Dimapur, March 18 (MExN): ICAR-NRC on Mithun, Medziphema organized one-day brainstorming workshop on ‘Rearing of mithun under free-range forest ecosystem- Present scenario and way forward’ on March 18.
The workshop was organized to discuss the various issues related to mithun farming, including the estimation of the carrying capacity & biomass of mithun inhabited forest, equivalence of livestock unit for mithun, bio-fencing as a solution to the social conflict, and suitable control measures for vertebrate predators, according to a press release.
Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Director, ICAR-NRCM highlighted the present scenario of mithun husbandry and constraints faced by the farmers. The sacrifice of the best mithun on ceremonial occasion, he said, is one of the leading causes of loss of superior mithun germplasm. A detailed deliberation was made on grassland improvement in relation to mithun rearing, the present status of fodder availability, followed by a thorough discussion.
Dr. BP Bhat, Director, ICAR-RCER, Panta advised to collect and record all the basic data on available fodder spp and to map the forest area. He further suggested identification of fodder and trees and to conduct experimental trials to characterize the fodders best suited to mithun at few locations covering the various altitudes.
Meanwhile, Dr. A Arunachalam, Principal Scientist & Scientific Officer to the Secretary DARE & DG, ICAR stressed to conduct SWOT analysis for mithun faming as well as mithun framers and to attempt integrating mithun rearing with Jhuming and establishment of more protected forest for mithun rearing.
The team of scientists led by Dr. P. Ghosh, Director, IGFRI, Jhansi advocated introduction of Pennicum Maximum (Guinea Grass) and Pennisetum spp (Dinanath Grass) on trial basis. Dr. Ghosh further assured that a team of scientists from IGFRI will shortly visit Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh to conduct a survey to recommend the types of fodders to be grown to ensure nutritional security to mithun.
Further, it was also suggested that NRC on Mithun will conduct awareness camps in collaboration with the forest department. Using GIS mapping, identification of rich pockets of mithun in all mithun rearing states will be carried out in collaboration with NASTEC. The house agreed to review the progress of the actionable points on six monthly basis, the release added.
The programme was attended by a gamut of stakeholders comprising eminent scientists, educationist, KVK personnel, farmers and officials of the Forest and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services departments of Governments of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, ICAR-RC NEH, Nagaland, NASTEC, Entrepreneurs Associate, Nagaland.
