Chhattisgarh: Animal Husbandry | Chhattisgarh State PSC (CGPSC) Preparation: All subjects - CGPSC (Chhattisgarh) PDF Download

Chhattisgarh Livestock Sector Overview

• Chhattisgarh boasts a wealth of livestock resources, with the livestock sector contributing around 23 percent to the overall agricultural output. Most rural households own at least one type of livestock, and the distribution of livestock ownership is more balanced compared to land ownership, suggesting that poorer households have greater opportunities in livestock production than in crop farming.
• Livestock in Chhattisgarh plays a crucial role in the mixed crop-livestock farming system, where crop production supplies most of the feed and fodder for the animals, and in return, livestock provide draught power and manure for crops. This interdependence is seen as beneficial for the sustainability of both crop and livestock production, as well as for household food security.
• The rural sector of Chhattisgarh is predominantly made up of smallholder farmers, with about 73 percent of landholdings being less than 2 hectares, covering 29 percent of the land area. For these households, crop farming alone is often insufficient as a livelihood. They rely on off-farm and non-farm activities, such as animal husbandry, using livestock as a steady source of food and income. 
• Over the past decade, as per capita income has risen, the demand for livestock products has grown more rapidly than for food grains, driving market trends in livestock and poultry products. Strategic measures are needed to ensure that small-scale livestock producers can benefit from these expanding markets.

Livestock and Poultry Status

• Chhattisgarh boasts a significant livestock population of 1.27 crore animals, with cattle dominating at 64%, followed by goats at 16%, buffaloes at 14%, and sheep and pigs at 6%. However, these animals are generally smaller in size with limited production capabilities due to insufficient feed and fodder resources.
• The distribution of livestock across zones reveals that the Chhattisgarh plains have a high concentration of cattle and buffaloes (56%) and poultry (50%). Pigs are mainly found in the Bastar plateau, while the northern hills exhibit the highest goat density, and the Bastar plateau has elevated densities of poultry and pigs.
• Despite the richness in livestock, the sector engages only around 0.5% of the rural workforce. Several reasons account for this:
• Animals are often left for grazing, especially during the Rabi season when significant land remains uncultivated.
• The expansive forested areas provide ample opportunities for free grazing, reducing the need for intensive labor.
• Many livestock producers, predominantly economically disadvantaged, invest minimally in animal feed, impacting overall productivity negatively.
• The average yield of nondescript cows, which contribute to 55% of total milk production, falls below 1.0 kg/day, significantly lower than the national average and even below the average yield of goats in Rajasthan.
• Crossbreed cows exhibit a higher milk yield at 3.8 kg/day, but buffalo milk production remains low at 2.78 kg/day, notably under the national average of 4.15 kg/day.

Policy Initiatives

Following are the policy initiatives carried out by the Government of India (G.O.I) and implemented by states like Chhattisgarh:

• Operation Flood Programme
• Animal Health
• Economic Liberalization
• Contract Farming
• Fodder Bank

Policy Framework for Chhattisgarh

The proposed livestock policy in Chhattisgarh primarily focuses on uplifting the economically disadvantaged and outlines key areas where government involvement is crucial:

• Improving the availability of feed and fodder
• Extending animal healthcare services
• Enhancing the breeding system's capabilities
• Improving access to financial services for livestock producers
• Connecting livestock products to markets efficiently
• Promoting ecological sustainability while modernizing the livestock sector through suitable programs
• Giving special attention to impoverished and marginalized communities for income enhancement
• Strengthening livestock research and its connection to extension services
• Promoting research that involves the community
• Integrating traditional and modern techniques to enhance livestock productivity
• Creating a comprehensive inventory of locally available feed resources
• Developing stable vaccines for viral diseases in poultry, pigs, sheep, and goats
• Producing cost-effective vaccines and anthelmintics for bluetongue disease
• Encouraging interdisciplinary research and collaboration among research institutions
• Using a bottom-up approach for disseminating technology
• Promoting innovative methods of sharing information
• (CARD along with CALPI-SDC-IC engaged in the Chhattisgarh Livestock Sector Reform and Policy Development process to create a Pro Poor livestock policy. This initiative led to the production of several publications, with 'Livestock and Poultry Sector in Chhattisgarh - Present Status and Approach for Future Development' being the key outcome alongside the policy document.)
• Brijmohan Agrawal currently serves as the Minister for animal husbandry, undertaking various measures for the advancement of animal husbandry.

Major Activities of the Animal Husbandry Department:

• Veterinary health coverage
• Enhancement of breeding practices in animals and birds
• Conservation and growth of Indigenous animal populations
• Provision of employment opportunities for the marginalized sections of society

Schemes Implemented by the State Government

National Livestock Mission - Chhattisgarh

• The National Livestock Mission in Chhattisgarh aims to encompass all necessary activities for enhancing both the quantity and quality of livestock production systems. It also focuses on capacity building for all stakeholders involved. 
• This mission addresses various aspects crucial for boosting livestock productivity and supports projects and initiatives essential for this purpose, particularly those that may not receive funding through other Centrally Sponsored Schemes under the Department.

