Takayuki Hagiwara, FAO Representative in India and FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) team participated in a two-day expert consultation to develop the Poultry Action Plan of India. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India organised the two-day consultation on 29-30 April 2024 in New Delhi. The consultation was attended by policymakers, researchers, scientists, poultry associations and industry representatives.

During the opening remarks, Mr Hagiwara reaffirmed FAO’s dedication to supporting the government in advancing India’s poultry health. “FAO is committed to offering technical expertise, capacity building, knowledge dissemination and policy formulation assistance, in the hope that it strengthens our collective resolve. The evolving scenarios and instances of viruses crossing species barriers, such as the recent highly pathogenic Avian Influenza in dairy cattle, highlight the critical importance of this discussion”, highlighted Mr Hagiwara.

The consultation focused on finalizing the revised action plan for Avian Influenza including revision of the rate of compensation for poultry birds, eggs, and feed destroyed during the outbreak of Avian Influenza and the use of LPAI vaccination in India. Valuable inputs were provided by the FAO ECTAD team to draft the National Poultry Action Plan. The outcomes are expected to yield actionable strategies and a comprehensive Poultry Disease Action Plan, contributing significantly to the enhancement of public health and veterinary practices in India.