Country's dairy and livestock sectors could not be flourished without introducing innovative approaches to enhance the capacity of manpower. It is the need of hour to develop most practicable and demand-oriented curriculum for the students of five-year composite DVM degree programme.
This was stated by University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) vice-chancellor Professor Iqrar Ahmad Khan, while addressing the participants of one-day workshop for the improvement in curriculum of five-year degree programme at New Syndicate Hall of the University on Thursday.
Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan stressed the need for demand-oriented research to achieve the maximum yield potential in dairy and livestock sectors. He said that in 1962 the University of Agriculture Faisalabad was upgraded for the capacity of 2,500 students whereas the current enrolment has been raised up to 10,000. He said that the provision of facilities and resources have not been multiplied as compared to ratio of students enrolled at the campus.
President Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council Islamabad Dr Muhammad Arshad urged the need for establishing constant feedback system in order to follow the response of market players regarding the employment of DVM degree holders.
Former Dean Faculty of Veterinary Science UAF and Convenor Syllabus Committee Dr Sikandar Hayat, Vice President PVMC Dr Muhammad Iqbal and Secretary and Registrar PVM, Dr Alamdar Hussain Malik also spoke on the occasion. Representatives of Strengthening of Livestock Services Project, HEC Islamabad, Deans from Tandojam, Peshawar and UVAS Lahore, Director Generals Livestock and Dairy Development from all provinces and representative of private, dairy sector and poultry industries also attended the workshop.
Meanwhile, official sources claimed that as a result of strong economic growth achieved in recent year, the per capita income of the people has also increased. As people become more affluent, they have not only been consuming more food but also shifting their diet towards higher quality food product such as meat and dairy products.
Accordingly the demand for high quality food such as meat and dairy products are rising and putting pressure on the prices of these commodities. In a changed environment, there is an ample scope to provide boost to the livestock and dairy sectors.
Unfortunately, these sectors have received little or no attention by the successive governments in the past. It is important to note that livestock accounts for 52.2 percent of agricultural value-added, contributes 11 percent to GDP and affects the lives of 30 to 35 million people in rural areas. A full autonomous private sector led Livestock and Dairy Development Board and Pakistan Dairy Development Company have been established.
These companies are serving as a platform for investment in this sector. Apart from provincial Government programs, the federal government has substantially increased public sector investment in livestock sector and has initiated projects to the tune of Rs 7.1 billion for strengthening livestock services for improving disease control; milk and meat production; breed animal husbandry and management practices in the county.