SHILLONG, 24 Jan: Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture and Allied Minister Gabriel D Wangsu stressed the need to modernise the livestock sector to attract young entrepreneurs.
Addressing the participants on the second day of the ‘Conclave on Dialogue for Holistic Development of Livestock Sectors in the Northeast Region’, in Shillong, Meghalaya, on Friday, Wangsu expressed concern over the declining livestock population in Arunachal, citing factors like genetic regression and an ageing farmer population.
He advocated comprehensive training programmes, mentorship initiatives, and the implementation of the National Skill Qualification Framework to equip the youthswith the necessary skills for modern livestock farming.
To incentivise young entrepreneurs, Wangsu proposed financial support mechanisms, similar to the Unnati scheme, as well as robust insurance options to mitigate risks. He also stressed the importance of strengthening animal health services by establishing a network of “pranibandhu” (animal health workers) at the village level and leveraging technology through telemedicine and digital platforms to improve access to veterinary care.
Senior officials, including Animal Husbandry, Veterinary & Fisheries Secretary Hage Tari, Director Dr Danjan Longri, Deputy Director Dr Hage Taley, SVO (HQ) Dr Seba Yomdo and SVO Dr Darge Tsering also attended the programme.
The conclave was inaugurated by union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Thursday.
The event brought together key stakeholders from all eight Northeastern states to discuss challenges and develop a roadmap for the sustainable growth of the livestock sector.
