The Role of Veterinarians & the Livestock Sector for Viksit Bharat@2047

The Role of Veterinarians & the Livestock Sector for Viksit Bharat@2047

Abstract

Veterinarians and the livestock sector are crucial pillars in India’s pursuit of Viksit Bharat@2047, a vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047. The livestock industry, a significant contributor to the nation’s economy, holds the potential to drive economic growth, improve rural livelihoods, ensure food security, and promote public health. Veterinarians play an essential role in enhancing livestock productivity through disease prevention, genetic improvement, and sustainable practices, which bolster the supply of high-nutrient foods like milk, meat, and eggs. Through the One Health approach, veterinarians protect public health by controlling zoonotic diseases and promoting responsible antimicrobial use. Their work in climate resilience, including breeding for heat-tolerant and disease-resistant livestock, supports environmental sustainability amid changing climate conditions. Furthermore, veterinarians are advancing research and policy advocacy to meet international standards, boosting India’s export potential. By empowering rural communities, particularly women and marginalized groups, veterinarians enhance economic stability and foster inclusive development. Collectively, these efforts position the veterinary profession and livestock sector as indispensable forces for achieving India’s goal of becoming a prosperous, self-reliant, and sustainable nation by 2047.

Keywords– Viksit Bharat@2047, Veterinary Science, Animal Husbandry, Rural Empowerment, Livestock Sector, Economic Growth, One Health Approach, Zoonotic Disease Control, Veterinary Innovation, Environmental Sustainability

Introduction

The vision of “Viksit Bharat@2047” emphasizes a developed India by the centenary of its independence, with the goal of achieving holistic growth across various sectors, including agriculture and livestock. As India progresses toward becoming a fully developed nation by 2047, the livestock sector and veterinarians hold the potential to play transformative roles. The livestock sector contributes significantly to India’s economy, accounting for nearly 4.5% of GDP (Kishore & Köhler-Rollefson 2020). With millions of livelihoods depending on this sector, particularly in rural India, veterinarians are uniquely positioned to advance food security, public health, environmental sustainability, and rural development, all essential pillars for a prosperous future. In this article, we’ll explore the specific ways that veterinarians and the livestock sector can help drive India’s progress toward Viksit Bharat@2047.

1. Enhancing Livestock Productivity for Economic Growth

The productivity of livestock, from dairy cows to poultry, is key to ensuring a stable supply of food and high-quality animal products. Veterinarians work tirelessly to improve herd health through advanced disease prevention and control methods, ultimately resulting in healthier and more productive animals.

• Disease Management & Control: Veterinarians combat diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis, which directly impact livestock productivity and profitability (Tiwari et al., 2013) Effective vaccination campaigns, biosecurity measures, and timely treatment plans keep animals healthy and ensure steady production.
• Vaccination Programs: Implementing vaccination schedules to combat common diseases in livestock increases productivity and helps prevent outbreaks.
• Genetic Improvements: Through selective breeding and artificial insemination, veterinarians enhance traits such as milk yield, resilience to disease, and heat tolerance. These advancements not only support India’s goal of becoming a global leader in dairy production but also strengthen the rural economy.
• Nutrition and Feeding: Providing dietary recommendations and nutritional support to improve the growth rates and reproductive performance of livestock, which leads to better food production.
• Breeding Programs: Assisting with artificial insemination and selective breeding to enhance desirable traits, such as disease resistance and higher milk or meat yield, which ultimately contributes to increased productivity in the sector.

2. Strengthening Food Security & Nutritional Sufficiency

With a growing population, ensuring food security is one of India’s top priorities. Veterinarians contribute significantly by helping boost the production of high-protein foods like milk, eggs, and meat.

• Sustainable Intensification: Veterinarians promote sustainable farming practices that increase productivity without compromising animal welfare or environmental health. Efficient feed management, water conservation, and waste reduction techniques are some of the practices that support food security sustainably.
• High Nutritional Value: Animal-derived products are a major source of protein and essential nutrients. By ensuring the health and productivity of livestock, veterinarians help guarantee that these high-nutrition foods are readily available to the population.

3. Catalyzing Rural Development & Empowering Farmers

The livestock sector is a significant contributor to rural economies. By supporting smallholder farmers, veterinarians can transform lives, creating stable incomes and lifting communities out of poverty.

