Kohima, May 7 (MExN): Emphasizing that a time has come the for North Eastern Region to have self sufficiency in agriculture and animals produces, minister for Planning & Coordination, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Evaluation and Parliamentary Affairs, T.R. Zeliang, underscored two major factors responsible for stagnated growth of animal populations in the region, particularly Nagaland.
First, is the unaccounted dead of animals populations due un-control epidemics, which claims large number of cattle, pigs and fowls every year, and the second factor is the high cost of feeds in the region which discouraged farmers from undertaking animals rearing on large as they could not afford the price of feeds, he said.
Addressing the 20th Meeting of ICAR Regional Committee-III at Shillong, on Thursday, T.R. Zeliang, said that setting up of good animal health care centre or clinic in the region has become a necessity if the region really wants animals populations and its products to go up. Besides, imparting proper awareness on animals’ health care to the local farmers through veterinarians or govt. research agency like ICAR.
“One major factor affecting the veterinary and animal husbandry sector is the unaccounted dead of animal populations due to various diseases. I have experienced that quite a good number of animals populations like pigs, cattle, and chickens perish due to various epidemics even in my own Peren district every year”, and all these dead of animals in large number are mostly never reported nor accounted, thereby, it hugely degrade the growth of animals populations, he said.
Unless animals health care issues is address first it will continue to discourage farmers from rearing animals on large scale and the region will never be self sufficient in meat and other animals products, he asserted.
T.R.Zeliang also said that high cost of feeds in the North Region is the primary concern which is responsible for retarded growth of potential sector like piggery, dairy and poultry, including fishery. He underlined the needs to develop lost cost and nutritious feeds affordable by local farmers by using locally and abundantly available crops like cassava tuber, soya bean, groundnut etc which are rich source of protein. Asserting that many of locally available plants have a potential to develop into a highly nutritious animals feeds, Minister, urged upon the ICAR to do research and develop a technique for it.
T.R.Zeliang also said that agriculture is the mainstay of the people of the NE, however, productivity in agricultural sector, especially Nagaland state, have failed to maintained equilibrium of demand and supply as is proven by huge quantum of import of daily essentials commodities like rice, potatoes, pulses etc. He urged upon the Central Government to expedite establishment of 3 KVKs in Nagaland districts of Kephire, Longleng and Peren, and conduct intensive research on merits and demerits of Jhum cultivation and suggest alternative cultivations, research support for crops like small millets, French bean (Cholars) varieties in Tuensang district, development of improved varieties of Colocasia in Mon district and water harvesting structure and recycling in the state. He also emphasized on the need to developed large scale fishery projects in potential compact area.
T.R. Zeliang also urged upon the ICAR to extend full support and expedite the establishment of Veterinary College in the state as per assurance of Director General of ICAR during the 19th Meeting at Gongtok, Sikkim. He reminded that the Nagaland Government has selected Jalukie as the site and has acquire 277 acres of land and has started various development works for the establishment of Veterinary College, which will be handed over to the CAU as and when it is approve, he said. He has also taken up the matter with Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for amendment of Central Agriculture University Act and place Nagaland under Central Agriculture university, Imphal which is the main criteria for establishment of Vety. College.
Meghalaya Governor, R.S. Mooshary graced the meeting as chief guest while Ministers from North Eastern states, scientists and scholars participated in the one day long meeting.
First, is the unaccounted dead of animals populations due un-control epidemics, which claims large number of cattle, pigs and fowls every year, and the second factor is the high cost of feeds in the region which discouraged farmers from undertaking animals rearing on large as they could not afford the price of feeds, he said.
Addressing the 20th Meeting of ICAR Regional Committee-III at Shillong, on Thursday, T.R. Zeliang, said that setting up of good animal health care centre or clinic in the region has become a necessity if the region really wants animals populations and its products to go up. Besides, imparting proper awareness on animals’ health care to the local farmers through veterinarians or govt. research agency like ICAR.
“One major factor affecting the veterinary and animal husbandry sector is the unaccounted dead of animal populations due to various diseases. I have experienced that quite a good number of animals populations like pigs, cattle, and chickens perish due to various epidemics even in my own Peren district every year”, and all these dead of animals in large number are mostly never reported nor accounted, thereby, it hugely degrade the growth of animals populations, he said.
Unless animals health care issues is address first it will continue to discourage farmers from rearing animals on large scale and the region will never be self sufficient in meat and other animals products, he asserted.
T.R.Zeliang also said that high cost of feeds in the North Region is the primary concern which is responsible for retarded growth of potential sector like piggery, dairy and poultry, including fishery. He underlined the needs to develop lost cost and nutritious feeds affordable by local farmers by using locally and abundantly available crops like cassava tuber, soya bean, groundnut etc which are rich source of protein. Asserting that many of locally available plants have a potential to develop into a highly nutritious animals feeds, Minister, urged upon the ICAR to do research and develop a technique for it.
T.R.Zeliang also said that agriculture is the mainstay of the people of the NE, however, productivity in agricultural sector, especially Nagaland state, have failed to maintained equilibrium of demand and supply as is proven by huge quantum of import of daily essentials commodities like rice, potatoes, pulses etc. He urged upon the Central Government to expedite establishment of 3 KVKs in Nagaland districts of Kephire, Longleng and Peren, and conduct intensive research on merits and demerits of Jhum cultivation and suggest alternative cultivations, research support for crops like small millets, French bean (Cholars) varieties in Tuensang district, development of improved varieties of Colocasia in Mon district and water harvesting structure and recycling in the state. He also emphasized on the need to developed large scale fishery projects in potential compact area.
T.R. Zeliang also urged upon the ICAR to extend full support and expedite the establishment of Veterinary College in the state as per assurance of Director General of ICAR during the 19th Meeting at Gongtok, Sikkim. He reminded that the Nagaland Government has selected Jalukie as the site and has acquire 277 acres of land and has started various development works for the establishment of Veterinary College, which will be handed over to the CAU as and when it is approve, he said. He has also taken up the matter with Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for amendment of Central Agriculture University Act and place Nagaland under Central Agriculture university, Imphal which is the main criteria for establishment of Vety. College.
Meghalaya Governor, R.S. Mooshary graced the meeting as chief guest while Ministers from North Eastern states, scientists and scholars participated in the one day long meeting.
