Our Correspondent
Kohima | April 27
Backyard livestock farming is gaining momentum across the state. Livestock farming in a scientific and profitable way can play a vital role in improving the rural economy, according to the Annual Administrative Report 2015-16 of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Department.
Livestock and poultry farming has been an integral part of the people of Nagaland since time immemorial and are symbolic to the health and wealth of a Naga family.
Animal husbandry practices have been playing a pivotal role in supplementing family income and generating employment to the rural poor apart from efficient utilization of agriculture products and byproducts not suitable for human consumption.
“This inherent aptitude of the people needs to be exploited to provide valuable animal protein essential for maintaining physical health of the people as well as to provide draft power for cultivation especially in the foot-hill areas of the state,” the report stated.
In absence of any organized industry in the state, the animal husbandry and dairying alone can absorb a large fraction of such vast number of en-employees in the state, the report stated.
Pig rearing is a tradition and cultures of the people and its plays an important role in the socio-economic development of the rural farmers.
In the rural areas, backyard farming is very popular and common which acts as a bank in times of need, the report stated.
In peri-urban areas, many semi-commercial piggery farms are cropping up which is providing employment, financial assistance to the entrepreneurs and also meeting the pork demand of the state to some extent.
Presently, the department is maintaining 10 nos of functional piggery farms. These farms are producing crossbred piglet to the farmers for their parent stock, the report stated.
The department has established 11 veterinary hospitals, 17 dispensaries and 127 veterinary health centres and 22 functional QCPs. These institutions provide veterinary services and consultancy to the farmers and livestock farmers both in the urban and rural areas.
