Govt to Boost Livestock Sector’s Growth by Increasing Farmers' Access to Animal Health & Credit Services: Parshottam Rupala

Unnat Pashudhan Sashakt Kisan Conclave-the Conclave of 75 Entrepreneurs and Exhibition of 75 Indigenous Livestock Breeds' was inaugurated yesterday (1 June) in New Delhi by Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying. Dr. L Murugan, MoS, FAHD, and Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, MoS, FAHD, served as Guests of Honour and delivered speeches at the event.

Parshottam Rupala, Dr. L. Murugan, and Dr. Sanjeev Balyan launched the digital exhibition, which will feature the best 75 indigenous breeds from bovine/caprine/avian/porcine species. 75 indigenous livestock breeds were featured in a digital exhibition, as well as success stories from dairy and poultry farmers, FPOs, innovative entrepreneurs, start-ups, and industry.

The event was attended by Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary, DAHD, and Dr. O. P. Chaudhary, Joint Secretary, DAHD. Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB, Sanjay Singal, COO - Dairy & Beverages, ITC Ltd., Sangram Chaudhary, MD, Banaskantha District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union Ltd., and other dairy sector representatives were in attendance. More than 1200 farmers attended the event. Farmers from all over the country were linked to the event via 1,000 Common Service Centres.

As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Ministry of FAHD's Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, in collaboration with CII, organized the Conclave with a focus on dairy and poultry farmers, innovative entrepreneurs, startups, and industry. Today, Rupala performed Gou Puja in preparation for the Conclave.

Rupala stated during his address to the conclave that India's dairy sector is growing rapidly due to the combined efforts of all stakeholders. The minister stated that the government intends to increase farmers' access to animal health and credit services in order to ensure the growth of the livestock sector.

At the Conclave, Rupala announced the A-HELP Training Program. During the event, the Minister honoured three Padma Shree awardees: Prof. Moti Lal Madan, Dr. Kushal Konwar Sarma, and Dr. Sosamma Iype. At the Conclave, Rupala also recognized the winners of the Animal Husbandry Startup Grand Challenge 2.0.

The Unnat Pashudhan Sashakt Kisan Conclave saw the release of a coffee table book about 75 Indigenous Breeds and 75 Entrepreneurs. The event featured videos of four farmers who have received national and international recognition for their innovative farming and dairy techniques.

During his speech, Dr. Murugan discussed how India is rapidly progressing toward providing quality animal health services to farmers' doorsteps.

Dr. Balyan explained how the NPDD scheme is accelerating the development of dairy production and processing infrastructure across India.

In his address to the conclave, Atul Chaturvedi stated that farmers from across the country are linked to the event via 1,000 Common Service Centres. Dr. O. P. Chaudhary stated that all stakeholders must work together to ensure that future generations benefit from the dairy industry. The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Praveen Malik, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, DAHD.

The Conclave's conference will focus on three technical thematic sessions: increasing productivity and improving animal health, value addition and market linkages, and innovation and technology. The emphasis is on highlighting key trends, identifying opportunities, and developing a clear roadmap for the dairy and poultry sectors, with an emphasis on increasing farmer incomes.

The Conclave sessions will highlight some of the innovative solutions/best practices that have the potential to transform the dairy and poultry sectors and increase farmer incomes, with the goal of creating a road map for the dairy and poultry sectors.

It will be a deep dive into emerging opportunities and a platform to learn from the experiences of progressive farmers, entrepreneurs, and start-ups on how value addition, diversified product portfolios, and improved market access have helped in changing the dynamics of the dairy and poultry sectors and creating enhanced income opportunities.