The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AH&VS) has intensified its efforts to strengthen poultry farming across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by expanding the production and distribution of Vanraja chicks. The department has received a new consignment of 5,000 hatching eggs from the Project Directorate on Poultry (PDP), ICAR–Hyderabad, which will be incubated at departmental hatcheries including the Central Hatchery in Dollygunj. This marks a renewed phase in the administration’s long-term plan to promote backyard poultry as a reliable source of income and nutritional security in rural communities.
With this consignment, the total procurement so far has reached 26,190 hatching eggs against the targeted 60,000 under the ICAR partnership. The remaining consignments are expected to arrive in a phased manner, ensuring continuous production and supply of chicks to farmers across the archipelago. The initiative underscores the department’s goal of improving food self-sufficiency by promoting small-scale, locally sustainable livestock farming models suited to the islands’ unique geography and economic profile.
The Vanraja bird, known for its dual-purpose utility, has emerged as a preferred choice among rural and semi-urban farmers. Bred for both meat and egg production, Vanraja chickens are particularly resilient and adaptable to the islands’ climatic conditions. Their ability to thrive under minimal management and limited feed resources makes them ideal for backyard poultry systems where large-scale mechanization is impractical. The breed is recognized for its faster growth rate, hardiness, and high productivity, providing smallholders a dependable source of income and nutrition.
Department officials have emphasized that the current phase of the programme aims not only at increasing chick production but also at ensuring equitable distribution and technical support to beneficiary farmers. The department continues to encourage rural households, self-help groups, and farmer collectives to participate in the initiative by integrating poultry farming into their livelihood activities. Beyond immediate financial benefits, backyard poultry plays a crucial role in enhancing household nutrition, particularly by improving access to affordable protein sources such as eggs and meat.
To ensure sustained production, hatcheries across the islands have been strengthened with improved incubation facilities, feed management protocols, and disease control measures. The Central Hatchery at Dollygunj remains the primary incubation and distribution hub, with additional hatcheries functioning across outlying islands to facilitate region-specific distribution. The integration of these centers has enabled the department to maintain a steady supply of chicks and streamline logistics even to remote areas where accessibility remains a challenge.
In addition to expanding the availability of Vanraja chicks, the department is actively promoting farmer training and technical support. Field staff are conducting awareness programmes and practical demonstrations to educate farmers on poultry management, chick brooding, vaccination schedules, and balanced feeding practices. These capacity-building measures ensure that beneficiaries are well-equipped to maintain flock health and achieve higher survival rates.
The initiative is also aligned with broader national objectives of promoting sustainable agriculture and animal husbandry. By reducing reliance on imported poultry products and processed food, the islands can move toward greater food self-reliance and resilience. Moreover, the department’s strategy supports women’s empowerment and rural entrepreneurship, as backyard poultry is increasingly recognized as an accessible and low-investment livelihood option for women-led households and self-help groups.
Officials believe that the consistent supply of high-quality hatching eggs from ICAR–Hyderabad and the scaling up of production infrastructure will help meet the growing demand for poultry across the islands. The approach balances scientific inputs with local adaptability, ensuring that the system remains sustainable and community-driven.
Through the Vanraja chick production programme, the AH&VS Department continues to demonstrate how well-structured agricultural interventions can transform livelihoods while contributing to nutrition, gender inclusion, and rural development. The ongoing expansion signals a commitment to building a more self-reliant and productive livestock sector across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
