CM inaugurates National Symposium on
livestock at SKUAST-K
Says this key sector needs to be developed on modern lines, in tune with
scientific advancements
SRINAGAR, MAY 17: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti
today asked the veterinarians and scientists of SKUAST to brainstorm on the
status of livestock management in the State and suggest measures by which the
dependence on import of mutton and chicken is reduced and Jammu & Kashmir
achieves self sufficiency in this sector.
Inaugurating a national symposium on livestock management and production
at SKUAST-K here, the Chief Minister wondered that livestock management in the
State could not be developed as an independent sector of economy over the
decades and has always been treated as a subsidiary to agriculture and
horticulture sectors. She said the sector needs to be developed on modern lines
in tune with scientific advancements and given its huge scope in changing the
profile of rural economy.
Mehbooba Mufti said every year the State has to import hundreds of
crores of rupees worth mutton and chicken and if appropriated interventions at
policy, research and execution are made, this draining out of wealth could be minimized and hundreds of youth could be engaged in gainful
employment. She said Jammu & Kashmir has livestock friendly climate and
topography and asked the scientists and experts at SKUAST to suggest how these
friendly features are factored in to improve livestock production in the State.
The Chief Minister said efforts need to be made collectively by the
researchers and executors to give the sector a greater acceptability in terms
of economic viability, job creations, production scale and ideal conditions in
the State for the sector. She said the livestock business is already being
practiced by around one-fourth of the State’s population and it contributes around
11% to State’s domestic produce. This, she said, is the silver lining from where the
sector can be expanded, particularly among youth, and promoted. “In this
whole, SKUAST has a critical role to play,” the Chief Minister said.
Mehbooba Mufti said the theme of the symposium is very relevant to the
emerging demands of the sector. She asked the scientists attending the
symposium to deliberate upon areas like impact of climate change in terms of
quality of the produce, fodder and food availability, animal health concerns,
value addition in the production etc. and come up with recommendations to be implemented
by the executing agencies.
The Chief Minister on the occasion honoured several nationally acclaimed
scientists and veterinarians, some of whom are attending the symposium.
The Chief Minister also released a souvenir and Book of Abstracts of the symposium on the occasion. She also released a book-Profitable
Sheep Farming-written by a SKUAST-K faculty member, Prof. Z. A. Pampori.
Minister for Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Abdul Ghani Kohli in his
address also impressed upon the scientist community to come up with specific
recommendations for giving livestock management in the State a boost. He
stressed on bridging the gap between research and practice in livestock
management to achieve optimum results.
Around 25 scientists, scholars and academicians are attending the
symposium in which around 30 research papers on varied aspects of livestock
development are expected to be presented.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nazeer Ahmad
outlined the broad contours of the symposium.
President, Indian Society of Animal Production & Management, Prof.
Subranshu Pan also addressed the inaugural session.
On her
arrival, the Chief Minister was accorded a warm welcome by the students,
faculty and delegates attending the symposium.
Commissioner-Secretary, Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Raj Kumar
Bhagat; Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Prof.(Dr.) Sarafaraz Wani,
eminent scientists from within and outside the State, faculty members of
SKUAST, scholars and students were present on the occasion.
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