Veterinarians are set to play a critical role in tapping new opportunities and tackling emerging challenges as the livestock sector expands to absorb the anticipated demand for animal-sourced foods, both domestically and globally, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Government of India, Abhijit Mitra said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Delivering the 25th Graduation Day address at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (RIVER) recently, Mr. Mitra said as the livestock sector continues to expand, the role of veterinarians would become increasingly important in ensuring sustainable and responsible livestock production.
“Your contributions will be instrumental in safeguarding animal health, protecting public health, and promoting the well-being of our environment,” he said
ADVERTISEMENT
While currently about 40% of the world’s protein consumption is from animal source, the demand for food, especially animal-based products like meat and milk will exponentially rise with the global population estimated to touch 9.1 billion by 2050. “Meat production will need to increase by about 76%, and milk production by around 65% from current levels----an additional requirement of about 200 million tonnes of meat and 800 million tonnes of milk per year,” he said.
Turning to the domestic scenario, Mr. Mitra pointed out that while globally, 1 in 5 persons depend on livestock for income and livelihood, in India, 2/3rd of rural communities rely on livestock for their livelihood. This sector which employs approximately 18.8% of India’s population, more importantly, has high proportions of women in the workforce.
In India, the livestock sector has witnessed an extraordinary growth with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.99% annually between 2014-15 and 2022-23. In fact, the contribution of the livestock sector to agricultural Gross Value Added (GVA) has seen a significant increase from around 25% in the early 2000s to over 30.23% in recent years, reflecting a growth of nearly 23%.
ADVERTISEMENT
“This growth underscores the critical role of this sector in enhancing farmers’ incomes and ensuring food security highlighting the sector’s increasing importance within the broader agricultural economy,” he said.
According to projections by the NITI Aayog, by 2050, India’s demand for animal-sourced food is anticipated to rise significantly. Economic and demographic shifts, such as a 24% population increase, a 7.5-fold rise in income levels, and greater urbanisation with 55% of the population residing in urban areas, will drive this change in dietary patterns. This means that calorie intake from animal-sourced foods is expected to double, reaching 16%. Additionally, demand for meat, fish, and eggs is projected to surge by 205%, while demand for milk products is likely to grow 3.7 times faster than that for food grains.
Noting that the scale of such expansion presents both opportunities and challenges, Mr. Mitra said veterinary community’s expertise would become crucial in addressing emerging issues like zoonotic diseases, antibiotic resistance, and ensuring animal welfare.
ADVERTISEMENT
“With the world of veterinary medicine constantly evolving, and technological advancements, from telemedicine to genetic research, transforming the way we diagnose and treat animal diseases, the role of veterinarians has never been more crucial as we face global issues such as zoonotic diseases, climate change, and antimicrobial resistance,” Mr. Mitra said.
He also reminded graduates that as veterinarians, they will be serving not just animals but also humanity, by ensuring the health and well-being of those creatures that share our world. “Remember also that your work as a veterinarian is as much about people as it is about animals”, he said.
Chief Minister N. Rangasamy presented degrees to 72 students and gold medals to meritorious candidates.
Speaker R. Selvam, Agriculture Minister C. Djeacoumar, Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister A.K. Sai J. Saravanan Kumar, MLA Annibal Kennedy, Chief Secretary Sharat Chauhan, Commissioner and Secretary to Government (Animal Husbandry) M. Raju, and RIVER Dean V. Sejian were present.