livelihood and socio-economic benefit. The meeting was presided over by Dr Direndra Singh, Head, Division of Animal Health, who briefed on importance of sustaining sheep health and production under stressful condition during the summer. Dr A. Sahoo, Principal Investigator of the NICRA project detailed various activities of the project and also explained the importance of managing heat stress through feeding and nutritional management and providing farmers’-friendly shelter, particularly to lambs, pregnant and lactating ewes. Dr R. Gulyani (In-charge, TOT&SS) described ‘Technology Transfer’ programmes of the Institute that are aimed at overall sheep production and livelihood sustainability. Dr S.M.K. Naqvi (Director, CSWRI) emphasized organization of such interactive programmes with the farmers for climate resilient livestock production.