The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India and host State Himachal Pradesh conducted a “State level Training of 21^st Livestock Census on Software (Mobile & Web Application/ Dashboard) and Breeds for State and District Nodal Officers (SNO/DNO) and Supervisors of “Himachal Pradesh”. The workshop was held today in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh to train the State and District Nodal Officers (SNO/DNO) and Supervisors of state on newly launched mobile and web applications for conducting 21^st Livestock Census which is scheduled during September-December 2024.

The workshop was inaugurated by Chief Guest Shri Chander Kumar, Cabinet Minister Agriculture & Animal Husbandry, Govt. of HP, Shri Rakesh Kanwar, Secretary, Department of AH, Govt of Himachal Pradesh in the presence of Shri V P Singh, Director, Animal Husbandry Statistics, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, Dr. B P Mishra, Director, ICAR-NBAGR, and Dr. Pradeep Sharma, Director, AHD, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh.

The ceremony commenced with the National Anthem and the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Addresses from these distinguished dignitaries marked the inauguration and set the stage for a collaborative effort towards the successful training of District and State level Nodal Offices for conducting the Livestock Census.

Shri Chander Kumar highlighted the importance of this workshop in his address, underscoring the department’s commitment to leveraging technology for accurate and efficient data collection. He emphasized the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure the success of the 21st Livestock Census, which will play a critical role in shaping the future policies and programs of the Animal Husbandry sector and urged them to leverage the latest technologies to ensure the success of the census.

Shri Rakesh Kanwar addressed the workshop and highlighted the need for comprehensive training and capacity building at the grassroots level. He underscored the importance of the livestock sector to India's economy and food security. He called for meticulous planning and execution of the census, stressing that the data gathered would play a crucial role in shaping future initiatives and addressing challenges in the sector.

The workshop featured a series of sessions beginning with a brief description of the 21^st Livestock Census by the Animal Husbandry Statistics Division, followed by a detailed presentation from Dr. B P Mishra and this team from ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) on the breed details of species to be covered in the census. The importance of accurate breed identification was emphasized, which is crucial for producing precise statistics used in various livestock sector programs and for the National Indicator Framework (NIF) of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

In his address, Shri V P Singh emphasized the integration of sustainable practices within the livestock sector. He pointed out that the analysis and logical use of the data obtained after the livestock census will pave the way for formulating future departmental policies and implementing programs, as well as creating new schemes and generating employment in the field of animal husbandry for the benefit of livestock farmers.

Shri Pradeep Kumar highlighted the adoption of best practices in milk production across India by the Himachal Pradesh government and articulated how livestock contributes to the financial empowerment of farmers, addressing their cash needs effectively. He also talked about the latest technologies developed by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), such as the use of sex-sorted semen. He extended a warm welcome to delegates from all states and wished them a successful training session.

The workshop included detailed sessions on the methodologies and live application of software of 21^st Livestock Census by Software team of Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Govt of India trained on the mobile application and dashboard software for State and District Nodal Officers. These Nodal officers shall conduct training for enumerators at their respective District Head Quarters.

The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks by the Joint Secretary Department of Animal Husbandry, Govt of Himachal Pradesh. In his address, he expressed gratitude to all the dignitaries and stakeholders for their presence and concluded with a hopeful note that the census operation would be successful.

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