The USAID Dairy Project has spurred growth in Pakistan's rural economy by helping women farmers increase their incomes and improve their livelihoods. Realising the pivotal role rural women play in Pakistan's livestock sector, USAID is creating a pool of up to 5,000 locally-trained and readily-available female livestock extension workers to provide veterinary services and advice on the care and feeding of cattle to rural dairy farmers.
The project also meets farmers' basic needs by providing them with quality supplies for their animals, such as feed, vitamins, and medication. The USAID Dairy Project is a catalyst to create new jobs and improve rural livelihoods in Pakistan. USAID's Dairy Project, launched in July 2011, selects dynamic rural women with a high school diploma and trains them in basic animal health management techniques and entrepreneurship. The programme has already trained 2,470 unemployed rural women, helping them earn an average of 2,500 rupees per month. It aims at training an additional 2,530 farmers.
The dairy and livestock sectors contribute about 11 percent to the gross domestic product of Pakistan. Forty-five percent of Pakistanis are employed in the agricultural sector. Most dairy farmers have only two to three cattle, and few have access to veterinary services that are crucial to improving milk yields.
Dairy farming is vital for the rural economy of Pakistan, and USAID's extensive training programs for dairy farmers, women livestock extension workers, and artificial insemination technicians will continue to play an important role in transforming livelihoods in rural communities. This USAID initiative is just one part of a comprehensive US economic growth assistance program for Pakistan which includes expanding irrigation by more than 200,000 acres near the Gomal Zam and Satpara dams, constructing more than 1,000 km of roads to connect communities and facilitate trade, and launching private equity investment funds to help small and medium businesses grow.-PR
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