Mission Objectives

The National Livestock Mission (NLM) aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Sustainable Growth and Development of Livestock Sector: Ensuring sustainable growth and development of the livestock sector, encompassing poultry.
• Increasing Availability of Fodder and Feed: Enhancing the availability of fodder and feed to bridge the demand-supply gap significantly. This involves expanding coverage under quality fodder seeds, promoting technology adoption, extending services, managing post-harvest processes, and facilitating processing across diverse agro-climatic conditions.
• Accelerating Production of Quality Fodder and Fodder Seeds: Expediting the production of superior fodder and fodder seeds.
• Establishing Convergence and Synergy: Fostering collaboration and synergy among existing programs and stakeholders to ensure sustainable livestock development.
• Promoting Applied Research: Encouraging applied research in key areas of animal nutrition and livestock production.
• Capacity Building and Extension Services: Strengthening the extension machinery to provide quality services to farmers and enhance the capacity of state officials and livestock owners.
• Skill-Based Training and Technology Dissemination: Promoting training based on skills and disseminating technologies to reduce production costs and enhance productivity in the livestock sector.
• Conservation and Genetic Upgradation: Collaborating with farmers, farmer groups, cooperatives, etc., to conserve and genetically enhance indigenous livestock breeds (excluding bovines covered under another ministry scheme).
• Formation of Farmer Groups: Encouraging the formation of farmer groups, cooperatives, and producers' companies, especially comprising small and marginal farmers and livestock owners.
• Pilot Projects and Mainstreaming Successes: Promoting innovative pilot projects and integrating successful models related to the livestock sector.
• Infrastructure and Linkage Development: Providing infrastructure and linkages for marketing, processing, and value addition to support farmers' enterprises.
• Risk Management and Livestock Insurance: Promoting risk management measures, including livestock insurance, for farmers.
• Disease Control, Environmental Protection, and Food Safety: Undertaking activities to prevent and control animal diseases, tackle environmental pollution, ensure food safety and quality, and facilitate the supply of quality hides and skins through timely carcass recovery.
• Community Participation and Sustainable Practices: Encouraging community involvement in sustainable animal husbandry practices, breed conservation, and creating resource maps for states.

Mission Design

The National Livestock Mission (NLM) comprises four focused Sub-Missions aimed at enhancing various aspects of livestock development across India.
Let's delve into each of these sub-missions:

• Sub-Mission on Livestock Development: This sub-mission is structured to facilitate the comprehensive growth of livestock species, excluding cattle and buffalo, with a holistic approach. It encompasses activities aimed at addressing the overall development of poultry and other significant livestock. Notably, the Risk Management component under this sub-mission extends its coverage to cattle, buffalo, and other major and minor livestock categories.
• Sub-Mission on Pig Development in North-Eastern Region: Responding to persistent demands from the North Eastern States, this sub-mission focuses on the holistic development of pig farming in the region. It aims to synergize research and development efforts to enhance various aspects of pig farming, including genetic improvement, health management, and post-harvest operations. This initiative excludes Chhattisgarh and is tailored specifically for the North Eastern Region.
• Sub-Mission on Feed and Fodder Development: This sub-mission targets the scarcity of animal feed and fodder resources in India. Its primary objectives include elevating the livestock sector's competitiveness and exploring its export potential. The sub-mission emphasizes enhancing both the production and productivity of fodder and feed by adopting improved technologies suitable for different agro-climatic regions, covering both arable and non-arable areas.
• Sub-Mission on Skill Development, Technology Transfer and Extension: The extension services at the grassroots level for livestock activities are currently insufficiently supported, preventing farmers from effectively adopting technologies developed by research institutions. Successful adoption of new technologies and practices depends on strong connections between stakeholders. This sub-mission aims to create a platform to develop, adopt, or adapt these technologies, including frontline field demonstrations in partnership with farmers, researchers, and extension workers, particularly in cases where existing arrangements are inadequate.

National Cattle-Buffalo Breeding Project

The Chhattisgarh State Livestock Development Agency (CSLDA) was established by the State Government in June 2001 to implement the National Cattle-Buffalo Breeding Project in Chhattisgarh.
The Agency is carrying out animal breed improvement in the State and has set up a well-equipped Central Semen Station in Anjora Durg and an A.I. training center in Mahasamund.

The objectives of the project include:

• Enhancing breed quality and increasing milk production through the use of high-quality frozen semen.
• Improving training centers for artificial insemination (A.I.) programs.
• Standardizing syllabi across training centers.
• Ensuring availability of frozen semen for insemination of conserved breeds.
• Strengthening liquid nitrogen storage and distribution systems.
• Expanding storage capacity of frozen semen banks.
• Providing training, materials, and grants to private A.I. workers to boost self-employment and A.I. facilities.

Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD)

The Animal Disease Control Project was established under the Livestock Health & Disease Control (LH&DC) during the 10th Five Year Plan in 2002-2003.
Since 2015-16, the funding pattern of the program has shifted from a 75:25 ratio to 60% Central Share and 40% State Share.

Objectives of the Animal Disease Control Project:

• Prevention and vaccination for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and other significant diseases.
• Conducting mass vaccination programs for infectious diseases in cattle like Hemorrhagic Septicemia (H.S.), Black Quarter (B.Q.), Anthrax, in goats such as Peste des Petits Ruminants (P.P.R.) and enterotoxaemia, and in poultry including diseases like Ranikhet, Fowl Pox, Marek's Disease, and Gumboro Disease.
• Enhancing the capabilities of Animal Disease Investigation laboratories.
• Organizing approximately 894 camps annually at district and block levels under this scheme, along with conducting yearly workshops.