Veterinarians play a vital role in food security through their education and professional support to farmers, animal product industry and pet lovers, continuously work on disease-eradication, provide interventions for food safety and help in capacity building, said Dr Parvinder Kaushal, Vice Chancellor of Birsa Agricultural University (BAU).
Addressing the World Veterinary Day (WVD) function at Ranchi Veterinary College (RVC) on Saturday, he said the demand for animal protein and animal by-products would increase enormously by the year 2050, when the world population is estimated to reach 9.7 billion.
By preventing and controlling animal diseases, taking care of their nutrition, management and reproductive health, the veterinarians play a crucial role in securing sufficient and safe high-quality food, improving the health and welfare of people and animals, the VC added. Sources of animal protein like milk, meat, fish, egg, and poultry play major role in eradication of malnutrition, which is dependent on veterinarians.
They not only contribute to ensure the existence of sufficient resources for future generations by supporting the development of sustainable, responsible and efficient livestock production systems are also interlinked with wildlife conservation efforts and the protection of the environment and biodiversity.
The VC said, “BAU would launch a number of diploma and certificate courses for technicians and para vets to ensure availability of technical manpower at grass root levels.” He said concrete efforts were being made to restore the past glory of RVC, which was adjudged as one of the best veterinary colleges of India by a visiting parliamentary delegation.
RVC is presently working with hardly 20 percent of sanctioned strength of permanent faculty and JPSC is expected to recruit teachers within three months.
Octogenarian retired professor of RVC Dr Aniruddha Prasad said animal husbandry and human beings came into existence almost simultaneously. Growth of agriculture can’t be imagined without animal husbandry which provides rich source of manure to the mother earth.
The factory-produced fertilizer was reducing soil fertility continuously.