Kohima, June 25: With African Swine Fever (ASF) continuing to devastate pig populations across Nagaland, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services has intensified efforts to promote livestock insurance, calling it a crucial safety net for the state’s rural economy.
The department recently conducted an awareness campaign on the Livestock Insurance Scheme under the National Livestock Mission (NLM) 2025-26 in Merapani village and Bhandari Town in Wokha district.
Addressing farmers, Deputy Director Dr. Gwazenlo Tep said livestock insurance can protect farmers from devastating financial losses caused by disease outbreaks, accidents and natural calamities by compensating owners when insured animals die.
Officials said the scheme has gained urgency as Nagaland battles fresh ASF outbreaks in multiple districts. The highly contagious disease, which has no vaccine or cure and carries a mortality rate of nearly 100 per cent in pigs, has repeatedly wiped out village pig populations and forced authorities to impose restrictions on the movement and sale of pigs and pork products.
“Many rural households depend on a few pigs, goats or cattle as their primary source of cash income and savings. Losing these animals can push families back to zero overnight,” officials said.
The department noted that Nagaland’s rural economy is largely sustained by small and micro farming, with livestock serving as a critical financial buffer during crop failures and seasonal hardships.
Dr. Tep said a major challenge is the lack of awareness about insurance products and claim procedures among rural farmers, leaving them to shoulder the entire burden when epidemics strike.
Under the Livestock Insurance Scheme, farmers pay only 15 per cent of the premium, while the remaining 85 per cent is shared by the Centre and the State governments. The awareness programme also covered documentation requirements, ear-tagging, vaccination protocols and claim procedures.
Officials urged farmers to view insurance not as an additional expense but as an essential investment in securing their livelihoods.
“As recurring disease outbreaks continue to threaten livestock-based incomes, insurance awareness is the first step towards building a more resilient and financially secure rural economy,” the department said.
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