About Events

The workshop is being organised in association with Sphere India, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD), the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and Veterinary Council of India (VCI). The Chief Guest Shri Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary (AHD), will deliver the inaugural address and release the ‘Guidelines on Animal Protection’- Handbook to provide guidance in regard to Animal Protection by Sphere India.

The workshop is being conducted in a hybrid mode and the invitees can join online also as per their convenience after registration in order to receive the zoom meeting link. The Registration link .

Concept Note

Agriculture, with its allied sectors, including livestock, is the largest source of livelihoods in India. Around two-thirds of our population live in the countryside and India’s large livestock population is central to the country’s agriculture and its village economy. The rural population have a special bonding with animals which is always reflected during disasters. While the working animals play an important role in the livelihood of vulnerable communities, their needs are overlooked and unaddressed in disasters. It has been mentioned in the Flood Guidelines of NDMA that on an average over 94,000 animals perish in floods alone every year.

While the Disaster Management Act, 2005 is a very comprehensive Act, there is no mention of animals/ livestock nor of Animal Husbandry Dept anywhere in the Act although livestock is a valuable asset for the rural agriculture-based population. The Sendai Framework of DRR (2015-30), to which India is a signatory, also lays specific emphasis on commitment to strengthening & protection of livelihood and productive assets including livestock and working animals etc. In this context, it is relevant to mention the verdict of Uttarakhand High Court in July, 2018 saying that animals should be ‘treated as legal entities having a distinct persona with corresponding rights, duties & liabilities of a living person…. and should not be treated as property’.

In the light of above, it may be relevant to initiate a well chalked out strategy to ensure that the issues relating to animals in disasters get appropriate attention and its rightful place in the disaster management framework in the country. With this aim the Policy Perspectives Foundation and Sphere India are organising a national level workshop under the aegis of Ministry of Animal Husbandry, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Veterinary Council of India at the India International Centre, New Delhi on 22nd June, 2022.

The objective of this workshop is to:

1. generate awareness among stakeholders on management of animals in emergencies,
2. institutionalise animal related issues in Disaster Management framework including in DM Plans & programmes at national and state levels,
3. formulate an appropriate framework of coordination for multi-stakeholders in this field,
4. further the initiative to establish Veterinary Emergency Response Units (VERU) in veterinary universities in states to impart knowledge & skill to veterinary students, veterinarians, para-vets and farmers and also carry forward the programme of capacity building of responders (NDRF & SDRF etc.) for swift rescue of animals in disasters.

Event Speakers

Associate Partners