Chairman, Development Authority Nagaland (DAN) and bio-resources mission, Dr. I. Longriniken said that a village, state or nation could prosper only when its export was more than import, while pointing out that abundant availability of fertile land and suitable climatic conditions, agri and allied sector including the veterinary and animal husbandry could play a big role in economic development of the state.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural programme of the two-day officers’ conference of department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry (V&AH) at hotel Japfu Kohima, Monday.
Dr. Longriniken underlined that V&AH should come out with better schemes and motivational training to encourage farmers and villagers to take up animal husbandry as a profession by focusing on result oriented schemes.
He opined that financial incentives or subsidies that were given before the achievement of the result encouraged the farmers to focus on financial benefits only, rather than on the successful implementation of the scheme.
Dismissing that employment to many in the state meant government job, Dr. Longriniken opined that veterinarians and V&AH could play a big role for entrepreneurship and self-employment jobs.
He also asked the department to start planning on how to engage the veterinary graduates, in view of the upcoming veterinary college at Peren.
The chairman also suggested the department to focus more on preventive and control measures rather than treatment and cure. He said that this was possible only when farmers were properly educated in the management of animals and vaccines made available at the right time. The chief guest also acknowledged governor’s awardee, Neizo Chale for his invention “small animal restrainer”.
Delivering keynote address, additional director V&AH, Dr. Viral Yore pointed that there were many areas in the V&AH to be corrected and improved especially in record keeping of treatment, vaccination, disease reporting etc.
He said that executions of various schematic programme particularly beneficiary oriented schemes were being delayed for various reasons for which the department was often treated as defaulter compared to other agri and allied departments.
Lamenting that today most of the farms have become a liability to the government instead of generating revenue, Dr. Yore said that back in 70s government had set these farms as demonstration farms, however after attaining 50 years of existence it still continued in demonstration activities.
He therefore urged to create genetic pool specific to the state through the state run farms scientific breeding.
Dr. Yore said that Artificial Insemination (AI) in pigs was not seriously taken into consideration by the department despite its importance.
He advised veterinary hospitals to provide specific treatment to patients through confirmatory diagnosis using laboratory test and not just prescribing broad-spectrum antibiotic.
Cautioning that false or faulty disease reporting could result into grave situation, Dr. Yore informed that disease reporting was of national importance and it defined the status of the country and sometimes it could lead to ban on export on milk, meat to foreign countries which can affect the country’s economy.
He also informed veterinarians that vaccines were readily available in the department and may collect any quantity to carry out vaccination in respective areas.
This was followed by technical session on assessment of performance, improvisation of veterinary service delivery system and coordination with livestock farmers for improved productivity.