Why in News ?
- Union Budget 2026–27 announces higher allocations and new schemes for livestock and fisheries, focusing on value-chain development, entrepreneurship, and rural employment, signalling diversification of farm incomes beyond crop agriculture.
Relevance
GS-3 – Agriculture / Economy
- Allied agriculture sectors
- Blue economy
- Food processing & exports
- Rural income diversification
GS-2 – Governance / Welfare
- Farmer welfare policies
- Institutional credit systems
Sector Basics
Livestock Sector
- Livestock includes dairy, poultry, sheep-goat, and allied activities, contributing significantly to agricultural GVA, nutrition security, and supplementary farmer incomes, especially for smallholders and landless households.
Fisheries Sector
- Fisheries span marine, inland, and aquaculture systems, supporting coastal and inland livelihoods, exports, and protein supply, with India among the top global fish producers.
Budget Announcements – Key Features
Fisheries Push
- Enhanced outlay for Fisheries Ministry (~₹2,761.8 crore), supporting one of the world’s largest inland reservoir networks (~31.5 lakh hectares), targeting value addition, infrastructure, and export competitiveness.
Value-Chain Development
- Focus on cold chains, processing, storage, and market linkages, aiming to reduce post-harvest losses and increase farmer realisation across fisheries and animal husbandry value chains.
Entrepreneurship & Start-ups
- Promotion of start-ups, women-led groups, and FPOs in fisheries and livestock, integrating them into formal value chains and improving access to credit, technology, and markets.
Animal Husbandry Allocation
- Animal Husbandry Ministry allocation (~₹6,153.46 crore), reflecting ~21% increase, directed toward breed improvement, veterinary services, and disease prevention initiatives.
Credit-Linked Support
- Push for entrepreneurship via credit-linked subsidy schemes, encouraging private investment in dairy units, hatcheries, feed mills, and processing enterprises.
Rationale Behind the Push
Income Diversification
- Non-crop sectors stabilise farm incomes against monsoon and price volatility, supporting the policy goal of doubling farmers’ income through diversification.
Nutrition Security
- Livestock and fish provide high-quality protein and micronutrients, addressing malnutrition and dietary diversity concerns highlighted in nutrition surveys.
Export Potential
- Marine products are major agri-exports; value addition and quality compliance can boost foreign exchange earnings and global competitiveness.
Constitutional / Legal Dimension
- Aligns with Article 48 directive to improve animal husbandry on scientific lines and Article 47 on nutrition and public health.
Governance / Administrative Dimension
- Implementation requires coordination among DAHD, Department of Fisheries, state veterinary services, MPEDA, NABARD, and robust disease surveillance and extension systems.
Economic Dimension
- Livestock contributes around 30%+ of agricultural GVA in recent years; strengthening these sectors enhances rural employment, MSME growth, and value-added exports.
Social / Ethical Dimension
- Livestock and fisheries support women’s economic participation and livelihoods of marginal communities; ethical issues include animal welfare and sustainable fishing practices.
Environmental Dimension
- Overfishing, habitat degradation, and livestock methane emissions pose sustainability concerns; policies must integrate sustainable aquaculture, breed management, and climate-smart practices.
Technology Dimension
- Adoption of genetic improvement, vaccines, IoT-based monitoring, and modern feed practices can raise productivity and reduce disease and mortality risks.
Data & Evidence
- India ranks among the largest milk and fish producers globally; fisheries exports have crossed billions of dollars annually, reflecting strong global demand.
- Post-harvest losses in fisheries and perishables remain high without cold-chain infrastructure, justifying logistics investments.
Challenges / Gaps
- Disease outbreaks (e.g., in poultry or cattle) can cause large income shocks; veterinary infrastructure and surveillance remain uneven across states.
- Fragmented supply chains and limited processing capacity reduce farmer share in consumer prices.
- Environmental stress and climate variability threaten fish stocks and fodder availability.
Way Forward
- Strengthen cold-chain and processing infrastructure through PPP models and viability-gap funding.
- Expand animal health coverage, vaccination drives, and digital livestock registries for traceability and disease control.
- Promote sustainable fisheries management—regulated catch, aquaculture standards, and habitat conservation.
- Integrate farmers into FPOs and cooperatives to improve bargaining power and market access.
Data & Facts
- Livestock contributes ~30%+ to agricultural GVA, higher than crops in some years.
- India is largest milk producer globally.
- Fisheries sector grows at ~8–10% annually, among fastest in agriculture.
- Marine exports cross $7–8 billion annually.
- Protein deficiency remains concern; per capita protein intake below global norms.
- FAO: aquaculture is the fastest-growing food production sector globally.
