Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh addressed the 2nd Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome. Speaking at the High-level Ministerial Session, Singh underlined India’s farmer-centric initiatives, innovations, and transformations that are driving inclusive growth in the country’s livestock and dairy sector.
Expressing gratitude to FAO and its Director-General Dr. QU Dongyu for the invitation, Singh highlighted India’s pride in serving as the first vice chair of FAO’s Sub-Committee on Livestock. “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has undertaken transformative and inclusive initiatives to ensure food security, strengthen livelihoods, and eradicate poverty,” he said.
Citing the World Bank’s 2025 report, Singh noted that India’s welfare measures have lifted 269 million people out of extreme poverty since Covid-19, reducing poverty levels from 27.1% to 5.3%. He emphasized the livestock sector’s central role in rural development, sustaining nearly two-thirds of rural households and millions of small and marginal farmers, particularly women. The sector, he added, has recorded a CAGR of 12.77%, contributing 31% to agricultural Gross Value Added (GVA) and 5.5% to the national economy.
India today leads globally in milk production, accounting for 25% of global output with 239 million tonnes annually. The country is also the second-largest producer of eggs and a leading exporter of buffalo meat.
Singh credited India’s livestock success to people-driven policies, resilient farmers, and international cooperation. Reaffirming India’s 80-year partnership with FAO, he said India is committed to sharing scalable innovations with the Global South. Stressing that the Global Plan of Action for Sustainable Livestock Transformation must serve as a guiding framework rather than a prescriptive model, Singh called for finance, technology transfer, and capacity building to support a phased transition in developing countries.