J&K hosts regional training for 21st Livestock Census

Srinagar, Aug  09: The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Government of India, in collaboration with the Jammu & Kashmir government, conducted a regional training workshop for the upcoming 21st Livestock Census. The event, held in Srinagar, focused on familiarising State and District Nodal Officers from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh with new mobile and web applications designed for the census, scheduled for September-December 2024.

Alka Upadhyaya, in a virtual address, emphasized the livestock sector's impact on the Indian economy and India's global position in livestock trade. Jagat Hazarika, Advisor (Statistics) at DAHD, inaugurated the workshop, stressing the importance of technology in data collection and urging stakeholders to ensure the census's success.

Key attendees included G A Sofi, Secretary of Agriculture Production for J&K, Dr. B P Mishra, Director of ICAR-NBAGR,  V.P Singh, Director of Statistics Division at DAHD, and Dr. Altaf Ahmad Laway, Director of Animal Husbandry Department, Kashmir.

The workshop featured presentations on the census methodology, breed identification, and hands-on training with the new software. Dr. Laway highlighted how the census data would inform future policies and programs in the animal husbandry sector, potentially creating new employment opportunities.

ICAR-NBAGR representatives provided detailed information on breed identification, crucial for accurate statistics used in livestock programs and the National Indicator Framework for Sustainable Development Goals.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks from  V.P. Singh, expressing optimism for a successful census operation. This training marks a significant step in modernizing India's approach to livestock data collection and analysis.