Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh launches 21st livestock census
The census will emphasise breed management, utilising image-based technology to accurately identify livestock breeds, while prioritising critical aspects like animal health, productivity, and disease control to address the sector’s key challenges.
Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, launched the 21st Livestock Census in New Delhi, which will be conducted until February 2025. The 21st Livestock Census will cover over 30 crore households across all States and Union Territories, including nomadic communities and pastoralists, ensuring that the diversity of India’s livestock practices is captured. The census will focus on important areas such as gender roles in livestock rearing, offering a deeper understanding of women’s contributions to the sector. It will also emphasize breed management, utilizing image-based technology to accurately identify livestock breeds, while prioritizing critical aspects like animal health, productivity, and disease control to address the sector’s key challenges.
21st Livestock Census will play a pivotal role in shaping livestock-centred schemes and initiatives, such as the National Gokul Mission, Livestock Health & Disease Control (LH&DC), and the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD). By providing comprehensive and updated data, the census will help identify the needs and opportunities in the sector, enabling the government to fine-tune these programs for greater impact. The insights gathered will not only strengthen existing initiatives but also pave the way for new strategies aimed at enhancing livestock productivity, improving animal health, and boosting rural incomes. Ultimately, this will contribute to the sustainable growth of the livestock sector, benefiting millions of households and driving overall economic development.
Rajiv Ranjan Singh emphasized the critical role the Livestock Census plays in shaping policies that ensure the sustainable growth of India’s livestock sector. He noted, “India’s livestock sector is not only a major contributor to our rural economy but also a significant source of nutrition, employment, and income for millions of households. The 21st Livestock Census will provide us with updated data on the livestock population, which will allow the government to address key issues like disease control, breed improvement, and rural livelihoods. With the digital advancements introduced in this census, we are confident that the data collected will be more accurate, timely, and comprehensive than ever before.”
He also highlighted the innovations brought in this census, such as a mobile application for data collection and real-time monitoring through a web-based dashboard, marking a significant step toward modernizing data collection methodologies.
Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, George Kurian, emphasized the sector’s vital role in GDP contribution and job creation, especially in rural areas. He noted, “Livestock supports the livelihoods of over 2.1 crore people and is essential to India’s agricultural economy. The data collected from the 21st Livestock Census will help us pinpoint areas where we can intervene to enhance rural livelihoods and improve animal health.”
Alka Upadhyay, Secretary of DAHD, detailed the extensive preparations for the census launch. “We have trained over one lakh field personnel, conducted regional and state-level training sessions, and established a strong digital infrastructure to ensure seamless and accurate data collection. The innovations in this census, including offline data capture, breed identification through images, and real-time monitoring, will guarantee that this initiative runs efficiently across India.
The census will emphasise breed management, utilising