3 September 2026, Assam
The 4th Mithun Day, themed “Celebrating the Pride of the Hills,” was celebrated today at the District Library Auditorium, Haflong, Dima Hasao, Assam, with the participation of more than 450 mithun farmers and over 100 officials, scientists and representatives from government departments, ICAR institutions and stakeholder organisations.
The programme was organised by the ICAR–National Research Centre on Mithun, Medziphema, Nagaland, in collaboration with the ICAR–Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bengaluru, and the Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department under the administrative control of the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council.
The celebration was graced by Smt. Nilima Devi, Minister for Animal Husbandry & Veterinary and Fishery Department, Government of Assam, as the Chief Guest. Shri Debolal Gorlosa, Chief Executive Member, DHAC, and Shri Gabriel Denwang Wangsu, Minister for Agriculture, Veterinary etc., Government of Arunachal Pradesh, attended as Guests of Honour.
Among the distinguished Special Guests were Dr Raghavendra Bhatta, Deputy Director General (Animal Science), ICAR; Dr K. M. Bujarbaruah, Former Vice-Chancellor, Assam Agricultural University and Former Deputy Director General (Animal Science), ICAR; Dr Niranjan Kalita, Vice-Chancellor, Assam Veterinary and Fisheries University, Khanapara, Guwahati; Dr Girish Patil S., Director, ICAR–NRC on Mithun; Smt. Rupali Langthasa, Member of Legislative Assembly, 113-Haflong LAC; and Shri Manjit Niding, Executive Member (AH & Veterinary), DHAC.
The inaugural programme featured the inauguration of stalls, distribution of inputs to mithun farmers, felicitation of guests and addresses by dignitaries. Dr Girish Patil S., Director, ICAR–NRC on Mithun, delivered a presentation on “Mithun Sector in Assam: Prospects & Challenges,” highlighting the opportunities and key constraints in strengthening mithun production and improving farmer livelihoods in the State.
A key focus of the celebration was the strong support expressed by the political and administrative leadership for advancing the mithun sector in Dima Hasao. The participation of senior representatives from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and DHAC provided a valuable platform for discussing farmers’ concerns and identifying practical pathways for strengthening mithun-based livelihoods.
The discussions highlighted the natural suitability of Dima Hasao for mithun farming, particularly its favourable climate and local agro-ecological conditions. Participants emphasised the need to build upon this potential through scientific production systems, improved husbandry, better animal health services, strengthened infrastructure and appropriate government support. The participation of more than 450 farmers reflected the growing interest in mithun-based livelihood opportunities in the district, while the assurances of support from the Ministers and senior stakeholders provided renewed impetus to efforts towards strengthening mithun production and associated livestock activities.
A major highlight of the programme was the Round Table Discussion on “Strategies for Development of Mithun Sector in NER,” moderated by Dr K. M. Bujarbaruah and Dr Girish Patil S. The discussion brought together senior policymakers, government officials, scientists, farmer representatives and other stakeholders from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.
The deliberations emphasised the need to promote scientific mithun farming, improved husbandry practices, fencing and semi-intensive rearing systems. Participants called for the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) covering fencing, rearing systems and animal care. The high cost of fencing and challenges associated with the use of forest and government land were also discussed, with a proposal to develop an appropriate policy framework to facilitate fencing and semi-intensive mithun farming.
The need for proper breed registration and characterisation of different mithun populations was also highlighted, particularly in view of the regional diversity of mithun across Assam and other Northeastern States.
Animal health emerged as one of the major areas requiring focused intervention. Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) was identified as a significant challenge, with participants stressing the need for enhanced vaccination coverage, field-level disease surveillance, systematic assessment of FMD-related mortality and greater research attention at ICAR–NRCM.
The importance of NADCP/FMD vaccination, FMD-CP and the FMD-Mukt Bharat Programme for mithun was emphasised, along with appropriate government support for disease control and fencing. Participants also called for greater attention to fodder cultivation, feeding management and access to quality feed resources to improve animal health, productivity and farmers’ returns.
The roundtable also underlined mithun’s significance as a food animal, livelihood resource and an important livestock heritage of the Northeast. Experiences from Nagaland demonstrated that semi-intensive farming systems have encouraged farmers to resume mithun rearing, indicating the potential of improved production systems to strengthen rural livelihoods.
The discussions emphasised that conservation and sustainable utilisation of mithun must go hand in hand with livelihood development, in line with the “Vocal for Local” approach. Participants called for comprehensive schemes and stronger institutional and policy support for the sector.
The technical sessions provided a platform for translating scientific knowledge into practical solutions for mithun and livestock farmers. The sessions were chaired by Dr Pallabh Chaudhury, Joint Director, ICAR–IVRI, Bengaluru, with Dr Kishore Baruah, GB Member, ICAR, as Co-Chairman. A dedicated presentation on “Scientific Mithun Production for Enhancing Farmers’ Income” highlighted scientific approaches to mithun production and opportunities for improving farm income through better production and management practices.
A technical session on scientific piggery and dairy farming highlighted the potential of allied livestock enterprises and integrated farming approaches for diversifying rural livelihoods and enhancing income. Another session focused on “Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) – Prevention and Control,” addressing issues of vaccination, surveillance, mortality assessment and disease management that emerged prominently during the roundtable.
The technical programme culminated in an extensive Farmers–Scientists Interaction, in which farmers actively participated and shared their field experiences and concerns relating to mithun rearing, animal health, feeding, management, disease prevention and livestock production.
The interaction enabled scientists and technical experts to respond directly to farmers’ queries while providing researchers and policymakers with a better understanding of challenges encountered at the field level. The enthusiastic participation of farmers demonstrated the strong demand for continued technical guidance, capacity building, extension support and farmer-oriented research.
The roundtable further called for enhanced collaboration among ICAR–NRCM, Assam University and other academic and research institutions for management programmes, research projects and collaborative studies related to mithun. Participants stressed the importance of strengthening the Network Project on Mithun, fodder research, FMD management, extension activities and improved rearing systems, alongside greater institutional convergence to address emerging challenges in the sector.
The deliberations concluded that sustainable development of the mithun sector requires a coordinated approach encompassing political commitment, farmer participation, scientific research, government schemes and inter-institutional collaboration. The participants appreciated ICAR–NRCM for bringing Ministers, farmers, scientists, government officials and other stakeholders together on a common platform to deliberate on the future of mithun in the Northeast.
The 4th Mithun Day concluded with renewed commitment to making mithun farming more scientific, productive, sustainable and livelihood-oriented. With strong political support, active farmer participation and convergence among ICAR institutions, universities, government departments and autonomous councils, the programme marked an important step towards strengthening the mithun sector in Dima Hasao and enhancing its contribution to the rural economy of the Northeast.
(Source: ICAR–National Research Centre on Mithun, Medziphema, Nagaland)
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