August 13, 2024

 

India prepares for 21st livestock census amid economic and health challenges

India's Union government is set to conduct the 21st livestock census across the country from September to December 2024, Hindustan Times reported.

 

The five-yearly exercise aims to provide updated headcounts of domesticated animals and poultry, as well as breed identification through doorstep visits to households, home-based enterprises, and commercial farms.

 

Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, emphasised the census's importance in shaping policies, enhancing productivity, and developing infrastructure in a sector described as a "vital pillar of the Indian economy." With one of the largest cattle populations globally, livestock contributes 5.5% to India's gross domestic product, supporting millions of farmers in the world's largest milk-producing nation. India also ranks as the world's second-biggest egg producer.

 

The upcoming enumeration will be digitised, with extensive training sessions involving technical experts being conducted nationwide. Approximately 80,000 surveyors will collect data using handheld devices, ensuring rapid uploads for quicker results. This digital approach was first introduced in 2019 during the previous census.

 

Livestock accounts for 30% of the agricultural sector's gross value added (GVA), a measure of growth that excludes net taxes. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, farmers generally earn higher returns from livestock compared to crops alone.

 

The census will help identify breeds with high economic potential and is a key component of the "Sustainable Development Goals - National Indicator Framework Progress Report" published by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

 

The 21st livestock census follows the severe lumpy skin disease outbreak in cattle during 2022-23, which is estimated to have affected up to a million cattle. The census will provide a reliable estimate of the epidemic's toll, according to an unnamed official.

 

The 20th census recorded India's cattle population at 535.78 million, including 192.49 million cattle and 109.85 million buffaloes. In 2019, the poultry population was 851.81 million, with 317.07 million backyard birds and 534.74 million in commercial farms. The census will follow a breed-wise schedule developed by the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources.

 

-      Hindustan Times