After years of dithering, the State government is finally contemplating establishing a duck research facility in Kuttanad, a project that is long overdue.
Duck farmers and experts have welcomed the proposal announced by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in his policy address in the Kerala Assembly last week. It would be established by the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU).
The KVASU officials said that, if materialised, the facility would focus on interdisciplinary research with the aim of providing good quality ducklings to farmers.
Officials said the research facility would go a long way in recognising and conserving the local breeds. "Apart from a few individual efforts, no major research on ducks has taken place in the State. In Kuttanad, we have local breeds such as Chara and Chembally. Though they are considered local breeds, they have not been recognised yet. The facility will help researchers gain a better understanding of ducks, especially the local breeds. A dedicated research facility will also help better market the duck products from the region under the label ‘Kuttanadan brand’,” said an official.
Duck farmers, meanwhile, urged the government to set up the proposed research facility in a timebound manner.
The move to establish the facility comes at a time when farmers are finding it hard to overcome the losses caused by a major outbreak of bird flu in the district in recent months. According to the Animal Husbandry department, more than one lakh birds, mostly ducks, died/were culled in the district due to the outbreak in December and January.
Besides the duck research facility, the KVASU would establish a referral and diagnostic laboratory consisting of 30 labs of biosafety level 3 for supporting livestock farming and diagnostic zoonotic diseases. It is also proposed to establish a state-of-the-art Centre for Monitoring Xenobiotic Residues and Advanced Animal Health Care and a knowledge park for capacity building and business promotion in dairy processing.
