**Policy Summary: Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response**
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying is implementing the "Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response" project, funded by a USD 25 million grant from the G20 Pandemic Fund. Launched on October 25, 2024, the project aims to mitigate the risk of zoonotic disease emergence and spillover from animals to humans, safeguarding public health, nutritional security, and vulnerable community livelihoods.
Key objectives include augmenting laboratory systems, enhancing surveillance and early warning systems, strengthening capacity and human resource development, advancing data systems and risk analysis, and addressing institutional capacity gaps. Specific activities encompass gap assessments of laboratories, establishing national laboratory networks for disease surveillance (including genomic surveillance), developing digital tools for laboratory self-assessment and biosecurity, capacity building for epidemiologists and animal health professionals, developing risk communication strategies, and training community-level animal health workers.
The USD 25 million grant is allocated as follows: USD 12.00 million to the Asian Development Bank, USD 8.714 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization, and USD 4.285 million to the World Bank. As of June 30, 2025, USD 0.837 million has been utilized from the USD 5.442 million released to the Implementing Entities. The initiative was announced by Union Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel on August 5th, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying: The Indian government ministry responsible for the development of the fisheries, animal husbandry, and dairy sectors.
G20 Pandemic Fund Project: A project funded by the G20 Pandemic Fund aimed at strengthening animal health security in India for pandemic preparedness and response.
Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response: The title of the G20 Pandemic Fund Project grant secured by the Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying.
Asian Development Bank: One of the implementing entities (IEs) for the G20 Pandemic Fund Project, receiving USD 12.00 million.
Food and Agriculture Organization: One of the implementing entities (IEs) for the G20 Pandemic Fund Project, receiving USD 8.714 million.
World Bank: One of the implementing entities (IEs) for the G20 Pandemic Fund Project, receiving USD 4.285 million.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where a written reply regarding the G20 Pandemic Fund Project was presented.
Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel: Union Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying who provided information on the G20 Pandemic Fund Project in Lok Sabha.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Pandemic Fund Project
Posted On: 05 AUG 2025 2:55PM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying secured a grant under the G20 Pandemic Fund Project
titled “Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response”,
launched on 25th October 2024.
The initiative aims to reduce the risk of pathogens emerging from both domesticated and wild
animals and spilling over into human populations, thereby protecting public health, nutritional
security, and the livelihoods of vulnerable communities. Key objectives of the project include:
Augmenting laboratory systems
(cid:108)
Enhancing surveillance and early warning systems
(cid:108)
Strengthening capacity, competency, and human resource development
(cid:108)
Advancing data systems, analytics, risk analysis, and risk communication
(cid:108)
Addressing institutional capacity gaps at national and regional levels
(cid:108)
Key activities undertaken under the project to reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases include:
Gap assessments of laboratories to support accreditation
(cid:108)
Establishment of national laboratory networks for transboundary and zoonotic disease surveillance,
(cid:108)
including genomic surveillance and early warning systems
Development of digital tools for laboratory self-assessment, biosecurity, and integrated information
(cid:108)
management
Capacity building for field epidemiologists and animal health professionals
(cid:108)
Development of risk communication strategies and community awareness initiatives for early
(cid:108)
reporting and behaviour change
• Training and engagement of community-level animal health workers for early detection, response,
and outreach in rural and remote areas
The project received a grant of USD 25 million from the G20 Pandemic Fund, which has been allocated
among the three Implementing Entities (IEs) as follows: USD 12.00 million to the Asian Development Bank,
USD 8.714 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization, and USD 4.285 million to the World Bank. As
of 30th June 2025, USD 0.837 million has been utilised from the USD 5.442 million released to the IEs.
This information was given by Union Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and
Dairying, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, in a written reply in Lok Sabha on 5th August, 2025.
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(Release ID: 2152461)