In Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, an important workshop and training session on the Pilot Survey of the 21st Livestock Census was chaired on June 12, 2024, by Jagat Hazarika, Advisor of the Animal Husbandry Statistics Division under the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, addressed the gathering via a message.
The workshop, which included senior officers from various States and Union Territories along with members of the Technical Committee for the 21st Livestock Census, highlighted the upcoming census scheduled for 2024. This nationwide initiative, spanning September to December 2024, will leverage mobile technology for data collection and online transmission.
It aims to enumerate various species including cattle, buffalo, mithun, yak, sheep, goat, pig, horse, pony, mule, donkey, camel, dog, rabbit, and elephant, as well as poultry birds such as fowl, duck, and others.
Key discussions at the workshop included the methodology for breed-wise enumeration of animals, facilitated by the ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), which presented state-wise breed lists and techniques for on-field breed identification.
The importance of Livestock Census data extends beyond the livestock sector, contributing crucially to the National Indicator Framework (NIF) of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and informing various government programs.
Noteworthy attendees at the event included B. P. Mishra, Director of ICAR-NBAGR, V. P. Singh, Director of DAHD, and several other senior officials from Union and State Governments, underscoring the collaborative effort and significance of the upcoming Livestock Census.
