GoI conducts training on 21st livestock census for enumerators

DIMAPUR — The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, on Friday conducted a regional training on 21st livestock census for state and district nodal officers from Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura at Hotel Acacia in Dimapur.

A DIPR report informed that the training, focusing on software application and breed documentation, was hosted by the department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Government of Nagaland.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Jagat Hazarika, advisor (Statistics) from the department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Government of India, informed that the first livestock census in India was carried out in 1919-1920 and has been conducting conducted once in every five years. He stated that the training was aimed at equipping state and union territory officers with the necessary tools including a mobile app and software for efficient data collection during the census, which would be conducted between September and December this year across the country.

According to him, livestock census is the main source of data for proper planning and formulation of livestock welfare programme for bringing further improvement in future policies and implementation of various programmes in the animal husbandry sector.

Hazarika stated that livestock sector contributed 5 per cent of total GVA and added that the contribution of livestock in total agriculture and allied sector GVA has increased to almost 30 per cent in the country. He further encouraged the delegates to learn on data collection and get familiarised with the necessary skills to carry out the census task efficiently and effectively.

Neidilhou Keditsu, director of Economics and Statistics, while emphasising the critical role of the livestock census, stated that it provides essential data for understanding livestock numbers, assessing government policies and making future projections.

Noting that livestock rearing is vital to Naga households’ income, he expressed concerns over a significant negative growth rate in the census data, affecting per capita income and the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). He stated that the share of the livestock sector in Nagaland’s GSDP has decreased dramatically from 7.31% in 2013 to 2.19% in 2024, impacting the state’s economic security.

He urged for meticulous data collection in the 21st livestock census to ensure reliable and accurate data, which is essential for effective policy execution and economic stability.

Dr. BP Mishra, director of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), in his brief speech, thanked the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying for organising the structured livestock census training. He also encouraged enumerators to collect data accurately as other departments and agencies might also rely on the data gathered by enumerators.

He informed that the census aims to cover all states and union territories, ensuring comprehensive and reliable data for future use.

Y Renbothung Tsopoe, secretary of AH&VS, emphasised that the census is crucial for the development of the livestock sector, which supports rural livelihoods and contributes significantly to the agricultural economy. He said the objective of the training include ensuring data accuracy, standardising methodology, integrating technology and sensitising field enumerators on their pivotal role. He added that the training modules cover data collection techniques, use of digital tools, field protocols and data verification.

Tsopoe further underscored the vital role of field enumerators, whose dedication and accuracy would determine the census’s success, ultimately shaping future policies and programmes for millions of livestock owners across the country.

The session began with a welcome address delivered by Dr. N Mhonchan Shitiri, additional director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services. He also read out message of Kazheto Kinimi, advisor of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services.

In his message, Kinimi underscored the importance of accurate enumeration of livestock and poultry census in formulating various livestock and poultry development programmes and policies.

The inaugural session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by VP Singh, director of Animal Husbandry Services, DAHD.

The second session featured presentation by ICAR-NBGAR on breeds specific to Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim.

Participants engaged in discussions on user credentials, the roles of enumerators and supervisors and received hands-on training on the mobile application and web dashboard.

The software team and the team from DAHD provided comprehensive training on the mobile app and dashboard for state and district nodal officers and supervisors.

Altogether, 66 delegates from Nagaland and other states attended the training programme.