NRCE sends proposal to country’s Food Safety body to recognize donkey milk as a food product

Sharat K Verma/Solution World Bureau

Rajkot, March 28: As a big step to conserve donkeys whose number is fast decreasing across the country, the National Research Centre for Equines (NRCE) has sent a proposal to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to recognize donkey milk as a food product.

This was revealed by Dr Sharat Mehta, Principal Scientist, NRCE-ICAR, Bikaner, on the sidelines of a national seminar ‘Revitalizing Pastoral Identity and Economy’ here.

The purpose of the seminar was to initiate deliberations amongst the state officials, dairy businesses, researchers and Maldhari communities to ponder on the need of enhancing livelihoods of the Maldharis and also initiate dialogue around the conservation of threatened livestock breeds like Halari donkeys and Kahmi goats. The need for definition of Pastoralism and the census of the community was one of the prime objectives of the national seminar.

Dr Mehta said that along with sending a proposal to the FSSAI for approving donkey milk as a food product, the NRCE is researching on various properties of donkey milk. He said that the donkey milk is a rich source of anti-oxidant, stimulates antimicrobial activity. “We are confident of getting FSSAI approval soon, but we will continue our research on milk of Halari donkeys to test and compare it with other alternatives,” Dr Mehta said.

The seminar was essentially divided into a theme-based panel discussion around ‘Sustainable livelihood options’ and ‘breed and habitat conservation’. The panelists presented innovative ideas on value chain creation around goat and donkey milk. Strategies around conservation of Halari donkey, which is now categorized as threatened is only left with 662 numbers in its native Saurashtra track.

Dr Mehta said the drastic decline in population of donkey was across the country and all breeds. “The population declined by more than 61 per cent just between livestock census in 2012 and the 20th livestock census in 2019 (when the estimated population was pegged at 1.20 lakh donkeys). With an aim to conserve donkeys in an era when their utility as draught animal has reduced drastically, seeing donkeys as milch animals is an alternative idea that we are promoting,” he said adding that the donkey milk will have to be sold on different quality criteria than the conventional fat-and-solids-not-fat parameters currently in vogue.

The event also marked the launch of goat milk Greek yoghurt by a private player- United India from Surendranagar district and Goat Milk Pedaby the Maldhari community women deom Upleta and its nearby blocks.

Apart from all discussion, an exhibition showcasing the lifestyle, culture of the Pastoralists with displays from different Maldhari communities like Bharwad, Rabari; were the major mood setter of the event. Displays from dairies likes AMUL, Aadvik Food Pvt. Ltd, United India of their pastoral products attracted many.

Several important action points were mapped in the event:-

• NRCE joined hands to help in FSSAI registration of Halari Donkey milk,
• NABARD and GLPC also gave glimpses of different scheme which can be directly linked to the pastoral productions and the Maldharis,
• How the model of conservation can be taken ahead so that not only breed is conserved but the breeders can make livelihood out of it,
• Interventions around Maldhari women need to be chalked out as discussed by MARAG and GLPC.

Union Minister of the State- Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Parshottam Rupala was the chief guest of the event. Several other dignitaries like Rambhai Mokariya, M.P, Valamji Humbal, Vice chairman- GCMMF, AMUL, Dr Sharat Mehta, Principal Scientist, NRCE-ICAR, Bikaner, Neeta Pandya, MARAG, Mahesh Patole, DDM, NABARD- Rajkot, representatives from Gujarat Livelihood Promotion Company and several others were also present in the event.

Around 150 Maldharis from Saurashtra and Kutch came to put forth their issues and demanded collaboration from state departments, researchers and diary enterprises.