The University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore has planned to establish a "Livestock Technology Park" at its Ravi Campus Pattoki under the Public Sector Development Programme. In this connection, the UVAS organised a consultative meeting with stakeholders on Friday to have their input on the project before finalising the components.
Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Talat Naseer Pasha and renowned industrialist Syed Yawar Ali jointly chaired the meeting and sought suggestions from the stakeholders about the Technology Park. Syed Yawar Ali gave a presentation on "White Revolution: Making Dairy Sector Globally Competitive."
He said that livestock has major share in agriculture GDP so there is need to focus more on livestock sector development. He said that fodder and water availability to animals and disease prevention will enhance milk production manifold. Terming the proposed Livestock Technology Park a very important project for the development of livestock and dairy sectors, Yawar Ali stressed on the need to think how to make this project sustainable.
Speaking on the occasion, the Vice Chancellor said that today is the era of knowledge-based economy and proposed Livestock Technology Park is a step by UVAS towards this direction. He said that this park will contribute enormously to development of livestock, dairy and related sectors by addressing the issues and problems of these sectors.
He also said that park will be established in collaboration with Agriculture University Peshawar, Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojm and Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences Balochistan and the livestock and Dairy Development Department Punjab.
He said that Technology Park will have components of livestock information management, livestock breeding, genetics and genomics, disease control for OIE compliance, livestock product development, livestock entrepreneurship, livestock exhibition, technology transfer and display centre, etc. He said that the UVAS will also seek input from the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore in this project. The meeting participants put forward various suggestions for making the project viable, sustainable and more beneficial for farming community.