Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Secretary Bishnupada Sethi is of the view that the small animals sector has immense potential and contributes to the sustenance of small and marginal farmers and landless rural populace in the State.
Sethi said this while inaugurating a seminar organised by the International livestock Research Institute (IlRI) as part of a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) project on “Public-Private-Producer-Partnership for small ruminant development in Odisha”.
Sethi said the State Government is committed to improving the small animal sector, for which a comprehensive draft small animal development policy has been formulated. He expected that the constructive suggestions by different actors involved in the small animal sector would help in finalising the Odisha Small Animal Development Policy.
Various studies reveal that the goat sub-sector has a great potential to contribute to poverty alleviation and offers opportunities where private sector, public sector and producers’ partnership can effect large-scale productivity improvement.
In this context, the seminar was organised to develop a common understanding about the possibility of goat production and value chain activities as business and collectively develop recommendations to address constraints and tap into existing opportunities.
The seminar bought leading officials, policymakers, international and NGOs, private-sector constitutes, donor and development agencies together on a common platform.
The presentation was followed by a group discussion for getting recommendations and suggestions for policy-level interventions to develop the small animal sector.