University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore vice chancellor Professor Dr Talat Naseer Pasha is leading a delegation of researchers to represent Pakistan in 10th World Buffalo Congress and 7th Asian Buffalo Congress jointly scheduled be held on May 6-8 at Phuket, Thailand.
The delegation comprises scientists/researchers from the UVAS and provincial Livestock and Dairy Development (L&DD) Department and the Punjab government has formally approved the delegation's visit to Thailand for participation in the 3-day event. Speaking about the buffalo congress, Professor Pasha said that Pakistani researchers would present 55 research papers, which is the highest number of papers being presented by any country in the event. Thailand researchers would present the second highest number of papers with 23 papers, Indian 19 and the Philippines 13 papers. Total 25 countries are participating in this scientific moot on buffalo, he added.
The Vice-Chancellor said that different aspects of buffalo from its production to management will be covered during the congress. He said that buffalo has a major contribution to the national economy. "Buffalo contributes 50 percent meat, 65 percent milk in addition to its major share in leather and work (draft animals) sectors in Pakistan.
Professor Pasha said that Pakistani climatic conditions are favourable to buffalo production and the buffalo is playing a key role in the socio-economic uplift of small farmers of the country. He said that after the 6th Asian Buffalo Congress held in Lahore in 2009, the government has realised the importance of buffalo and established a Buffalo Research Institute at Pattoki. Since then, the research work on buffalo has also witnessed a manifold increase and this is the reason that the highest number of papers are being presented in the next week's buffalo congress in Thailand.