Advancing Poultry Science: A Landmark Symposium at the 17th Agricultural Science Congress

For the first time, the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences has planned to organize a separate symposium on Poultry Science titled “Advances in Poultry” during the 17th Agricultural Science Congress 2025 at Pantnagar. Dr. A.K. Tiwari, Director of ICAR-CARI, was appointed as the convener of the symposium, while Dr. P.K. Shukla, President of IPSA, serves as the event’s coordinator. Dr. Anil Yadav, Dr. Rajeev Ranjan, Dr. Jaydip, and Dr. Gautham Kolluri were the local coordinators of the event. The symposium was successfully held on February 21st, 2025, at Pantnagar Agricultural University, organized jointly by ICAR-Central Avian Research Institute (Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP) and the Indian Poultry Science Association (IPSA), Bareilly. The event featured a technical session titled ‘Frontiers of Science & Technology for Poultry Advancement,’ followed by a panel discussion. The first session was chaired by Dr. (Prof.) Kusumakar Sharma, Distinguished Professor at Galgotias University, Jaipur, and Dr. Simmi Tomar, General Secretary of IPSA, Izatnagar. The rapporteurs for the session were Dr. M. Asok, Scientist at IVRI, Izatnagar, and Dr. Amitav Bhattacharyya, Associate Professor of Poultry Science. Three distinguished speakers addressed the technical session. Dr. R. Prabhakaran, former Vice Chancellor of TANUVAS, began the session with an insightful lecture on ‘Current Trends and Future Prospects of the Indian Poultry Industry.’ He discussed current statistics and provided a vision for the future of poultry production in India. Mr. Suresh Chitturi, Managing Director of Srinivasa Farms, delivered a compelling lecture on ‘The Importance of Eggs for Vikshit Bharat,’ emphasizing the proactive role of the government and policymakers in addressing the challenges in poultry farming. Dr. Suresh Kumar Mittal, Distinguished Professor of Virology at Purdue University, USA, concluded the technical session with a talk on ‘Emerging Avian Influenza Viruses: Implications and Control Strategies.’

The second session was a panel discussion moderated by Dr. P.K. Shukla, President of IPSA, and Dr. A.S. Ranade, Former President of IPSA. Several critical issues were discussed in detail, with the following recommendations:

• Promote Backyard Poultry: While commercial poultry farming has flourished in southern states, it is gradually growing in northern states. Efforts should be made to popularize poultry farming, including establishing a network linking various agricultural universities.
• Promote Diversified Poultry: To meet protein demands and enhance farmers’ incomes, particularly in northern India, diversified poultry practices should be encouraged.
• Strengthen Biosecurity & Green Measures: Continued government efforts are necessary to enhance disease surveillance, revise biosecurity regulations, and address vaccine production/import permissions and trade control issues.
• Promote Sustainable Feed Practices: Encourage the use of alternative feed ingredients, improve feed efficiency, and reduce dependence on resource-intensive crops.
• Invest in Technology and Innovation: Strengthen technological development to improve poultry farming practices.
• Strengthen Value Chains: Develop efficient and integrated value chains that connect producers, processors, and consumers, ensuring fair prices, reducing post-harvest losses, and improving market access for small-scale farmers.
• Integrate Poultry Science into VCI Syllabus: To meet the growing need for skilled manpower, poultry science should be included as a separate department in veterinary colleges, with increased credits.

The panel discussion was attended by Dr. S.P. Kimoti, Member of Animal Science at ASRB, New Delhi; Gauri Mulekhi, PFA, Uttarakhand; Dr. Kamna Barkataki, Director of CPDO, Chandigarh; as well as scientists from ICAR-CARI, Izatnagar, and representatives from the industry, including Bayer Pharmaceuticals and Dr. Nagesh, Senior Technical Manager at CARNUS Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. The event also saw participation from numerous scientists, students, and farmers across the country.