Guwahati, Jan. 9: Vet Helpline India, a city-based development consultancy firm, has undertaken a survey to mobilise opinions from industry stakeholders for creating a roadmap for greater private sector investment in Assam's livestock and fishery sectors.

"Opinions from individuals, particularly those with sound knowledge of the two sectors, are being taken through an online survey initiated last month. Based on their suggestions, a three-member research team has created a 'problem tree', which is basically a development tool to identify the causes and effects of the problems plaguing the sectors," Miftahul Islam Barbaruah, an expert in livestock sector development, told The Telegraph today.

Private investment in livestock and fishery sectors is crucial for Assam to bridge the demand-supply gap and generate employment.

"While commercial small and medium-scale enterprises have grown within livestock and fishery sector value chains in the state of late, the growth has been limited compared to other parts of India," Barbaruah, who is leading the research team, said.

The team comprises Deepak Goswami, an expert in livestock farm input marketing and Pranjal Prakash Sharma, an expert in fishery sector development.

"We have also held consultations with stakeholders at the Assam International Agri-Horticulture Show, 2017, here. As of now, we are collating data to identify and analyse the issues confronting the private sector and how it could be facilitated to invest more in the sectors," he said.

The survey will be carried out till March.

"By then, we will be able to project the status of the sectors and how they can be developed. But as of now, a diagram of the 'problem tree' has been prepared for the industry associations to work out action plans for influencing policy makers and their decisions. Individuals, firms and development agencies can also use the analysis to design action plans to facilitate more private investments in the sectors," Barbaruah said.

The diagram of the "problem tree" has, for instance, identified, among several others, causes such as inadequate initiative to support infrastructure need of value chain-critical enterprises and facilities such as breeding farms and cold chains. "This leads to poor sustainable growth of commercial enterprises in the sectors," he said.

Barbaruah further said the development tool would be updated on the basis of public opinion and a detailed report would be published in due course.