Important - Task Force on Production and Promotion of Organic Fertilizers and Biofertilizers (last day of response by 25th December)

[Rohit Parakh]

https://www.niti.gov.in/task-force-production-and-promotion-biofertilizers-and-organic-fertilizers

In pursuance of the decision taken in a meeting held on 9th July 2021 in NITI Aayog, a task force has been constituted under the chairpersonship of Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Aayog with following ToRs:

1. To assess the status of biofertilizer and organic fertilizer production and consumption in the country and briefly present its implications
    
2. Assessment of the existing standards of biofertilizers through the Organic Fertiliser Control order of the Government of India for organic fertilizer and suggest changes to expand its scope and the existing testing facilities including recommendations thereof
    
3. To devise innovative ways and policy to promote cattle economy and use of cow manure as biofertilizer and bio-energy especially for gaushalas to convert cattle into economic assets
    
4. To devise measures/ Policy initiatives for encouraging the commercial production, packaging, marketing and distribution of biofertilizers including development of brand and address challenges in marketing and certification of biofertilizers
    
5. To explore Public Private Partnership model with various stakeholders including goshalas, Dairy cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organization for production of enriched soild and liquid biofertilizer
    
6. Suggest mechanism and policy support for encouraging the commercial production, packaging, marketing and distribution and use of biofertilizers to create level playing field with inorganic fertilizers
    

In this regard, stakeholder views on the background  (English/Hindi) and the Terms of Reference (English/Hindi)or any other suggestions are highly solicited for bringing policy recommendations pertinent for transforming this sector.
 

Also, all stakeholders can share success stories/experiences, etc., whereby livestock by-products have been utilized in product development, along with the socio-economic impacts achieved.
 

All suggestions/comments may kindly be emailed to Dr. Neelam Patel, Senior Advisor (Agriculture) and Member Secretary at: neelam...@gov.in before December 25, 2021.

[Selvarajan Rajeshwaran]

Pray why only manure? What about the urine which naturally contains used?

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[Selvarajan Rajeshwaran]

Pray why only bio fertilizers? What about bio-pesticides?

Will there be another task force, constituted for it?

Rajeshwaran 

On Tue, 16 Nov 2021, 11:31 Rohit Parakh, <rohit...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Kamal Kishore]

Just ane

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

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[rohit...@gmail.com]

The background note put by Niti Aayog mentions mentions focus on bio-fertilizer because of subsidies, imports and climate change issues with reduced emissions of methane and nitrous oxide.

https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2021-11/AnnIII.pdf

I speculate fertilizer shortage could be a reason too.

However if you look at the background note, it also briefly mentions on eco-friendly biopesticides too. 

Yes we should touch on animal urine as well and go beyond just manure.

Our responses should include these too and whilst a special emphasis on the taskforce is there on cows and goshalas (https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2021-11/ToR.pdf), we should cover it more broadly in our responses.

From: Kamal Kishore <Unknown>
Date: Wednesday, 17 November 2021 at 18:36:12 UTC+5:30
Subject: Re: {LIFE eGroup: 4400} Important - Task Force on Production and Promotion of Organic Fertilizers and Biofertilizers (last day of response by 25th December)
To: life-...@googlegroups.com <Unknown>, dr.waran <Unknown>
Cc: asha-kisanswaraj <Unknown>, mem...@nfcoalition.in <Unknown>, Rra-india <Unknown>, vikalp-sangam-list <Unknown>, Coalition for Environmental Justice in India <Unknown>, agrarian-ru...@googlegroups.com <Unknown>

Just ane

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

On Wed, Nov 17, 2021 at 4:57 PM, Selvarajan Rajeshwaran

<dr.w...@gmail.com> wrote:

Pray why only bio fertilizers? What about bio-pesticides?

Will there be another task force, constituted for it?

Rajeshwaran 

[Datta Rangnekar]

Dear Colleagues,

I read with interest comments/suggestions/observations of some members on the aspects related to 'Organic / Bio-Fertilizers' in response to the note circulated by Rohit bhai. 

Indicated below my views and observations on the subject ==

• The note circulated mentions 'Organic Fertilizers and Biofertilizers' - there is no mention of 'Bio-Pesticides' - it is desirable to draw attention of the Task Force in this regard  (use of Bio-pesticides is equally important).
• Farmers (individually and in groups), from many pockets of the country. are producing and using Organic/Bio Fertilizers and in some pockets 'Bio-pesticides'. The technology is well known and literature is available on the subject.
• A few days back I heard/saw. on the Gujarati news channel, C.M. of Gujarat announcing special incentives to promote 'Natural Farming and keeping Indigenous cows to support it.' (members from Gujarat would know about it). He said that the concerned departments should promote adoption of Natural Farming. It was also reported that farmers in some districts who adopted the system got higher returns. The CM also announced that it is proposed to establish a separate University to deal with the subject.