• Training and Extension Services: Veterinarians play a critical role in providing farmers with knowledge and skills, from animal husbandry to disease management. This guidance helps farmers optimize productivity and adopt best practices, increasing their economic stability.
• Opportunities for Women and Marginalized Groups: Many rural households depend on livestock, and women often manage small-scale farming operations. Veterinarians help empower these women by teaching them sustainable practices, thereby making them important contributors to household income and community well-being.

4. Advancing Public Health with the One Health Approach

Veterinarians are crucial to the One Health framework, which connects animal, human, and environmental health. This approach is vital for controlling zoonotic diseases and protecting public health.

• Zoonotic Disease Control: Zoonotic diseases can affect the health of both humans and animals, including domestic animals, pets, and companion animals (Mukhtar et al., 2023) Diseases such as rabies, avian influenza, and brucellosis, which transfer from animals to humans, can pose severe risks. Veterinarians are on the front lines of identifying, preventing, and managing these diseases, reducing their impact on public health.
• Antimicrobial Stewardship: With the increasing concern over antimicrobial resistance, veterinarians play a key role in promoting the responsible use of antibiotics. This effort helps prevent drug-resistant infections, protecting both animal and human health.

5. Driving Environmental Sustainability & Climate Resilience

Climate change poses challenges to livestock production, but veterinarians contribute to solutions that make livestock systems more resilient.

• Climate-Adapted Animal Breeding: Through selective breeding, veterinarians develop breeds that are more resilient to heat, drought, and disease, which is crucial for adaptation in climate-sensitive regions.
• Emissions Reduction: Veterinarians advocate for sustainable livestock practices, including optimal feed and waste management, to reduce methane emissions. These practices help mitigate climate change while maintaining livestock productivity.

6. Boosting Research and Development in Veterinary Science

Continuous innovation in veterinary science is essential to meet future challenges. Veterinarians contribute to research that brings forward new vaccines, diagnostic tools, and treatment protocols that can enhance productivity and protect animal welfare.

• Biotechnology and Diagnostic Advancements: With new techniques like ultrasounds and CT scans for animal diagnostics, veterinarians can more accurately identify and treat diseases. This advancement ensures that livestock health is managed more effectively, improving productivity and reducing losses.
• Policy Advocacy and Standards Development: Veterinarians collaborate with policy-makers to establish standards and practices that ensure high-quality production, welfare, and safety across the sector. This influence shapes a future where livestock practices align with international standards, helping India’s export potential.

7. Expanding Global Reach through Quality Standards

India’s livestock sector has immense export potential. Veterinarians help maintain quality standards that ensure Indian products can meet international market requirements.

• Boosting Export Standards: By ensuring quality control in livestock products, veterinarians help meet international health and safety standards, opening doors for greater exports and increasing India’s role in the global market.
• Promoting Indigenous Breeds: Indigenous breeds adapted to the Indian environment are often more sustainable. Promoting these breeds enhances India’s identity in the global livestock market and provides sustainable solutions.

It could be concluded that as India moves toward its ambitious goal of Viksit Bharat@2047, veterinarians and the livestock sector have a unique and critical role to play. By promoting animal health, public health, economic stability, and environmental sustainability, these professionals are the backbone of a resilient, secure, and thriving India. The contributions of veterinarians will not only help shape a prosperous future but will also uplift millions of lives, especially in rural India, making Viksit Bharat@2047 a shared and attainable vision for all.

Reference:

1. Kishore, K., and I. Köhler-Rollefson. 2020. Accounting for pastoralists in India. League for Pastoral Peoples and Endogenous Livestock Development, Ober-Ramstadt, Germany. Pp-5
2. Tiwari, R., Sharma, M. C., Mishra, K. K., & Singh, B. P. (2013). Economic impacts of infectious diseases of livestock. The Indian Journal of Animal Sciences, 83(3).
3. Mukhtar, M. U., Fayyaz, Z., Aftab, M. M., Nawaz, M. H., Javed, M. A., Hussain, B., Shahid, R., & Ullah, F. (2023). One health approach to zoonosis: integrating medicine, veterinary science, and environmental science. Zoonosis, Unique Scientific Publishers, Faisalabad, Pakistan, 1, 226-236.

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