Critical Services of Animal Health and Production

Livestock sector along with agriculture in India is livelihood for a majority of the population and can never be underestimated. Increasing population, increasing average income and globalisation effects in India will increase demand for quantity, quality and nutritious food, and variety of food. Animal husbandry sector has contributed significantly to the empowerment of women and has increased their income and role in society. It is a major risk mitigation approach for small and marginal farmers, particularly across the rain-fed regions of India. It is at the centre of poverty alleviation programs from equity and livelihood standpoints. Livestock productivity has been identified as one of the important sources of income growth by the Inter-Ministerial Committee under the government’s target of doubling farmers’ income. Maintenance of biodiversity is essential at a time when mixed breeds and new problems that were thus far unknown appear in rural India. In fact by diversity, the very existence is guaranteed to the farmers, as different species, suited to the livestock environment zone in different parts of the country, have been brought up by nature over a long period of time and have proved their sustainability.