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Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana initiated a step towards Medicinal Plant Gardening at Farmers Field under the Farmer FIRST Project entitled ‘Integrated Approaches for Livestock Development: Farmer’s Context’ in its operational area of Mehal Kalan block of district Barnala. Project was sanctioned by Agricultural Extension Division of ICAR, New Delhi. Dr. P. S. Brar, Director of Extension Education and Nodal Officer revealed that the various interventions related to animal health management are being regularly introduced in the cluster of selected villages viz; Moom, Channanwal, Dhaner, Mehal Kalan and Kalala. Farmers sensitized about balanced nutrition, fodder conservation, value addition to sustain development of livestock activities. Animal health-cum-infertility camps, exposure visits, farmer-scientist-interactions and introduction with university literature are also part of this project. He informed about the concept of cultivation of medicinal plant as an allied agricultural activity which will boost herbal cure of ailments and can be taken as a profitable proposition.
Dr. S.K. Kansal, Principal Investigator of the project told that as an initial move the medicinal plants saplings ie., Giloye, Lemon grass and Vasa/Adulasa procured from AYUSH Center in GADVASU campus, were provided and demonstrated by the project team to the beneficiary farmers for their cultivation to start as a small unit in their farming area. It is quite hoped that planting of different medicinal plants and their usefulness will be fully utilized in the coming times to control various types of animal sufferings.
