SHILLONG: The Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department in partnership with the Meghalaya Institute of Entrepreneurship, under the aegis of the Integrated Basin Development and Livelihood Programme (IBDLP) organised a workshop titled, “Co-Ordination Workshop for Livestock Mission Nodal Officers and ERPs/PAs of Khasi, Jaintia Hills and Ri-Bhoi District” here on Thursday.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Secretary P.B.O Warjri stated that the Government is giving new emphasis to development activities especiallythose related to farmers and people living in rural areas.
Warjri was quick to point out that animal husbandry carries with it a dual purpose, one to serve the need of the family while the other is to provide an economic outlet to the farmer himself.
Warjri made a reference to a survey conducted where it was found that a farmer in a village does not solely depend on one economic activity.
“However, they are generally peripheral and do not provide the farmer with more than his subsistence need. This was reflected equally in the animal husbandry sector as well,” he said adding that there is a need to streamline the process of pig breeding amongst other things to scale up production and meet the demands of the state.
Warjri concluded his speech by hoping that the coming together of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department and the IBDLP would spawn new ideas to improve animal husbandry at the block level.
Meanwhile, as part of the process to launch the Livestock Mission, the Z-Card for pig breeders was launched. The Z-Card is an illustrated manual for pig breeders indented to provide necessary information on pig rearing at low cost and quick access.