Request for Support in Establishing Rabbit Industry in Nepal

[Ujjwal Chapagain]

Dear WRSA Community,

I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out to seek your insights and support as we continue our efforts to develop the rabbit farming industry in Nepal.

In the past decade, rabbit meat has gained increasing acceptance in Nepal, largely due to our efforts. We have established a breeding farm, engaged over 200 farmers from various districts, promoted rabbit meat consumption through events, and introduced rabbit dishes in prominent locations. Additionally, we have lobbied the government extensively, providing training to local veterinary professionals and government staff, with invaluable contributions from Dr. Thierry and Dr. Steven Lukefahr, who generously shared their expertise.

Though it has been a challenging journey, we are now seeing progress. The provincial government has introduced a rabbit development program in four districts, which presents a unique opportunity to collaborate and create a successful model for the rabbit industry. We believe this is a pivotal moment to establish a small-scale unit that includes a breeding center, rabbit meat, and skin processing facility, which can serve as a demonstration project. A successful model will not only prove the viability of rabbit farming but also encourage the government to continue and expand its support for the sector.

In this context, we would greatly appreciate your suggestions and support in the following areas:

• Suitable rabbit breeds for meat production, including details on their performance, adaptability to Nepal’s conditions, and associated costs.
• Slaughtering units with a capacity of 200-300 rabbits per day, including cost estimates.
• Small-scale skin processing units and technical requirements.
• Availability of technical support for the import process and on-the-ground training for farmers, technicians, and entrepreneurs.

We believe that demonstrating a comprehensive rabbit production-to-market model, showing its growth potential and long-term viability, is key to ensuring the continued development of the rabbit sector in Nepal. We would be very interested in exploring how we can collaborate with WRSA or other institutions to make this vision a reality.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your valuable insights and suggestions.

 Sincerely, 

Ujjwal Chapagain 

WRSA- Nepal 

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[Juan José Pascual Amoros]

Dear Ujjwal,

Thank you very much for the wonderful work you are doing to promote rabbit production in Nepal, and I am glad that these efforts can begin to have an effect on the field.

For the issue of suitable genetic lines of rabbit, there are several Spanish companies (e.g. https://www.granjajordan.com/en/ ) and French companies (Thierry can guide you) that have genetic export services of different genetic types and in different formats (animals, embryos, semen…).

For small-scale skin processing units, we have little experience in Europe, but perhaps our colleagues in the Chinese branch could help you.

For the issues of technical support and training, both on the ground, I am convinced that several colleagues would offer to do it. The problem is the travel and maintenance costs. We should think about finding sources of funding for this type of actions. Any ideas are welcome.

Best regards

Juanjo

Juan José Pascual Amorós
President
World Rabbit Science Association
https://world-rabbit-science.com

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[Luiz Carlos Machado]

Hi my friend Ujjwal, it is good to receive new from you. 

Greetings

Luiz

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[Ujjwal Chapagain]

Dear Juan,

Thank you very much for your kind words and for the valuable information you’ve shared with apology for late reply. I’m glad to know there are options available for genetic lines from Spanish and French companies, and I appreciate your guidance on this matter.

I have a few follow-up questions and ideas:

• Semen Import for Breed Improvement: Given that importing live animals could be quite costly, would it be feasible to bring in rabbit semen as a more cost-effective alternative for breed improvement? Thanks for highlighting this option. Also, can veterinarians who currently specialize in artificial insemination for other livestock handle this for rabbits, as we lack rabbit-specific veterinary expertise here in Nepal? I will reach out to Dr Thierry for his advice as well.

• Meat and Skin Processing Setup: For small-scale meat and skin processing, I would be grateful for any guidelines on setting up and operating a unit with a capacity of up to 300 rabbits per day. Any best practices for establishing this would be incredibly helpful, as we do not have access to the technology here. 

• Technical Support and Training Needs: Technical support and training on rabbit farming would make a tremendous impact here. If any organization is willing to provide this assistance, it could complement the Nepalese government’s current (albeit modest) budget allocation for rabbit farming. Such backing would demonstrate success in the field and could encourage the government to expand this initiative in the coming years.

Thank you again for all your support, and I look forward to staying in touch.

Warm regards,
Ujjwal

To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/world-rabbit-science-asso/46797FE3-70FD-4E63-A0FD-D8F3AC631159%40upv.edu.es.

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