klaas and indian farmerLast Wednesday, 23 April 2015, a mixed delegation of Ethiopians, Ugandan and Dutch livestock professionals went to India in addition to the Exchange visit from a Dutch delegation to Africa in March. This visit, which is part of the E-motive program, is sequential to the exchange between India and the Netherlands last year, enhanced by some African partners. For more information on the exchange: http://emotiveprogram.org/blog/projects/antibiotics-reduction/

Also this time an inspiring delegation participates in the program consisting of several veterinarians, farmers, professors, a representative of a farmer union, professors and other cattle specialists. Additionally, two social researchers from Kaleidos Research contributes to the program by monitoring and evaluating the learning process.

During this ten days visit the delegation stays at the TDU – Transdisciplinary University in Bangalore, which is the location of the I-AIM Healthcare Centre as well. The aim of this institute is to give a place to the old, traditional remedies and knowledge within modern healthcare. In those institutes information of a breath-taking amount medicinal plants and related treatments according to the Ayurvedic principls already has been digitally documented as well as a comprehensive herbarium.

The Dutch delegation is, due to the demand of antibiotic reduction, highly interested in this vision and searching for a more natural way to treat livestock. Dr. Shankar gave an inspiring introduction on the holistic vision including both human and animals: similar to the one health principles. As Dr. Shankar said: “The very roots of modernity lies in tradition”, since chemicals will affect human health, livestock and environment; where management is a very important part of working with livestock.

To get an impression and understanding on the Indian way of livestock sector, numerous parts of the production chain are visited during this ten days. To begin the delegation went to different type of farmers: some local, small holder farmers and a farm which is producing natural fertilizer and natural pesticides from cow urine. This last farm is holding indigenous breeds to preserve those cattle varieties. On the second day in India, Kolar Chikkaballapura Milk Union was visited; this cooperation receives milk from 2919 villages on two districts. In total they have 278 212 members. All members are small holder farmers, which means the farmer holds 1 to 3 cows per farm. On Monday the group travelled to Chennai, where several official meetings were organized to discuss the essentials of this program with members of TANUVAS University: Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. Other interesting excursions include the veterinary clinic and laboratories of TANUVAS, Karnataka Milk Federation and MILMA – Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd.

In Kochi, located at the West-Coast of India, a small symposium was organized on Tuesday. To finish up with the exchange visit another two day symposium will be organized at the end of the visit.

In September the Indian delegation will come to the Netherlands for the next part of the exchange.