October 30, 2024
India strengthens animal health security with US$25 million grant, launches new livestock census
The Indian government is prioritising enhancements in animal disease surveillance, preventive healthcare, and laboratory expansion to better monitor disease patterns, according to Alka Upadhyay, the secretary of animal husbandry and dairying, Mint reported.
The initiative aligns with India's focus on pandemic preparedness and marks the beginning of the 21st Livestock Census.
"The world is advancing in the IT sector; we need to harness this. Expanding our laboratory network is crucial, and we must invest more in this area," Upadhyay stated at the event. She also noted the sector's historic underinvestment but acknowledged an upward trend in government funding, as each year sees increased budget allocations for livestock.
India recently secured a US$25 million grant from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to bolster its animal health security infrastructure. The government aims to leverage this with US$259 million in co-financing and an additional US$82 million in co-investment to fund initiatives in disease monitoring and animal health support.
This funding will support India's National One Health Mission, which promotes livestock livelihoods, economic growth, women's economic empowerment, and improved public health by mitigating zoonotic disease risks across 12 states.
Amitabh Kant, India's G20 Sherpa and former CEO of NITI Aayog, underscored the economic importance of animal health at the event. "Animal diseases have a significant impact on the livestock sector, which is a major income source for millions of Indian farmers and an essential part of food security. Healthy livestock supports a reliable supply of meat and other animal products for the country," he said.
Kant further pointed to gaps in veterinary infrastructure, especially in diagnostic resources and workforce shortages, and called for awareness on disease control measures. "We face funding constraints in ongoing vaccination efforts and disease surveillance, but this fund will address these needs. It will enhance our institutional capacity, improve risk communication, and establish a robust surveillance system," Kant added.
The launch also marks the beginning of India's 21st Livestock Census, which will survey around 280 million households and non-household enterprises with support from 100,000 trained officials. This extensive data collection effort is expected to be completed by February 2025, with findings anticipated in five months.
Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, highlighted the census' importance. "The goal is to gather accurate data on the livestock population across the country. This information will support proper planning, program formulation, and monitoring of efforts aimed at enhancing the livestock sector and, in turn, the economy."
The 20th Livestock Census revealed India's farm animal population at 536.76 million, ranking the country second globally. India leads in buffalo meat production and is the second-largest producer of goat meat. Additionally, India is the world's largest milk producer, accounting for 22% of global output, followed by the US, Pakistan, China, and Brazil.
The animal husbandry and dairying sector contributes nearly 6% to India's economy and about 30% to the gross value added in agriculture.
- Mint