The growth of the veterinary science and animal husbandry sector in Odisha has made livestock farmers resilient and helped them tide over the crisis triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Bishnupada Sethi, Principal Secretary in Odisha’s Higher Education Department, has said.

“The poor farmers survived the crisis caused by Covid for two years because of their dependence on livestock,” Mr. Sethi, who looked after the Fisheries and Animal Resources Department earlier, said while speaking at a program organised at the Institute of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (IVSAH) of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) to mark World Veterinary Day on Saturday.

Mr. Sethi said after the state government adopted the Bovine Breeding Policy in 2002 a lot of expansion programs had been taken up and the income from this sector had doubled. “The veterinary sector was contributing around 15 to 16 per cent of the earning in agriculture at present,” he said.

The program, jointly organised by IVSAH and Odisha Livestock Development Society (OLDS), was also addressed by Mr. Jangyadutta Pati, Divisional Forest Officer, Athagarh, Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor, SOA and Prof. (Dr.) Sanghamitra Mishra, Dean of the Institute of Medical Sciences, SOA. Prof. Bramhadev Pattnaik, Dean of IVSAH also addressed the program while Prof. S.K.Das, Associate Dean, IVSAH and President, OLDS, proposed the vote of thanks.

The theme for the day this year was ‘Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness in the Veterinary Profession.’

Expressing happiness over SOA setting up an institute for veterinary sciences in the private domain, Mr. Sethi said the students studying in the institution would have several job options besides in the government department. He also advised against reckless artificial insemination saying it could be ‘dangerous’.