Sustainable development in livestock sector can be achieved through adoption of multidisciplinary approach and there is dire need for active participation of the farming community with the scientific society to build confidence for mutual benefits.
Professor Iftikhar Ahmad Khan Dean Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, stated this while addressing the participants of concluding session of two-day International Dairy Conference here at Old Senate Hall of the University.
Dr Iftikhar Ahmad Khan maintained that sustainable development in livestock and dairy sector would lead to poverty alleviation and youth will play their pivotal role in bringing the white revolution in the country. He said that UAF has introduced B.Sc. (Hons) Animal Sciences so as to provide a well-trained and galvanised manpower to the sector. Earlier, renowned progressive farmer and former care taker minister Mutmaz Khan Manhais said that the government should announce supporting price of milk and meat to pave the way for production enhancement. He stressed upon rearing the calves in a bid to provide sacrificial animals to Saudi Arabia.
Presenting the recommendations Chairman Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics Dr Sajjad Khan said that we have to establish a non-traditional task force to set priorities and give recommendations to lead the dairy industry of Pakistan to new standards and global realities. Members should be from multiple disciplines and farmers and other stakeholders are represented in such a body. He said that local dairy cattle and buffalo breeds should remain focused for genetic improvement and molecular genetic disciplines be strengthened at various educational and research institutions to harvest the benefits of the science of genetic in identifying good quality animals for utilisation at farmer and industry level.
Dr Sajjad Khan asked for training the manpower in livestock production to cope with the deficiency of technical persons required for managing large/corporate herds and relevant universities be asked to initiate such a graduate programme for the dairy sector. "A National Dairy Training Institute is recommended to be established at Faculty of Animal Husbandry, University of Agriculture Faisalabad for teaching, research, and imparting training at various levels for the dairy industry" he added.
He said that government is supporting corporate farming, small holders be supported through a structure/organisation of co-operative farming so that indigenous resources and traditions are conserved and milk and meat continue to remain available to poor people. He asked for restructuring the government institutions for providing excellent services to dairy farmers both for efficiency and sufficiency. He urged the need for making research efforts to improve utilisation of non-traditional feed resources and agro-industrial wastes so that nutritional requirements of dairy animals can be adequately met and such efforts are environment friendly.
He said we should have to improve the health of dairy cattle and buffaloes to prevent them from diseases so that dairy product could be available to the consumers cheaper and safer. He said that dairy farmers may be facilitated for new grass and fodder seeds and soft credit facilities be extended to promote the expansion of dairy sector. He asked that farmers and families promoting and conserving indigenous breeds and strains must be appreciated at provincial and national level similar to artists/leaders in other areas. He expressed his concerns over the lack of co-ordination among different government and private initiative which is not even helping the farmers to a desired level.