The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India, along with the states of Gujarat conducted a “Regional Training Workshop on the 21st Livestock Census Software (Mobile & Web Application/Dashboard) and Breeds for State and District Nodal Officers (SNO/DNO).” The workshop took place today in Pune, Maharashtra, aiming to train the State and District Nodal Officers from Maharashtra, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, states on the newly launched mobile and web applications for the upcoming 21st Livestock Census scheduled during September – December, 2024.

Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying Smt Alka Upadhyaya conveyed her best wishes and greetings for the 21st Livestock Census virtually. She shared insights of the impact of Livestock Sector on the Indian Economy and the position of India in terms of global trade of livestock sector produce. She also highlighted the essence of women participation and pastoral communities being captured in this version of the Livestock Census.

Adviser, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India Shri Jagat Hazarika inaugurated the workshop in the esteemed presence of Dr. B P Mishra, Director, ICAR-NBAGR, Shri Kaustubh Diwegaonkar, Commissioner, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairy Development, Government of Maharashtra.

Shri Jagat Hazarika emphasized the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure the success of the 21st Livestock Census. He underscored the department’s commitment to leveraging technology for accurate and efficient data collection.

The ceremony began with the national anthem and the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Addresses from these distinguished dignitaries set the stage for a collaborative effort towards the successful training of District and State level Nodal Officers for the Livestock Census.

Shri Kaustubh Diwegaonkar highlighted the importance of comprehensive training and capacity building at the grassroots level. He emphasized the critical role of the livestock sector plays in India's economy and food security, calling for meticulous planning and execution of the census. The data gathered would significantly influence future initiatives and address challenges within the sector.

Dr. B P Mishra flagged the importance of accurate breed identification, crucial for producing precise statistics for various livestock sector programs and the National Indicator Framework (NIF) of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). He provided a detailed presentation on the breed details of species to be covered in the census.

The workshop included detailed sessions on methodologies and live application of the 21st Livestock Census software by the DAHD's software team. State and District Nodal Officers were trained on the mobile application and dashboard software, equipping them to train enumerators at their respective District Headquarters.

The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks by Shri V.P. Singh, Director of the Animal Husbandry Statistics Division at the DAHD. He expressed gratitude to all dignitaries and stakeholders for their presence and concluded on a hopeful note for a successful census operation.

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