India's First Livestock Census to Count Pastoralists & Gender Participation

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) The Centre is set to roll out the country's most comprehensive livestock headcount on Friday, marking several firsts including data on pastoral communities and gender participation in animal husbandry.

The 21st Livestock Census, spanning October 2024 to February 2025, will deploy about 1 lakh field officials, primarily veterinarians and para-veterinarians, for a door-to-door enumeration across all villages and urban wards, an official statement said.

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also known as Lalan Singh, will launch the initiative in New Delhi.

In a significant technological upgrade, the census will use mobile devices for data collection and transmission, aimed at improving accuracy and efficiency.

The survey will cover 15 species of livestock — from cattle and buffaloes to elephants — and various poultry birds including exotic species like ostriches and emus.

A key highlight of this census is its focus on 219 indigenous breeds across 16 species, as recognized by ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR).

Breaking new ground, this will be India's first livestock census to independently track data on livestock holdings by pastoralists.

Additionally, it will document the gender of individuals primarily involved in livestock rearing, offering insights into the role of women in animal husbandry.

The livestock census, conducted every five years since 1919, serves as a crucial policy-making tool for the animal husbandry sector. The previous census was completed in 2019.