Best wishes.

D.V.Rangnekar

Virus-free. www.avg.com

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[Rohit Parakh]

Hello All - further to some of our earlier email discussions on this, connecting you to Priyanka from National Coalition for Natural Farming (added her on this email thread) ; she is coordinating efforts to get civil society inputs to be shared/sent for this.

She is also hoping to have a call and get inputs shared to Niti Aayog from pastoralist community and wider livestock perspective too.

Marking some of you who have written earlier on this point in other email threads too.

Please do select time-slots which work for you.

https://doodle.com/poll/p8dhbtii24vg8qbn

Thanks,

Rohit

On Mon, 22 Nov 2021, 11:53 Rohit Parakh, <rohit...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Rohit Parakh]

Hi All - just put some more dates for later this week on the doodle poll here below, I have learnt that some of you are away and tied up in the beginning of this week. Those of you interested and would like to contribute please do join (and suggest whom to reach out to others to join too); this will help to get pastoral and livestock related points incorporated in the submission to Niti Aayog taskforce.

https://doodle.com/poll/p8dhbtii24vg8qbn

[Rosamma Thomas]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rohit Parakh <rohit...@gmail.com>

Date: Mon, Dec 13, 2021 at 12:52 PM
Subject: [vikalp-sangam-list] Re: Important - Task Force on Production and Promotion of Organic Fertilizers and Biofertilizers (last day of response by 25th December)
To: asha-kisanswaraj <asha-kis...@googlegroups.com>, <mem...@nfcoalition.in>, Rra-india <rra-...@googlegroups.com>, vikalp-sangam-list <vikalp-sa...@googlegroups.com>, Coalition for Environmental Justice in India <coalition-for-environm...@googlegroups.com>, <agrarian-ru...@googlegroups.com>, <indiaclim...@googlegroups.com>, Development Creative <dev-cr...@googlegroups.com>, <kics-agr...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: <lakshmi...@nls.ac.in>

Priyanka (copied here) is working on coordinating civil society inputs and responses here to this ; some of you are involved in the process too - for others who would like to feed into it please do reach out to her directly.

Also missed earlier is also the point that bio-energy related points are also in the Terms of Reference of the TaskForce too

https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2021-11/ToR.pdf

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[Nitya Ghotge]

Sajal , 

Do you want to put in the point of Climate Change issues in the Ministry of lIvestock ?

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away."

Maya Angelou

Nitya Sambamurti Ghotge 

10,Lantana Gardens , NDA Road , Bavdhan , Pune 411021

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[Pablo Manzano Baena]

Dear all, 

if the point on climate change is put forward, let me know if I can be of any help - most notably regarding the unfair attribution of greenhouse gas emissions to pastoralist livestock.

Best,

Pablo

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[Nitya Ghotge]

Dear Pablo, 

Thank you for the support . The reason I am raising this is that last week , there was a freak weather incident in Western Maharashtra . It rained heavily  for over 20 hours  . Several sheep belonging to small shepherds died as a consequence . Several shepherds called us with the news and the newspapers also carried reports. We are investigating this.  Some of the sheep had been sheared and some are of the opinion that this led to the deaths .  It's possible the sheep also had subclinical conditions which made them susceptible to pneumonia which seems to be one of the reasons  for the high number of deaths. While compensation is available under some government schemes most shepherds are not aware of these schemes . 

We believe the Animal Husbandry Department needs to be able to respond to these situations  as climate change events are going to increase and  smaller shepherd are very vulnerable . 

We are putting together a small report on this , but till the report is ready , if members of the group  have ideas and suggestions , please do share. 

Warm wishes 

Nitya 

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away."

Maya Angelou

Nitya Sambamurti Ghotge 

10,Lantana Gardens , NDA Road , Bavdhan , Pune 411021

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[Chanda Nimbkar]

Dear Nitya,

What you have written about this incident is very true. I believe one of the main reasons behind the mortality was that these sheep had no shelter so they were out in the rain all night and got wet. It also suddenly got EXTREMELY cold that night. You could obtain temperature data of these areas if available. The wetness and the cold combined were enough to kill the poor animals. To some extent, sheep would have been able to deal with the drop in temperature but goats would have been more vulnerable and goats also died. 

As mitigation strategies, suggestions are, first a roof over their heads and then a tarpauline or plastic sheet around the pen to keep out the cold wind. 

