WOAH–DAHD workshop focuses on strengthening vaccination, surveillance, traceability, veterinary infrastructure and livestock value-chain partnerships

New Delhi, September 18, 2026: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, in collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), has concluded a three-day targeted workshop aimed at accelerating India’s efforts to establish Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD)-free zones and compartments.

The PVS–PPP Targeted Support Workshop on “FMD-Free Zone Development in India” was held from September 15–17, 2026, at the National Agricultural Science Complex (NASC), New Delhi. It brought together representatives from DAHD, 12 State Animal Husbandry Departments, WOAH experts, veterinary laboratories, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), ICAR research institutions, industry and livestock value-chain stakeholders.

The workshop focused on strengthening State Action Plans through technical analysis, peer learning and public–private partnership (PPP) models aligned with WOAH standards and requirements for official recognition of FMD-free zones.

India Targets FMD Freedom by 2030

Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and WOAH Delegate of India Naresh Pal Gangwar highlighted the progress made under the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme.

According to the Department, India has administered more than 147.16 crore FMD vaccine doses, benefiting around 8.04 crore farmers. FMD outbreaks have declined from 132 in 2019 to 40 in 2025 and 20 till August 2026. NSP antibody positivity also declined to 8.1% in 2025.

The government’s stated objective under the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme is to control FMD and ultimately achieve FMD freedom by 2030.

Gangwar said the next stage is to demonstrate and maintain disease freedom in clearly defined animal populations. This will require coordinated efforts involving State veterinary services, laboratories, industry and exporters.

Focus on FMD-Free Zones and Compartments

The Department has developed guidelines for creating FMD-free compartments in India following consultations with stakeholders.

The workshop also highlighted the Minimum Standards of Veterinary Infrastructure in India, developed by the Department in 2025. Support is being provided to States under the Support to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) framework to address infrastructure and system-readiness gaps.

The discussions also included preparedness for emerging threats such as SAT serotypes of FMD, with participants examining the need for continued surveillance and preparedness against exotic serotypes.

Three-Day Workshop Builds State-Level Action Plans

During the first day, WOAH experts provided an overview of the WOAH Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway and PVS–PPP approach, along with requirements for recognition of FMD-free zones, surveillance, post-vaccination monitoring and international experiences, including Brazil.

Practical group exercises involving public and private stakeholders from nine priority States were conducted during the workshop.

The second day focused on identifying bottlenecks and co-designing solutions covering:

• Vaccination systems and engagement with the vaccine industry
• Disease surveillance and diagnostic partnerships
• Animal identification and traceability
• Producer organisations and value-chain integration
• Investment and financing models

The final day focused on validating State-level Action Plans. Representatives of the nine priority States presented their proposed plans and received technical feedback from WOAH experts and other specialists.

The plans addressed areas including surveillance, vaccination, laboratory preparedness, traceability, biosecurity, movement control, veterinary infrastructure and PPP engagement.

PPP Model to Cover the Entire Animal-Health Value Chain

A key takeaway from the workshop was that public–private partnerships should extend beyond financial participation.

The proposed PPP approach covers the wider animal-health ecosystem, including:

• Vaccine supply and delivery
• Diagnostics
• Animal identification and traceability
• Producer organisations
• Dairy and livestock value chains
• Veterinary service delivery
• Risk communication

According to the Department, broader participation can strengthen ownership, accountability and long-term sustainability of FMD-free zone initiatives.

WOAH Partnership to Support India’s FMD-Free Roadmap

The workshop followed an earlier WOAH PVS–PPP Targeted Support programme conducted in India in 2025. DAHD acknowledged WOAH’s continued technical support in developing the country’s FMD-free zone and compartment strategy.

Animal Husbandry Commissioner Dr. Naveena B. Maheswarappa expressed confidence that participating States would convert the workshop outcomes into clear, evidence-based and time-bound action plans.

The three-day deliberations resulted in refined State Action Plans, identification of priority technical interventions and potential PPP opportunities for developing FMD-free zones and compartments.

The initiative forms part of India’s stated national objective of achieving FMD-free status by 2030, with the strengthened State plans expected to provide a structured pathway for progressive development, maintenance and eventual recognition of FMD-free zones and compartments.

Key Highlights

• 147.16 crore+ FMD vaccine doses administered in India.
• Around 8.04 crore farmers covered through vaccination efforts.
• FMD outbreaks declined from 132 in 2019 to 20 till August 2026.
• India targets FMD freedom by 2030.
• Workshop held from September 15–17, 2026, in New Delhi.
• Representatives from 12 State Animal Husbandry Departments participated.
• Nine priority States presented and refined State-level Action Plans.
• Focus areas included vaccination, surveillance, diagnostics, traceability, biosecurity and movement control.
• PPPs to cover the broader animal-health and livestock value chain, not just financing.
• WOAH standards and recognition requirements to guide the development of FMD-free zones and compartments.

Impact on Hospitality, Food, Travel & Tourism

The development of FMD-free zones could have implications beyond animal health, particularly for India’s dairy, livestock, food-processing and hospitality supply chains.

Dairy and food supply: Stronger disease control, vaccination and surveillance can support greater stability across livestock and dairy production systems. This is relevant to hotels, restaurants, caterers and food manufacturers that depend on consistent supplies of dairy and other animal-origin products.

Traceability and food safety: Greater use of animal identification, digital traceability, diagnostics and documented disease-control systems can strengthen transparency across livestock and dairy value chains.

Export opportunities: FMD-free zones and compartments aligned with WOAH requirements could support greater confidence among international markets, particularly where animal-health status forms part of market-access requirements.

Hospitality procurement: Hotels, restaurants and institutional food-service operators could benefit indirectly from stronger disease-control systems if they contribute to more resilient and predictable livestock and dairy supply chains.

Rural and agri-tourism: Stronger livestock health systems can also support rural economies built around dairy, livestock and farm-based activities, creating a more stable foundation for rural and agri-tourism ecosystems.

What This Means for the Hospitality Sector

For hospitality and food businesses, the development of FMD-free zones is primarily a supply-chain and food-system development issue. Progress in vaccination, traceability, veterinary infrastructure and livestock-sector coordination can influence the reliability, quality assurance and market access of animal-origin products entering the broader food and hospitality ecosystem.