SRINAGAR: Government of India has made an important announcement regarding implementation of Bharat Pashudhan-National Digital Livestock Mission (NDLM) and selected Jammu and Kashmir among the six states and union territories for implementation of the program.
This mission aims to create a farmer-centric ecosystem driven by technology, which will include the establishment of a digital livestock database in Jammu & Kashmir, improved farmer services, and timely information updates. As part of this initiative, the existing INAPH system will be completely replaced.
The NDLM will leverage a unique 12-digit barcoded tag id for all bovines and small ruminants, playing a crucial role in the universal Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination process under the National Animal Disease Control Programme/Livestock Health & Disease Control Programme.
Recognizing the importance of this development, there is a clear understanding of need to upgrade the software’s structure and platform to effectively address the challenges faced by veterinarians, paravets, and other stakeholders in utilizing the IT-based system.
Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department (APD), Atal Dulloo expressed gratitude to the Union Government for selecting Jammu & Kashmir among first states & Union Territories to implement the program. He emphasized that over 90% of bovines in the region are already tagged and registered on the INAPH portal, ensuring a seamless transition of data from INAPH to NDLM in Jammu & Kashmir. The primary objective of this mission is to actively engage farmers in the digital ecosystem and maximize the utilization of data for disease prediction, analysis, and prevention.
Dulloo emphasized that clear instructions should be disseminated to all users of INAPH application in the UT, urging them to promptly upload any pending data on the INAPH portal prior to the launch of the new digital platform.
Under this program, to ensure a seamless transition, District Nodal Officers, nominated by the respective Heads of Departments of Animal/Sheep Husbandry, will receive training from NDLM trainers on May 23rd. These officers will subsequently conduct multiple training sessions for all INAPH users and other relevant stakeholders within the Union Territory, guaranteeing their readiness for the new digital platform. Integrating data will facilitate the creation of a breeding program focused on achieving high-quality germplasm suitable for various agro climatic conditions in Jammu & Kashmir.
Furthermore, the NDLM portal will play a crucial role in implementing the Dairy Development project of Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP). The online platform features an inbuilt ration balancing and milk recording module that will assist in ration balancing for six lakh dairy animals and annual milk recording for 30,000 dairy animals through Pashu Sakhis (A-A-Help Workers).
The program aims to establish a comprehensive open-source, API-integrated database that encompasses both static and dynamic information about each tagged animal. This includes crucial data such as vaccination records, breeding details, commercial activities, and other relevant information, which will be recorded in real-time by the respective stakeholders, including veterinarians, paravets, and farmers.
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, in collaboration with the National Dairy Development Board, has conceptualized this initiative called “Bharat Pashudhan,” under the guidance of office of the Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India.
The iSpirt Volunteer team, renowned for their work on designing the UIDAI Aadhaar, has been actively involved in mentoring and guiding the project’s design. Bharat Pashudhan envisions a cloud-based, secure, credible, and integrated database system built on open-source architecture. Through an API-based integration environment, it aims to seamlessly connect all stakeholders, ensuring efficient information exchange.
The primary objective of NDLM is to empower farmers by providing them with technological tools to fully utilize government facilities, schemes, and avail livestock-related services in line with the vision of Digital India. The upgrade of e-Gopala app will enable farmers to access essential information about their animals and take advantage of services like Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and e-rupi based facilities. The integration of data will further facilitate the development of a breeding program aimed at achieving high-quality germplasm that is well-suited for diverse agroclimatic conditions.
Bharat Pashudhan, by seamlessly integrating animal data with processing and manufacturing data, will ensure a complete chain of product traceability, which is a vital factor in boosting dairy and livestock exports. The database will contain comprehensive disease and treatment data in a format suitable for AI/ML applications, enabling disease modelling, prediction, analysis, and further research to ensure effective disease monitoring and control.
The implementation of the Bharat Pashudhan-National Digital Livestock Mission in Jammu & Kashmir is set to revolutionize the livestock sector by establishing a farmer-centric ecosystem driven by technology. This mission aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of livestock management in the region through the establishment of a digital database, improved farmer services, and timely information updates.
The comprehensive integration of data within the database will enable better disease monitoring and control, facilitate the development of high-quality germplasm, ensure product traceability, and boost dairy and livestock exports. The farmer empowerment initiatives, including the upgraded e-Gopala app, will provide farmers with access to critical information and government services, contributing to the overall development and growth of the livestock sector in Jammu & Kashmir.