Hon’ble Minister Gabriel D Wangsu Visits ICAR-NIVEDI, Bengaluru: Focus on Enhancing Livestock Disease Surveillance in Arunachal Pradesh

• Bengaluru, [28 November 2024]: Hon’ble Shri Gabriel D Wangsu, Cabinet Minister for Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary & Fisheries, and Food and Civil Supplies, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, visited ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (NIVEDI), Bengaluru. He was accompanied by Ms Koj Rinya, IFS, Secretary to the Government of Arunachal Pradesh; Shri S.J. Goswami, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Minister; Shri Benjamin Pertin, District Horticulture Officer (DHO), HQ; and PROs Shri Ngampha Wangjen and Shri Nokngam Wangjen. The delegation toured NIVEDI’s advanced facilities and engaged in discussions with its scientists and staff to explore collaborative opportunities aimed at strengthening livestock disease management in Arunachal Pradesh.




• Dr Baldev R. Gulati, Director of NIVEDI, welcomed the visiting dignitaries and presented an overview of the institute’s research activities and its collaborative initiatives with the State Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department and the NADEN Centre in Arunachal Pradesh. Dr Gulati highlighted NIVEDI’s significant contributions to livestock health in the region, including its role in disease surveillance, diagnostics, and predictive modelling.




• The Minister and the guests had a detailed tour of NIVEDI’s cutting-edge facilities, including the Biosafety Level-2 (BSL-2) laboratory and the WOAH reference laboratories for Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) and Leptospirosis. Shri Wangsu commended the NADRES V2 portal, which forecasts disease outbreaks up to two months in advance, and expressed a strong desire to enhance livestock health initiatives in Arunachal Pradesh through NIVEDI’s expertise.




• The Minister assured that real-time livestock disease data from all districts of Arunachal Pradesh would be shared with NIVEDI to facilitate timely interventions. He also sought the institute’s support in building the state’s capacity for disease diagnosis, surveillance, and reporting. During a virtual interaction with field Veterinary Officers from the State Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AH&VS) Department, Shri Wangsu reinforced his commitment to ensuring that expert guidance from NIVEDI would be available to address challenges in the field.




• Ms Koj Rinya emphasized the importance of implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies for early warning systems targeting diseases like Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and African Swine Fever (ASF).




• Dr S.S. Patil, Principal Scientist, outlined NIVEDI’s strategic plans for supporting livestock health initiatives in Arunachal Pradesh, further strengthening the institute’s collaborative role in the region.




• The visit concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Gulati, who expressed gratitude to the dignitaries for their dedication to advancing livestock disease management and their recognition of NIVEDI’s leadership in veterinary epidemiology and disease informatics.