Centre educates 1 lakh women on zoonotic diseases

New Delhi

Over 1 lakh women livestock farmers have been educated about zoonotic diseases through a virtual awareness program organized by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) on the eve of International Women’s Day.

The program covered topics such as clean milk production and the role of ethnoveterinary medicines in disease prevention. Experts and veterinarians led the sessions, highlighting the importance of hygiene and biosecurity in animal husbandry.

Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary of DAHD, emphasized the crucial role women play in dairy cooperative societies. She praised their efforts in organizing themselves through Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Community Linked Farmers (CLFs), and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in areas lacking dairy cooperatives. She encouraged women farmers to take advantage of government schemes for goat and sheep rearing to boost their incomes.

Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary at DAHD, stressed the need for sustainable livestock practices, citing the Covid pandemic as an example of why preventing zoonotic disease transmission is essential. She urged women to adopt biosecurity measures to protect both livestock and human health.

The virtual session reached women across 21 states and Union Territories, with around 2,050 camps set up by Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs).

In related developments, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recently approved the revision of the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP) with an outlay of ₹3,880 crore. The program aims to combat diseases like foot-and-mouth disease, brucellosis, and lumpy skin disease, which impact livestock productivity.

Officials reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving livestock health while empowering women in the dairy sector.