India and Netherlands to Establish Joint Dairy Training Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru

India and the Netherlands have agreed to establish an Indo-Dutch Centre of Excellence on Dairy Training at the Centre of Excellence in Animal Husbandry (CEAH) in Bengaluru, following a meeting between Dutch Minister Silvio Erkens and India's Union Minister Shri (Prof.) S. P. Singh Baghel of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, according to Dairy Dimension.

During the meeting, the two ministers discussed expanding cooperation across the livestock sector, with topics including animal feed, animal nutrition, animal health, and vocational training, the report said. The discussions focused particularly on supporting mid-sized farmers through improved skills, technology and access to knowledge.

The proposed Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru is expected to serve as a platform for joint dairy training, knowledge development and technical capacity building between the two countries, according to the report.

Minister Baghel also highlighted India's progress on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the livestock sector during the meeting. Dairy Dimension noted that AMR is considered an important concern for animal health and food systems, with inappropriate or excessive use of antimicrobial medicines potentially contributing to the development of resistant organisms.

The meeting additionally resulted in the exchange of a Veterinary Health Certificate (VHC) for the export of live horses from the Netherlands to India, which the report described as supporting the regulatory framework required for international movement of live animals.

The two sides also discussed vocational training opportunities for mid-sized farmers, with the report noting that strengthening practical skills can help improve farm management and enable producers to adopt modern technologies and production practices.