Discuss the importance of livestock farming in a non-farm economy. What is the need for the recently proposed livestock census in promoting animal husbandry?

1. Additional Income Support (Currently ₹74,000 Avg. Farm H/H debt)

2. Income support even if crops fail due to monsoon.

3. Better price realization : Eggs, meat and dairy as compared to Crops.

4. Promotes Integrated farming Poultry → waste feed → Crops Crops → manure → fertilizers

5. Reduces Input demand and reduces cost of production.

6. Better resilience to adverse impacts of climate change.

7. Gendered connotations: Benefits vulnerable women, etc.

Need for proposed livestock census

1. Helps better capture present scenario and micro breakup of constituent contributors.

2. Identify Regional & spatial patterns.

3. Identify the most pertinent challenges (like diseases, etc.)

4. Data availability upon entire value chain Feed quality → Rearing costs → Price Realization

5. Better policy making based on data points.

6. Improved targeted interventions