Indigenous Pig Genetic Resources and Breeding Strategies in India: A Narrative Review

Abstract

India harbours considerable diversity among its indigenous pig populations, with distinct breeds distributed across the north-eastern hill states, the Gangetic plains, coastal western India, and island territories. These populations represent the product of long-term co-evolution with local environments, agricultural practices, and cultural systems, and contain alleles associated with thermal tolerance, feed-use efficiency under low-input conditions, disease resistance, and reproductive resilience that are not readily found in the commercial exotic breeds that dominate global industrial pork production. Despite this intrinsic and strategic value, India's indigenous pig breeds remain incompletely characterised, unevenly documented, and subject to progressive genetic erosion driven by uncontrolled crossbreeding with introduced exotic stocks. This narrative review synthesises the contemporary body of knowledge concerning India's registered indigenous pig breeds — principally Ghungroo, Doom, Niang Megha, Manipuri, Tenyi Vo, Agonda Goan, and Nicobari — with respect to their phenotypic attributes, productive characteristics, population status, and molecular diversity. It further examines the smallholder and tribal production systems within which these breeds are embedded, evaluates conservation and genetic improvement strategies, and considers the emerging role of genomic tools in accelerating breed characterisation and conservation management. The review critically engages with the national and international policy frameworks governing animal genetic resource management in India, identifying structural gaps and proposing directions for improved coordination between research institutions, government agencies, and farming communities. Major knowledge gaps identified include the absence of validated genomic reference panels for Indian indigenous pig breeds, a paucity of genetic parameter estimates for most breeds, and insufficient integration of community-based conservation approaches into formal breed management programmes. The review concludes with recommendations for a more integrated and community-responsive approach to the conservation and genetic improvement of India's indigenous pig heritage.