Arunachal yaks registered as classified animal genetic resource

NIRJULI, 23 Mar: Arunachal Pradesh’ yaks have been registered as ‘classified animal genetic resource (AnGR)’, out of 212 registered breeds throughout the country.

In the process, the mithun and the indigenous dogs are also on the line to be registered.

This was informed by Karnal (Haryana)-based ICAR-NBAGR Director Dr BP Mishra during a meeting with stakeholders to discuss the ‘characterisation and documentation of AnGR of the state and coming up with a mission towards zero-nondescript AnGR of India’, held at the animal husbandry, veterinary & dairy development (AHV&DD) office here on Thursday.

Dr Mishra termed Arunachal “the biodiversity state of the country,” and informed that Arunachal is the 17th state that he has visited to apprise the stakeholders of the development.

“The mission started in September 2021 with a motive to characterise and document all the non-descriptive population, and also to register all the breeds of the animals,” he said.

AHV&DD Deputy Director Dr Taba Heli apprised the participants of the status of the native AnGR in Arunachal, while ICAR-NBAGR principal scientist Dr SK Niranjan spoke about “the strategies for documentation of animal genetic resources of the state.”

State Biodiversity Board Member Secretary Koj Rinya sought the AHV&DD department’s support in “documenting the livestock diversity in the people’s biodiversity register under preparation by the 1806 biodiversity management committees in the state.”

She said that “intellectual property right is a legal document which will protect people’s rights over their natural resources in cases of IPR and patent issues.”

She informed also that preparation of a state biodiversity strategy and action plan is underway, and said that 98 percent of the livestock population falls in the non-descript category.”

Dirang (West Kameng)-based ICAR-NRC on Yak Director Mihir Sarkar also spoke.

Besides several stakeholders, research scholars from Rajiv Gandhi University also attended the meeting.