CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will be laying foundation for setting up the Advanced Institute for Integrated Research on Livestock and Animal Sciences (AIIRLIVAS) at Thalaivasal Koot Road, Salem district, on February 9. This will be the biggest livestock research institute in south Asia. This is one of the pet projects of the chief minister, for which preliminary works have been going on for many months.
On the occasion, the State Agriculture and Dairy Development departments are organising a mega exhibition on February 9, 10 and 11, during which seminars would be conducted on various topics relating to agriculture and dairy development. Farmers, representatives of farmers associations, agriculture enthusiast groups, members of farmer producer groups, women groups, and students will take part.
There will be more than 100 stalls explaining the latest techniques adopted in agriculture and dairy development
There are 10 major complexes proposed under AIIRLIVAS. The Livestock farm complex will comprise indigenous cattle unit, sheep and goat unit, piggery unit, native dogs unit, animal quarantine and isolation facilities, farm veterinary hospital, clinical lab and poultry unit.
The dairy processing and product manufacturing complex will comprise cross/bred dairy cattle unit, dairy processing and product manufacturing facility and cattle feed and mineral mixture manufacturing units. The fisheries demonstration complex will have intensive fish seed rearing with aeration facility, modern fish kiosk, aquaponics unit and ornamental fisheries unit.