Home Livestock Pakistan’s livestock sector shows lowest annual growth

Pakistan’s livestock sector shows lowest annual growth

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Pakistan’s livestock sector shows lowest annual growth

In 2020, the livestock industry contributed 60.6 % to overall agriculture and 11.7 % to the GDP; VC Sindh Agriculture University suggests more priority to the trade in live animals and livestock products.

Tando Jam

Dr. Fateh Marri, Vice Chancellor, Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tando Jam said on Wednesday that the livelihood of more than 8 million farmers in Pakistan is related to livestock but the annual growth of this sector is only 4%.

He said this while addressing to the Final Workshop of “Sindh Livestock Forum” at Directorate of Agriculture Research Sindh Tando Jam organized by Dairy-Beef project team of University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore in collaboration with the University Of Melbourne, Australia.

Dr. Marri said in 2020, the livestock industry contributed 60.6 % to overall agriculture and 11.7 % to the GDP. “Therefore it is proposed to give more priority to the trade in live animals and livestock products,” he urged.

“The SAU experts are working on the conservation of indigenous cattle breeds and new projects are started on animal product technology, value chain, and dairy products,” he added.

Dr. Fateh Marri said that although Pakistan is one of the largest milk-producing countries in the world, however per animal yield has been on the lower side, with the production of 57 million tons of milk annually from 24 million cows and buffaloes, and the average annual yield stands at 1.62 tones per animal.

During workshop the Dairy Beef Project Leader Dr. David McGill addressed the participants and shared the forum’s objectives and briefed about research finding and impacts of Dairy-Beef project extension and research, through video recoded message.

Dr. Arshad Kalhoro, Director General Live Stock Department appreciated the project team for their great contributions to improving the livelihood of the smallholder farmers, and he urges that the successful project activities should sustain by the National organizations to benefit all stakeholders and smallholder farmers.

Dr. Humera Iqbal,  Project Manager said that with regard to traditional livestock farming in Pakistan and these interventions, the project has played a role in reducing the challenges facing small farmers in Pakistan.

Hafiz Abdul Aziz provided the overview of project objectives and shared a historical background of ACIAR working in ASLP phase I, II, and the Dairy-Beef project, particularly in Sindh.

Dr. Aijaz Kumbhar and Dr. Sobia Majeed, Provincial Coordinators (Sindh) facilitated the forum.

SAU-Tractors-Sindh CourierMeanwhile, Dr. Fateh Marri handed over new tractors to the SAU Umerkot Sub Campus for enhancing the research work at its agriculture farms. The tractors were handed over at a simple ceremony attended by Pro Vice Chancellor of SAU Sub campus Dr. Jan Muhammad Marri and others. (PR)

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