The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, organised a Workshop on Modernizing India’s Animal Husbandry Sector for Quality Productionon today at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. It was held highlighting the theme of “Transforming India’s Agriculture, Horticulture, Dairy, Fisheries and Processing through Technology and Innovation which was in line with the 4^thConference of Chief Secretaries Six Departmental Summits.

It was chaired by Smt. Alka Upadhyaya,Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The discourse brought together Centre Government, States/UTs, National Dairy Development Board, Milk Federation, and other key stakeholders from across the country. The main objective was to deliberate on strategies to modernize the animal husbandry sector, enhance productivity, and ensure quality-driven growth through innovation and technology adoption.

In the keynote address, Smt. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, highlighted that Animal Husbandry is a cash-generating sector, contributing 30.7% to the country’s total agricultural Gross Value Added (GVA).She further shedding light on the need for innovation, better quality, stronger collaboration at the National and State level said that formation of more Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in the sector is essential. She also drew attention to the challenges faced on the ground. She affirmed DAHD’s commitment to aligning with global standards for a modern, resilient Animal Husbandry sector.

 

 

 

Ms. Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary (C&DD), DAHD, Government of India, welcomed the participants and presented the concept of Department’ s theme. She highlighted the challenge of ensuring quality production and stressed the need for good quality fodder in the livestock sector. She also shared key achievements of DAHD in milk, egg, and meat production, highlighting India's growing strength in animal husbandry. She underlined the need to modernise the sector, especially in areas like breeding, disease surveillance, and skill development.

 

The workshop included four regional sessions to enable focused discussions with representatives from northern states (J&K, Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh), Western States (Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Rajasthan), Southern States (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Puducherry), Eastern and North-Eastern States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Bihar).

 

Each session actively discussed region-specific challenges and opportunities, focusing on enhancing productivity, controlling diseases, and promoting sustainable livestock practices. The concluding session captured feedback from States/UTs and outlined a roadmap for collaborative action wherein the representatives from the States collectively contributed in the way forward i.e. the strategy for implementation.

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RN

(Release ID: 2143576)