Foot and Mouth Disease

March 18, 2023

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats. In India, FMD is a major concern for livestock farmers as it leads to a reduction in milk yield and causes significant economic losses. However, the Indian government has recently made significant progress in its FMD vaccination drive, which aims to control the spread of the disease.

Nearly Universal Coverage Achieved

Under the second round of the FMD vaccination drive, around 24 crore cattle and buffalo in India have been covered out of the targeted population of 25.8 crore cattle. This achievement was made possible due to the relentless efforts of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Government of India, State/ UT Governments/ administration, and most importantly the support of the livestock owners.

100% Government Funding

The FMD vaccination drive is fully funded by the Central Government, which is centrally procuring vaccines against FMD and supplying them to the states. The government is also providing for vaccination charges, accessories, awareness creation, cold chain infrastructure, etc., to enable the states/UTs to undertake vaccination in campaign mode.

Livestock Owners Sensitized

Livestock owners are being sensitized and made aware of the importance of getting their animals vaccinated through various information, education, and communication measures. They are being requested to contact the nearest livestock health workers/veterinarians to avail the facility.

Collaboration for Training Animal Health Workers

The DAHD is also collaborating with the Ministry of Rural Development to train more animal health workers/paravets. This will help in the effective implementation of the vaccination drive and in reaching remote areas.

Expected Impact

The goal of the FMD vaccination drive is to control and eventually eradicate Foot & Mouth Disease from the country by 2030. This will lead to increased income for livestock farmers/keepers and in boosting India’s trade in livestock products. The program aims to increase domestic production, which will ultimately result in increased exports of livestock products.

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