Developing countries like India are faced with the
challenge to increase the agricultural productivity not only to reduce
the human hunger, but also to meet the demand for nutritious food
for the growing populations. Animal husbandry is the important sub-sector
of agriculture in the country, which is playing the most important
role in the livelihood of rural poor. Among the animal husbandry,
piggery not only acts as an insurance coverage for the rural poor,
but also it can contribute significantly in narrowing the growing
demand for animal protein. Pork is the most popular meat consumed
in the world today and about 36 % of the world meat consumption is
derived from pork and pork products. Despite the significant potential
for pigs to contribute to the improvement of livelihood of rural poor
and also to meet the demand for animal protein, pig population in
India is considerably low. Therefore, the National Research Centre
(NRC) on pig established by the Indian council of Agricultural Research,
New Delhi has to undertake basic, strategic and applied research in
the areas of pig production and health to evolve technologies for
sustainable pig production and transfer of the technologies to the
client groups to increase the pig production in the country. Techniques
of modern biology such as molecular cloning of genes, gene transfer,
genetic manipulation of pig, chemical and biological treatment of
low quality animal feeds for improved nutritive value, genetically
engineered immunodiagnostic and immunoprophylactic agents and transgenic
pig etc are a reality today and are finding their ways into research
and development programmes. NRC on pig has already achieved in genetic
improvement of indigenous pigs through selective breeding and cross
breeding, improving physiological and reproductive efficiency of pig,
developing suitable techniques for early pregnancy diagnosis and pig
health management and on value addition of pork etc. It is hoped that
NRC on pig will be the centre of excellence on pig production and
health and I am grateful to the ICAR, New Delhi for giving me the
opportunity to serve this esteemed Institute as the Director from
19th January, 2021.