The Karnataka Sheep and Wool Development Corporation has initiated a Rs 137-crore plan to improve sheep rearing and help farmers in revenue generation.

Currently, grazing fields in the districts are shrinking due to mega infrastructure projects or forest department classifying waste lands as reserve forests. This has forced farmers to shift from traditional grazing to modern methods,” Mr Bhojaraja Karudi, Chairman, Karnataka Sheep and Wool Development Corporation, told Business Line .

“Keeping this in mind, the corporation plans to shift sheep rearing from traditional to modern ‘stall feeding'. But for this the farmers lack knowledge and resources,” he added.

For funds, the corporation plans to tap state and central government-sponsored schemes in addition to organisations such as Nabard and a few public sector banks.

Explaining the key components of Rs 137-crore initiative, Mr Karudi said at present when animals die due to accidents, fire or rain, the revenue department fixes the compensation. But the amount fixed by the department is small.

“The corporation, through its newly introduced insurance scheme ‘Kiru Kamadenu', plans to insure the animals so that the farmers get a minimum of Rs 1,000 an animal,” he added.

Knowledge of shearing wool is lacking at district and taluk levels and there is lot of wastage happening. “In order to address this problem, the corporation plans to fund one sheering machine along with a generator to a group of farmers. One unemployed youth in the village will be trained in shearing methods,” he said.

The corporation plans to strengthen the infrastructure for sheep and wool processing by creating federation of farmers' societies for collecting the wool to be forwarded to the factories.

The corporation also plans to set up and monitor breeding centres in the districts from where marketing of live animals to prospective breeders is to be done. The farmers would also get health coverage for the sheep.

“Farmers buying sheep from the district centres are to sell two to three month-old lamb back to the centres. The lamb is then reared hygienically for meat production, which the corporation will market in urban centres for better realisation,” Mr Karudi explained.

“Through this controlled operations, the corporation aims at exporting processed meat to Gulf countries,” he added.

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