Integrated farming needed to increase productivity of livestock and double farmer’s income: Vice President
- The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu addressed Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, in Tirupati on 24 April.
- He said that Animal husbandry is vital for ensuring a more inclusive and sustainable agriculture system and stressed on the need to promote integrated farming practices to improve the productivity of livestock and double farmers’ income.
Integrated Farming
- The International Organisation of Biological Control (IOBC) describes Integrated Farmingas a farming system where high quality organic food, feed, fiber and renewable energy are produced by using resources such as soil, water, air and nature as well as regulating factors to farm sustainably and with as little polluting inputs as possible.
- Integrated Farming also means to integrate crop production with livestock management which in a way complement each other with a nice symbiotic relationship which at the time is economically viable and profitable, environmentally suitable, and benefit giver of diversification of production.
- Livestock production and agriculture are intrinsically linked and both are crucial for overall food security. Agriculture industry contributes 17% of India’s total GDP, out of which, the 27% comes from Animal Husbandry.
- Overall, the dairy, poultry and aqua industries contribute 4.4% to the nation’s GDP.
- The National Bovine Genomics Centre for Indigenous Breeds (NBGC-IB) is one such scheme that will pave way indigenous animal improvement using highly precise gene-based technology. It was launched under the National Mission on Bovine Productivity.
National Mission on Bovine Productivity
- With the aim of enhancing milk production and productivity and thereby making dairying more remunerative to farmers National Mission on Bovine Productivity was launched in November 2016.
- It has four components.
- National Bovine Genomic Centre for Indigenous Breeds (NBGC-IB): It is established for enhancing milk production and productivity genomic selection among indigenous breeds.
- Pashu Sanjivni: It includes identification of animals in milk using UID, issuing health cards to all animals in milk and uploading data on Information Network for Animal Productivity and Health (INAPH) data base.
- Advance reproductive Technique: Sex sorted semen production facility is being created at 10 A graded semen stations and 50 EET Labs with IVF facilities.
- E Pashu Haat Portal: It is for linking farmers and breeders of indigenous breeds.
Commissioning of Indian Coast Guard Vessel C-441
- Indian Coast guard ship C-441 was commissioned at vizhinjam in kerala on april 24.
- Indian Coast Guard Vessel C-441 is an interceptor vessel.
- Indian Coast Guard Ship C-441 is capable to undertake multifarious tasks such as close coast surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and rendering assistance to boats and crafts in distress at sea and will enhance the search and rescue capacity of Kerala seas.
66th National Film Awards to be declared after General Elections, 2019
- The awards are usually declared in the month of April every year.
- The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced on Wednesday that the 66th National Film Awards will be declared after the Lok Sabha elections since the Model Code of Conduct is in place.
National Film Awards
- The National Film Awards in India was established in 1954.
- It has been administered by the Indian government’s Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.
- The selections for National Film Awards are made by an independent and impartial jury consisting of eminent film makers and film personalities.
- The Indian government’s Directorate of Film Festivals also administrated International Film Festival of India and Indian Panorama.
