CLFMA 64th National Symposium 2023 concludes with great success

The 64th National Symposium 2023, came to a close on Saturday, August 19, 2023, after two days of insightful discussions on the agriculture, livestock, and fishery industries. The event, held at Le Meridien, New Delhi, brought together industry experts, government officials, and stakeholders to address key challenges and explore opportunities for making these sectors globally competitive.

Organized by the CLFMA, this prestigious event saw the participation of over 500 delegates from across the country, including prominent experts, veterinarians, livestock farmers, and representatives from various government agencies and international organizations.

The event commenced with an inaugural session. The ceremony began with the lighting of the lamp by Shri. Parshottam Rupala, Hon’ble Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India. Mr. Suresh Deora, Chairman of CLFMA, felicitated Shri. Parshottam Rupala by offering a bouquet, shawl, and memento.

The welcome address was delivered by Mr. Divya Kumar Gulati, Convenor of the event, followed by the Chairman's address by Mr. Suresh Deora. A highlight of the event was the announcement and felicitation of the CLFMA Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, Shri. Nadir B. Godrej and Shri. Tarun Shridhar. Moreover, the Livestock Survey Report - Volume II was launched by Hon. Secretary Abhay Shah, Chairman Mr. Suresh Deora, Shri. Parshottam Rupala, Mr. Divya Kumar Gulati, Mr. Nadir B. Godrej, and Shri. Tarun Shridhar.

Shri. Parshottam Rupala, Hon'ble Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of the industry.

During the second inaugural session, the lighting of the lamp was followed by the keynote address by Mr. Nadir B. Godrej and a guest address by Shri. Tarun Shridhar. Dr. Anand Kumar Pathak and Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh were honoured with the CLFMA Awards.

The event also included the launch of the event's souvenir and a speech by Dr. O. P. Chaudhary, Joint Secretary (NLM/PC), Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India.

The networking dinner and live performance provided an opportunity for all attendees to connect and engage with each other in a relaxed and enjoyable setting, further fostering relationships within the industry.

On the second day, the symposium commenced with a warm welcome address by Mr. Suresh Deora, Chairman of CLFMA of India. The event featured three sessions throughout the day, each focusing on a specific topic related to improving the quality and competitiveness of Indian agriculture, livestock, and fishery sectors.

Session 1, titled "Graduating from Quantity to Quality: Making Our Agriculture, Livestock and Fishery Globally Competitive," was moderated by Mr. Balram Singh Yadav, Past Chairman of CLFMA of India. Esteemed panelists, including Smt. Alka Upadhyaya, IAS, Secretary AHD, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, IAS, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Government of India, and Shri. Tarun Shridhar, IAS (Retd.), Former Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India, shared their insights and expertise on the subject.

Following a tea break, Session 2 commenced with a panel discussion on "Challenges of Feed Security: Bridging the Demand and Supply Gap." Moderated by Mr. Neeraj Kumar Srivastava, Immediate Past Chairman of CLFMA of India, the panel included Shri. G. N. Singh, Joint Secretary (Admin/Trade/GC/IC/IT), Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying; Dr. Praveen Malik, Chief Executive Officer, Agrinnovate India Ltd.; Mr. Naveen Pasuparthy, Deputy Chairman of the CLFMA of India; and Dr. Sandeep Karkhanis, Member of the CLFMA of India. The panelists discussed the various challenges faced in ensuring an adequate supply of high-quality feed for livestock and fishery, and proposed potential solutions to bridge the demand and supply gap.

Following a lunch break, Session III commenced with a panel discussion on "Development Initiative and Regulatory Framework." Moderated by Mr. Sandeep Kumar Singh, Deputy Chairman of the CLFMA of India, the panel included Dr. Sujit K. Dutta, Joint Commissioner (AH), Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying; Dr. Gagan Garg, Deputy Commissioner (Trade), Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying; Smt. Suneeti Toteja, Scientist – E, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS); Dr. Monica Puniya, Deputy Director, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI); Dr. Prashant Shinde, Managing Committee Member of the CLFMA of India; and Mr. Suresh Rayudu Chitturi, Member of the CLFMA of India.

A presentation on "Right to Protein" by Mr. Jaison John, CLFMA Managing Committee Member, followed the panel discussion. The symposium concluded with the valedictory session delivered by Mr. S. V. Bhave, Past Chairman of the CLFMA of India, who offered a summation of the discussions and key takeaways from the event. The event also included the felicitation of sponsors, media, guests, and invitees.

The event concluded on a high note, with attendees expressing their satisfaction with the content and organization of the symposium. CLFMA of India highlighted the success of the Symposium and the valuable insights shared by industry experts and government officials. The symposium played a significant role in facilitating discussions and identifying strategies to enhance the competitiveness of the agriculture, livestock, and fishery sectors in India.

CLFMA of India expressed its gratitude to all the attendees, sponsors, and media partners for their support in making the 64th National Symposium a grand success. They emphasized the importance of looking beyond the present in the livestock sector, as it plays a crucial role in ensuring food security, employment generation, and economic growth.

The CLFMA of India also acknowledged the efforts of the organizing committee and volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth execution of the event. They expressed their commitment to continue organizing such symposiums and conferences in the future to promote the growth and development of the livestock sector.