Wednesday, 23 July, 2025 5:08 pm
The All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Poultry Breeding Centre was formally inaugurated on 23rd July 2025 at KVK-Leh, SKUAST-K, UT Ladakh. The ceremony was graced by Sh. Tashi Namgay Yakzee, Hon’ble Executive Councillor (Animal/Sheep), LAHDC Leh, as Chief Guest, and Dr. R. N. Chatterjee, Director, ICAR-DPR, Hyderabad, as Guest of Honour, along with other dignitaries and scientists from DIHAR, CAZRI, and SAS&T University of Ladakh.
Hon’ble Executive Councillor Sh. Tashi Namgay Yakzee appreciated ICAR for establishing the poultry project in Ladakh, highlighting its role in empowering rural women. He urged coordinated efforts among departments for farmer welfare and assured LAHDC’s support in providing poultry units, infrastructure, and fencing. He also emphasized the need for marketing and value addition to ensure sustainable poultry farming in the region.
Dr. R. N. Chatterjee, Director, ICAR-DPR, commended the Principal Investigator and team for introducing poultry farming in Ladakh’s challenging conditions. Citing Vanaraja’s success in Kashmir, he highlighted its potential in Ladakh and the centre’s scope to develop a location-specific poultry variety. He assured the supply of 50–100 Vanaraja chicks to interested farmers and urged LAHDC and related departments to ensure continued support for the centre’s success.
Dr. U. Rajkumar, Head and In-Charge, AICRP-PB, ICAR-DPR, narrated the history of the AICRP on poultry breeding. He described the Leh centre as a major milestone for Ladakh and emphasized backyard poultry as a key driver of women’s empowerment and rural development. Earlier, Dr. Feroz Din Sheikh, Head, KVK-Leh and Principal Investigator of the project, welcomed the gathering and highlighted the successful trial of Vanaraja chicks, which demonstrated promising results in egg and meat production. Around 56 farmers participated in the event and raised important concerns including shelter, feeding, and predator threats. Poultry inputs such as feed, mineral mixture, and grass cutters were distributed. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Prof. (Dr.) Sabiya Asmat of KVK-Leh.
