Bodoland Pig Mission

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance

Why in news?

A biosecure nuclear breeding farm and model fattener farms are fuelling the drive of a tribal council in Assam to become the hub of quality pig production for the pork-loving northeast India.

• Need - Pork accounts for 38.5% of total meat consumption in Assam but the local production accounting for less than 40% of the demand.
• Bodoland Pig Mission – Launched with the aim to transforming the region into the "Pig & Pork Hub of Northeast India”.
• Location - Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), Assam.
• Objective - To bridge the demand-supply gap and develop a complete value chain around the pork industry and to elevate the traditional system of pig farming with scientific inputs.
• Collaboration - A collaboration of the BTR government with the Netherlands-based Programma Uitzending Managers (PUM) and Denmark’s Danish Consortium of Academic Craftsmanship (DCAC).
• The PUM is providing technical support to this farm, the first of its kind in the northeast.
• Target – The mission has set a 7-year target to achieve the goal of producing 1 lakh kg of high-quality, hygienic pork daily.
• Features - Pig-breeding facilities, supply of quality feed at competitive prices, veterinary services, skill enhancement and registration of farmers, livestock identification and insurance facility, value chain development and market linkage.
• Key components - Checking inbreeding by maintaining a database of pigs, promotion of bigger community-based farms, each equipped to produce a sizeable number of fattener pigs.
• Significance - The mission has empowered tribal farmers and boosting the local economy, creating sustainable livelihoods for thousands of families, and promoting scientific pig rearing techniques.

Quick Facts

References

1. The Hindu | Bodoland Pig Mission
2. Times of India | Bodoland Pig Mission