Agriculture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu has issued an advisory to farmers across the state, following forecasts of potential disease outbreaks by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology through their National Animal Disease Referral Expert System.
The advisory identifies Papum Pare district as facing a ‘very high risk’ of an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak.
West Siang district faces an equally serious threat from foot and mouth disease (FMD), with risk levels assessed as ‘very high’ by ICAR-NIVEDI forecasting systems.
Wangsu has called for immediate vaccination campaigns to protect cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals in the region.
Mass vaccination is the only protection against FMD and ASF.
Therefore, if the department implements this sooner, it will go a long way in saving animals.
Animal insurance is an important step to safeguard the farmer. Currently, there is an insurance scheme where the farmers, state, and central governments are contributors – with farmers paying 5.5% of the sum insured, the central government covering 75%, and the state government paying 10% of the insurance premium under the National Livestock Mission.
This initiative will act as a safeguard against loss and provide financial security to livestock owners in case of a disease outbreak such as FMD and ASF, which are highly contagious.