Meeting Discusses Means To Uplift Livestock, Dairy Sectors

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Aug, 2022 ) :Federal Minister for National food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema Wednesday said that government was determined to revamp livestock and dairy sectors through initiating structural reforms and policy interventions.

The minister was chairing 3rd meeting of the Taskforce on Livestock, constituted by the Prime Minister, to discuss and prepare recommendations related to livestock and dairy development.

The recommendations would be compiled by taking all the stakeholders and concerns on board and presented to the Prime Minister for final approval.

Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research, provincial livestock secretaries, academia and stakeholders attended the meeting, said a press release.

Speaking on the occasion the minister said that livestock census would be carried out on priority basis so that policy decisions could be set based on authentic data for effective monitoring and policy formulation.

He said that through uniform policy across all provinces, quality and standards of livestock and dairy would be improved for better health and safety.

The meeting also discussed proposals related to improvement in the livestock, dairy, meat, poultry, animal nutrition and breed improvement.

The meeting was also directed to adopt an holistic approach for taking appropriate actions to improve the livestock sector productivity During the meeting proposals related to capacity building at federal and provincial level were also discussed.

Furthermore, there was a consensus among the participants that coordination between federal and provincial government on trade, export and disease management will uplift the livestock and dairy sector.

The participants were also apprised that approximately 70 to percent of the farmers in the livestock have on average less than 4 animals.

Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema directed the the taskforce to find a mechanism to facilitate farmers in commercial farming while helping them to replace high breeds of with inefficient animals.

He said that financial institutions should be taken onboard to provide financial assistance for the said purpose and it was agreed that by improving the livestock, Pakistan can grab a greater share of the international Halal meat market.

However, training of farmers and making the sector competitive is pivotal for it. To improve exports, it was necessary that livestock and dairy products, and related products were at part with the international standards.

The participants were of view that mass vaccination of the animals will help to protect the livestock from Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).