Farmers in Arunachal Pradesh have been urged to shift from traditional pig-rearing methods to modern, commercial practices to boost income and ensure sustainable livelihoods.
Addressing an awareness camp at Kanubari in Longding district, Agriculture Minister Gabriel Denwang Wangsu, on July 30, emphasised the need for scientific techniques in pig farming.
He called on farmers to adopt biosafety measures and move away from the traditional rearing of just one or two pigs.
The programme was organised under the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) of ICAR-National Research Centre on Pig, Rani, Guwahati, in collaboration with ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Longding.
"Modern challenges require modern solutions. The government is ready with meat processing and marketing facilities and will scale up beneficiary-oriented programmes," the minister said.
He also directed KVK and department officials to work in close coordination to maximise outreach to farmers.
The programme also featured interactive sessions between farmers and experts, enabling participants to clarify doubts on pig farming practices.
Later, the minister inspected development sites including the Industrial Training Institute at Mopakhat, the upcoming Model Degree College, the local water treatment plant, and PMGSY road projects.