FATA Secretariat development interventions: 1,400 households to flourish in Region

FATA Secretariat is working in partnership with the FATA Development Programme Livelihood Development (FDP-LD) to deliver breakthrough livelihood development interventions in South FATA for improving the socio-economic conditions of the region.
In this connection, honey production and dairy herd improvement projects have been launched under which livelihood grants in the form of honeybee hives and dairy cows shall be extended to 1400 households to help them improve their incomes and living standards, said a Press Release issued by the FATA Secretariat Media Cell.
400 honey production grants and 1000 quality breed cows will be delivered to beneficiaries in South FATA, followed by a capacity building training course for the grantees in a bid to facilitate them to make the most of their grants. The projects will begin with an invitation to submit grant applications to FDP-LD in the last week of January 2010 whereas grants will be provided to successful households in South FATA between March and June, 2010.
The goal of the dairy herd improvement grant project, in addition to instantaneously lifting household income by almost 100 percent, is to introduce superior milk production genetics in the region. FATA dairy herd lags far behind the average in terms of milk production compared to the rest of the country. FDP-LD grants will provide cows of demonstrated superior milk production capabilities. In this way, these grants will significantly contribute towards the long-term milk production capacity of the region as well as boosting household incomes.
Based on the remarkable success, the intended arrangement is an extension of the implemented FDP-LD's honey production project that will reach out to 400 individuals to boost honey production. For this purpose, ten beehives will be distributed to each one of the 400 households.
Dr Muhammad Bashir, Director Livestock and Dairy Development FATA, while discussing the importance of these projects for supporting households said, this is indeed a great opportunity for the people of FATA to improve their economic wellbeing, adding that the political authorities, agency livestock representatives and sericulture officers must play a key role in project implementation and identification of deserving community members for distribution of these livelihood grants.