India’s rural economy heavily depends on animals for income, food, and security, and to keep this system thriving, the country needs a major upgrade in veterinary infrastructure and skilled manpower. This was the central message from Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, S. P. Singh Baghel, during a national workshop held to mark World Veterinary Day 2025.
Veterinarians: The Unsung Heroes of Rural India
Baghel described veterinarians as “the backbone of the rural economy.” Why? Because over 536 million livestock — the largest in the world — reside in India, and about 70% of rural households rely on these animals for their livelihood. From milk production to poultry farming, livestock play a crucial role in both household income and nutritional security in villages.
Collaboration is Key: One Health in Action
The minister emphasized the importance of collaboration between veterinarians, scientists, and public health experts. This aligns with the “One Health” approach, which recognizes the interconnectedness of animal health, human health, and the environment. Diseases that spread from animals to humans (zoonotic diseases) — like bird flu or rabies — need to be tackled through joint efforts across disciplines.
Value of Indigenous Breeds & New Technologies
India’s traditional livestock breeds are well-suited to local weather conditions and are key to sustainable farming. Baghel stressed the importance of protecting and promoting these breeds. At the same time, he called for using advanced reproductive technologies such as:
- Sex-sorted semen (to control the gender of offspring, usually to increase female calves for milk production)
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) in cattle, to boost reproductive efficiency and milk output.
These innovations can help farmers increase productivity without overburdening natural resources.
Digital Tools for Disease Surveillance
The minister also praised the National Digital Livestock Mission, a digital platform aimed at tracking livestock health, identifying disease outbreaks early, and improving animal services delivery. This helps prevent large-scale livestock diseases that could devastate rural incomes.
India Recognized Globally for Animal Health Preparedness
In a virtual address from Rome, Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), acknowledged India’s strong role in the global One Health movement. He also highlighted India’s recent inclusion in the Pandemic Fund for Animal Health Preparedness, showing the country’s growing focus on preventing future outbreaks.
Severe Shortage of Veterinary Staff
Despite all the technological advancements, India faces a major hurdle: a shortage of veterinary professionals. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary of Animal Husbandry, pointed out the urgent need to revamp the veterinary ecosystem, ensuring better training, hiring, and distribution of vets, especially in rural and remote areas.
World Veterinary Day 2025 Theme: “Animal Health Takes a Team”
This year’s theme underlines that animal health is a shared responsibility. It requires joint efforts from veterinarians, scientists, public health officials, farmers, and even policymakers to ensure the well-being of animals — and, by extension, the health of humans and the environment.
FAQs
Q1. Why is veterinary development important for rural India?
Most rural families depend on livestock for income, food, and farming. Strong veterinary support helps maintain animal health, which directly impacts rural livelihoods.
Q2. What is the One Health approach?
It’s a collaborative framework connecting animal health, human health, and the environment to manage diseases more effectively, especially those that jump from animals to humans.
Q3. What are sex-sorted semen and IVF in animals?
Sex-sorted semen is used to ensure the birth of a specific gender (usually female for dairy). IVF allows for controlled breeding to improve livestock genetics and productivity.
Q4. What is the National Digital Livestock Mission?
It’s an initiative to digitize livestock health data, allowing real-time disease tracking and better delivery of veterinary services across the country.
Q5. Why does India need more veterinarians?
There’s a huge gap between the number of animals and the available veterinary professionals, especially in rural regions. This shortage limits healthcare access for animals and puts farmers at risk.