In Bihar, they tie gunny sacks around the animals securely to keep them warm or even put old shirts and sweaters on them, putting the front legs through the sleeves and then again tying a string around the keep the shirt on the animals. They look terribly cute - especially when fancy red shirts are put on them -and it's quite effective too.  

Hope this helps.

Warm regards,

Chanda

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Ms. Chanda Nimbkar, PhD
Director                         
Animal Husbandry Division
Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute

and Director, Maharashtra Goat and Sheep Research and Development Institute
P.O. Box 23, Lonand Road
Phaltan 415 523, Maharashtra, India

Phone: Front Office +91 7588685867
                                   
Mobile: +91 9960940805

[Nitya Ghotge]

Thanks Chanda 

We have been trying to track weather data for our report . The IMD sites do not have the correct values. Most frustrating 

Best 

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[Selvarajan Rajeshwaran]

Interesting, very interesting.

Rain and cold has lead to mortality (noticed) and of course huge morbidity (unnoticed) too.

In New Zealand and Australia, the small and large ruminants (sheep and cows) have no shelter whatsoever over their head! Where it is a temperate climate but with unlimited amount of grass and legume (clover) as fodder 24x7x365, vide systematic rotational and controlled grazing practices.  And they do not die of cold weather or rain! In fact, even after surgery (for embryo transfer) they were not provided any special housing facility and they were able to go through the full pregnancy and give birth to healthy lambs.

Putting the two observations together, it may not be the weather (rain and cold) the was the cause but poor body condition of the animal. Animals raised under sub-optimal health conditions will have naturally a disproportionate negative effect.

It is known that sheep (and cows) in India, sent for grazing on waste lands return in the evening from grazing in negative energy balance, negative protein balance and negative water balance. As a result, the adult females are not able to nurse their lambs (who have not been allowed to be with their mother during day time / grazing) are not able to provide sufficient milk through the night and that in turn adversely affects the growth and maturity of the lambs too.  Hence, a replenishment of all three is an absolute must, soon after they return from grazing. For goats, salt granules separately are also required.

Best wishes.

Prof. S Rajeshwaran BVSc PGDRM PhD (IIMB)
Development Management Institute, Patna
Cell 9483503392

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[Nitya Ghotge]

Dear Dr Rajeswaran,

 I am inclined to agree with you that just rain and cold and being out in the open  should not have caused so many deaths especially in sheep.

It's possible that there was some underlying condition as shepherd's have reported that the weaker animals perished. 

It happened at several locations across 3 districts . Several of the animals were penned in fields of farmers and some have reported they got stuck in the black cotton soil which due to the intense rain had become like a swamp . 

We are trying to get more information.

Best 

Nitya

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[Selvarajan Rajeshwaran]

Dear Dr Nitya,

Thank you for your retort.

We may also keep in mind that in times of such calamity, there are high  expectations on some "compensation" being received from the Government. As a result the number of deaths reported is a very high number as against the actual deaths.

Yes, the actual situation needs to be probed better and data collected to conclude anything.

Best wishes.

Prof. S Rajeshwaran BVSc PGDRM PhD (IIMB)
Development Management Institute, Patna
Cell 9483503392

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[Sajal Kulkarni]

Yes 

Sorry for delay in responding, actually there is lack of thinking on Resilience mechanism for livestock and climate change which is very crucial point in Pastoralism and extensive systems. 

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[Kamal Kishore]

Nity which breed are we talking about here.

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[Nitya Ghotge]

Deccani Madgyal mixes . Will send pics soon

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[Chanda Nimbkar]

Regarding Dr. Rajeshwaran's points, I wish to add a few thoughts.

Among shepherds, there are good livestock managers and there are poor ones.

The animals belonging to the good managers, are almost always in excellent body condition; even in the most severe droughts. It is probably true that the ones who died were not in good body condition and belonged to the poor managers. Nitya will be able to corroborate this later when she obtains more information about this particular weather event. (I am also trying to find out if there was indeed a sudden temperature drop that night recorded at our institute's weather station.) I certainly felt the temperature drop that night and also during the day. 

However, we must also see what the animals are used to/adapted to. The animals in the West that Dr. Rajeshwaran has mentioned, are used to the temperate conditions and temperatures year after year. But 60 to 80 mm rain in one night in the winter is a freak extreme weather event for these areas of Maharashtra; probably never happened before.

The animals in the West always kept outdoors (I have seen Scottish Black face sheep grazing while the snow was falling), do also succumb if there is an extreme weather event such as unusually high snowfall or a huge drop in temperatures. For example, if they are used to -5 deg. C. and it dropped to -25 deg. C.  

Regards,

Chanda

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