Biodiversity & Domestic animals

BIODIVERSITY VIS- A -VIS INDIGENOUS DOMESTIC ANIMALS

DR FRANCIS XAVIER

KERALA VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITY

Biodiversityall life forms on the earth with their ecosystem -has moved into the smaller rubric of continental holdings -getting lots of funds and attention from the research and legislative angle

India has eight per cent of globally recorded species We own 140 breeds of various livestock species and is unparalleled worldwide Genetic resources ,the backbone of Indian agrarian economy aiding the production of milk, meat, eggs, fibre and manure

20th century was an expansive era seemingly without boundaries—a time of jet planes, space travel and the Internet—the early years of the 21st have showed us the limits of our small world.

Human mastery pushed many species out of their native habitats; others have succumbed to hunting or environmental

India needs to strengthen both research and public policy to improve the productivity, profitability, stability and sustainability the present trend is :

Plants of economic importance’ (FF) is the leading area of research in India, followed by ‘Animal science’ (LL).

Subbiah A and Umarani K Mapping agricultural research in India: A profile based on CAB Abstracts 1998* CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 81, NO. 8, 25 OCTOBER 01

The Indian diversity can be attributed to: Species richness Level of endemism in taxa Variety of landforms and climate Human influenced ecosystems(agricultural and pasture)

Indian domestic animal diversity exhibited tremendous amount of diversity, reflecting in terms of 30 breeds of cattle 10 breeds of buffalo 42 breeds of sheep 20 breeds of goat, eight breeds of camel six breeds of horse 18 breeds of poultry.

Prosperity Re defined 1960- 1970 Households with average 2 milking animals in sheds close to the outer wall of the village house A few poultry roaming around the backyards

2002 -2012 House holds with average two vehicles in sheds close to the outer wall of the village house A few computers with roaming facility in the back packs

Thrive on meager food Intake low but out put more Disease resistant Climate friendly Beta casein 2 in milk Less space and care

Malabari Breed- only one of Kerala Goats Milk has small fat globules Easily Digestible milk Good for infants and Old people Herbal molecules in milk Better thriving capacity in difficulty Highly Prolific Climate friendly

Sus scrofa

CK A L B

Are they dirty?

Bubalus bubalus

MURRAH JAFFARABADI SURTI MEHSANA NILIRAVI TODA

Equs caballus

For almost thirty years, since the early 1980s, neither the private sector nor governments were interested in investing in agriculture

pouring money into agriculture will not be sufficient; take steps that facilitate transition towards a low-carbon resource-preserving type of agriculture that benefits the poorest farmers.

This will not happen by chance. It can only happen by design, through strategies and programmes backed by strong political will

CERATIN FACTS: Demographic transition - forces farmers to abandon agriculture, and high players invading land, water and natural resources in the name of development

Land rentals for setting up network of centres to train the displaced farmers to become industrial workers. (World Development Report 2008)

Budgetary allocation for setting up 1,000 industrial training institutes across the country to provide training to the young from the rural areas who do not know anything except farming.

Investing in Knowledge in an important aspect in sustaining biodiversity We don’t keep records We don’t feel proud of what we hold We don’t care the nature support system We are greedy Vechur Wayand dwarf Kasargde dwarf Tribal cattle Buffaloes of Kuttand Poultry Ducks Malabary Rajapalayam Toda buffaloes Chippiparai

Thanks