Why is it in the news?

• The 21st Livestock Census was launched by the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, on October 24, 2024, in New Delhi.
• Conducted every five years, this census aims to carry out a headcount of domesticated animals, poultry, and stray animals across the country, collecting data on species, breed, age, sex, and ownership status.
• Since its inception in 1919, a total of 20 livestock censuses have been conducted, with the last one taking place in 2019. The enumeration process for the 21st census is scheduled from October 2024 to February 2025.
• Approximately 87,000 enumerators will visit individual households, apartments, enterprises, and institutions like gaushalas (cattle sheds), dairy farms, poultry farms, veterinary colleges, and defence establishments to gather comprehensive livestock data in India. This extensive exercise is expected to cover around 30 crore households.

Animals Included in the 21st Livestock Census

• The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying will collect information on 16 animal species during the census. These include cattle, buffalo, mithun, yak, sheep, goat, pig, camel, horse, ponies, mule, donkey, dog, rabbit, and elephant.
• Additionally, the census will document poultry birds such as fowl, chicken, duck, turkey, geese, quail, ostrich, and emu.
• It aims to capture data on 219 indigenous breeds of these 16 species, recognized by the ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR).

Objective of the Livestock Census

• The livestock sector is vital for providing employment in rural areas and significantly contributes to agricultural productivity.
• Poultry and animal husbandry together account for roughly 30% of the Gross Value Added (GVA) in the agriculture sector, while the overall livestock sector contributes about 7% to the economy. For context, the entire agriculture sector contributes around 15% to the GVA.
• The census data will be used to estimate GVA from the livestock sector and inform policy formulation and implementation. According to the Union Minister, “Livestock Census shapes policies, ensures sustainable growth of India’s Livestock Sector.”
• Furthermore, the census data will be crucial for tracking progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations, particularly Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and Target 2.5, which aims to maintain genetic diversity in food and nutrition. It specifically addresses Indicator 2.5.2, which measures the percentage of local livestock breeds at risk of extinction.

21st Livestock Census Vs Previous Exercises

• The 21st Livestock Census will be fully digitized, similar to the previous one conducted in 2019. This includes online data collection through a mobile application, digital monitoring at various levels, capturing the latitude and longitude of data collection locations, and generating reports via software.
• This census will also gather several new data points, including information on pastoral animals and pastoralists, detailing their contributions to the livestock sector and their socio-economic status.
• Additionally, it will collect granular information, such as the proportion of households whose primary income derives from the livestock sector and the gender of stray cattle.

Findings of the 2019 Livestock Census

• The 2019 Livestock Census reported a total livestock population of 535.78 million in India, which included 192.9 million cattle, 148.88 million goats, 109.85 million buffaloes, 74.26 million sheep, and 9.06 million pigs.
• All other animals accounted for just 0.23% of the total livestock population in India.