DAHD–ICAR Sheep Symposium Highlights Breed Improvement, Value Chains and Farmer Income

Welcoming the participants, Dr Arun Kumar Tomar, Director, ICAR-CSWRI, highlighted the current status and challenges of the sheep, mutton and wool sectors in India.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, in collaboration with the ICAR–Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (ICAR-CSWRI), organised a national-level Sheep Symposium on December 22, 2025 at ICAR-CSWRI, Avikanagar, Rajasthan. The symposium focused on strengthening the sheep sector through policy support, scientific interventions, entrepreneurship and integrated value-chain development.

The event was graced by Shri Naresh Pal Gangwar, Secretary, DAHD; Dr Praveen Malik, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Government of India; Dr Muthukumarsamy B., Joint Secretary, DAHD; and Shri Ritesh Chauhan, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Himachal Pradesh, along with senior officials from the Government of India and ICAR-CSWRI.

The symposium witnessed wide participation from across the country, including representatives from State Animal Husbandry Departments, ICAR institutes such as the ICAR–National Meat Research Institute and ICAR–National Institute of Natural Fibre Engineering and Technology, the Central Wool Development Board, CCS–National Institute of Agricultural Marketing, National Dairy Development Board, industry groups, start-ups, non-government organisations, domain experts, entrepreneurs and sheep farmers.

Welcoming the participants, Dr Arun Kumar Tomar, Director, ICAR-CSWRI, highlighted the current status and challenges of the sheep, mutton and wool sectors in India. He emphasised the need for scientific breeding, improved management practices and better market linkages to enhance farmer incomes and sectoral sustainability.

Dr Muthukumarsamy B., Joint Secretary, DAHD, stated that the Department is placing special emphasis on sheep breed improvement programmes under the National Livestock Mission (NLM). He informed that under the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) of NLM, capital subsidy of up to 50 percent, with a maximum limit of ₹50 lakh, is being provided for projects with a capacity of 500 sheep or goats, and the response to the scheme has been overwhelmingly positive.

He further highlighted that under the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF), DAHD is extending a 3 percent interest subvention for activities such as waste-to-wealth initiatives, vaccine production units and primary wool processing facilities. Stressing the importance of capacity building and skill development, he called for greater private sector participation in training farmers and entrepreneurs. He also underlined the government’s genetic improvement initiatives and emphasised the need to expand artificial insemination services to rural households through mobile veterinary vans.

Dr Praveen Malik, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Government of India, stressed the importance of recognising regional resources and diversity in sheep husbandry and formulating policies accordingly to ensure optimal utilisation and sustainable growth of the sector.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Naresh Pal Gangwar, Secretary, DAHD, noted that India’s dairy and poultry sectors have successfully built robust value chains through cooperatives and private enterprises, ensuring remunerative prices for farmers. He highlighted that India contributes nearly 25 percent of global milk production and ranks second globally in egg production.

Emphasising the untapped potential of the sheep and goat sector, he described sheep and goats as the “ATM of the poor”, reflecting their critical role in supporting rural livelihoods, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. He stressed the need for research-driven interventions and effective last-mile delivery so that scientific advancements directly benefit farmers. Drawing parallels with the dairy sector, he underlined the necessity of developing integrated value chains in sheep husbandry.

On animal health, Shri Gangwar highlighted the importance of strengthening veterinary services at the state level, with support from the Government of India through programmes such as Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) vaccination. He noted that disease control is crucial in view of the sector’s export potential and the growing demand–supply gap in domestic markets. He also emphasised the need to enhance productivity in meat and wool and to develop high-performing sheep breeds, particularly in the context of declining wool demand due to synthetic alternatives.

During the symposium, a newsletter titled “CSWRI at a Glance” was also released, showcasing the institute’s research achievements and ongoing initiatives.

The symposium featured multiple technical sessions on wool, mutton, milk, sheep genetic resources and entrepreneurship in sheep husbandry. Farmers, entrepreneurs, industry representatives and experts engaged in detailed discussions on challenges, opportunities and policy pathways for strengthening the sheep sector and enhancing farmers’ income across the country.