India’s Odisha State launches master plan to spur livestock sector investment and growth

A master plan to guide the long-term investment and growth of the livestock sector in Odisha, India was launched on 12 October 2022 by the state government’s Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department.

Livestock keeping is the second most important economic activity in the eastern India state after crop farming. More than 80% of Odisha’s rural population own livestock, which generates up to 30% of the income of small-scale, marginal and landless farmers.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) initiated the development of the Odisha livestock master plan in 2020 with the aim of enhancing investment in the state’s livestock sector.

The plan includes a baseline livestock sector analysis, a 15-year livestock sector strategy and a five-year sector investment plan. The sector investment plan includes a financial and human resource analysis and a budget to guide the development of a sustainable livestock sector for the state.