What is the livestock census? Why is it conducted?

Sub : Eco

Sec : Agri

Context:

The 21st Livestock Census was launched by Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The enumeration process for the 21st census will take place between October 2024 to February 2025.

About Livestock Census:

Conducted every five years, this census is a nationwide headcount of domesticated animals, poultry, and stray animals in India.
The census takes into account information about the species, breed, age, sex, and ownership status of the animals.
Since 1919, a total of 20 livestock censuses have been carried out so far, with the last being conducted in 2019.

Which animals will be counted in the 21st census:

Information on sixteen animal species will be collected in the 21st census.
These include: cattle, buffalo, mithun, yak, sheep, goat, pig, camel, horse, ponies, mule, donkey, dog, rabbit, and elephant.
In total, the census will capture information on 219 indigenous breeds of these sixteen species recognised by ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR).
The census will also carry out a headcount of poultry birds such as fowl, chicken, duck, turkey, geese, quail, ostrich, and emu.

Objective of the livestock census:

The livestock sector is crucial for rural employment and contributes approximately 7% to the overall Gross Value Added (GVA) of the economy and 30% of agricultural GVA.
The collected data will assist in shaping policies to ensure sustainable growth within the livestock sector.
The census data will also help track progress towards achieving UN SDGs, particularly related to food security and genetic diversity.

How is this census different from previous ones:

As in 2019, this census will be fully digitized, utilizing a mobile application for online data collection and monitoring through a digital dashboard.
New Data Points: This census will collect data on:
The census will, for the first time, collect data on the contribution of pastoralists to the livestock sector, their socio-economic status, and livestock holding.
The census will find out the proportion of households whose major income comes from the livestock sector.

2019 Livestock census:

The total livestock population recorded then was 78 million, including 192.9 million cattle, 148.88 million goats, 109.85 million buffaloes, 74.26 million sheep and 9.06 million pigs.
All other animals taken together contributed just 23% of the total livestock population in India.