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THE IMPORTANCE OF ANIMAL HEALTH & NUTRITION IN INDIA |
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With such high poverty levels, India battles persistent malnutrition and inadequate health services for human and animals alike. While the state of India’s human health services have received considerable attention, the state of animal health and nutrition is still largely ignored. This neglected area is one that would have significant benefit on rural Indian poverty. Livestock plays a very significant role in the socio-economic development of Indian rural households. The total livestock population in India is approximately 1 billion, half of which is poultry . The role of livestock/farm animals in the lives of rural Indian families is quintessentially tied to their survival and livelihoods. Animals often are an asset, providing cash income, high quality food, labor, organic manure, and fuel for cooking. Therefore, the promotion and development of previously neglected veterinary science is a key to economic and social development, reducing the impact of poverty in these rural Indian populations. Over 70 percent of India’s rural households own livestock , however, the majority of them face challenges due to poor livestock management knowledge and inadequate veterinary health facilities. A major reason for these challenges is the inability of professional veterinarians to provide effective services that meet both livestock owners’ expectations and national/international animal health standards. Another major challenge in India is the lack of proper animal vaccinations and nutrition. All of these problems are principally due to inadequate technology and resources. In fact, India is still 20 to 25 years behind developed western countries when it comes to advances in the animal health and nutrition sector. › THE SR FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH |
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