Observational Evidence of Dhani Grass (Porteresia coarctata) as Sustainable Fodder Intake in the Landscape of Indian Sundarban

Abstract

Animal husbandry constitutes an important livelihood activity for marginalised and resource-poor communities in the Indian Sundarban, particularly among households without cultivable land. However, livestock production is constrained by the limited availability and high cost of suitable fodder under saline coastal conditions. This observational case study documented the community-level use of Dhani grass (Porteresia coarctata), a naturally occurring saltmarsh halophyte, as supplementary livestock feed in Kashtala village, Kachuberia, on Sagar Island. Qualitative information was collected through personal interviews with 12 livestock farmers in two phases, involving seven farmers in the first phase and five in the second, together with field observations of grass collection and feeding practices. Farmers reported collecting two to eight sacks of Dhani grass per week, with one sack equivalent to approximately 15 kg, for cattle, goats and sheep. The respondents described the grass as locally available and palatable, and some reported perceived improvements in milk production after feeding it to cattle. These observations indicate that Dhani grass is already incorporated into local fodder-management practices where conventional fodder resources are constrained. Nevertheless, farmer-reported outcomes cannot establish nutritional adequacy or causal effects on animal health and production. Controlled feeding trials, nutritional and mineral analyses, and assessments of digestibility, voluntary intake and sustainable harvesting are therefore required before wider promotion as a livestock fodder resource.