India and Netherlands Expand Livestock and Dairy Cooperation
India’s Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri (Prof.) S. P. Singh Baghel, met Dutch Minister Silvio Erkens to discuss wider cooperation in livestock and dairy. The talks addressed the exchange of knowledge and technology, with particular attention to animal feed, nutrition and vocational education.
The ministers discussed support for mid-sized farmers through improved practical skills and access to technical knowledge. The areas under consideration included farm management, feeding methods and the adoption of newer production technologies.
Animal health and productivity were also central to the meeting. The discussions covered nutrition, better feeding practices and technical training as components of livestock production and dairy-farm management. The countries also examined cooperation in training approaches and technical capacity-building.
Baghel highlighted India’s progress in addressing antimicrobial resistance in the livestock sector. The issue concerns the use of antimicrobial medicines and its implications for animal health and food systems. Responsible treatment practices, veterinary care and stronger health management were identified in the discussions as relevant to sustainable livestock production.
India and the Netherlands decided to establish an Indo-Dutch Centre of Excellence on Dairy Training at CEAH in Bengaluru. The proposed centre is intended to support dairy training, innovation, knowledge development and technical skills. Its areas of work are linked to productivity, animal health, nutrition, sustainability and changing market requirements in dairy production.
The meeting also included the exchange of a Veterinary Health Certificate for the export of live horses from the Netherlands to India. The document forms part of the regulatory arrangements governing the international movement of live animals. The certificate exchange added an animal-husbandry trade element to the broader bilateral discussions.
