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Veterinary officers and scientists of ICAR-NRCM pose for a group photo after the interface meeting in Kohima.[/caption]
Dimapur, March 7 (EMN): Under Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun, Medziphema, organised an interface meeting on “Present status and future scope of mithun rearing in Nagaland State,” with the officers of veterinary & Animal Husbandry March 7, in Kohima to popularize mithun rearing under changing climatic scenario.
Speaking at the inaugural session, chief guest, M. K. Mero, Commissioner & Secretary, department of V&AH, informed the house about the various schemes namely Gokul Mission for mithun rearing in the State. He also suggested that mithun rearing scheme can be included under Entrepreneur Development and Employment Generation (EDEG) programme of National Livelihood Mission (NLM), Govt of India.
Dr. Abhijit Mitra, director, ICAR-NRCM, while emphasizing the importance of such Interface meeting with the stake holders, stressed the need to create the awareness for conserving the best community mithun bulls for breeding purpose and not to slaughter such precious male animals for feast.
In the round table session, director, ICAR-NRCM apprised the delegates about the different research achievements and technologies developed by the institute and presented a road-map for scientific mithun rearing in the state.
Dr. K. Gwirie, deputy director, V&AH, presented a brief account of the schemes and different efforts being executed by the department for mithun rearing.
During the open house discussion, various issues related to mithun rearing, such as management of diseases, registration of mithun as food animals, and studying carrying capacity of the forest.
The meeting agreed that semi-intensive system of mithun rearing should be replicated in the farmer’s field for better economic return and a stake-holder’s workshop involving other line department namely Forestry, Agriculture, Cooperative, Rural Development and Banking Institutions to be conducted at the earliest.
Besides meat, the efforts should also be made to popularize the use of mithun for milk and hide.
Dr. I. P. Khala, director, V&AH expressed his sincere thanks to ICAR-NRCM for organizing the interface meeting.
75 senior veterinary officers from different districts of Nagaland and scientists of ICAR-NRCM, Nagaland participated in the meeting.
