The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore organized a meeting of the Livestock Emergency Subgroup under the theme of Prime Minister's 100 days agenda to develop concrete plan to revamp livestock sector, here at the City Campus Lahore on Wednesday.
Former secretary Livestock & Dairy Development Department Punjab (L&DD) Nasim Sadiq and UVAS Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Talat Naseer Pasha co-chaired the meeting while representatives of the federal government, officials of L&DD departments of all provinces, Punjab Breeding Authority, Pakistan Dairy Association, Buffalo Breeders Association (Punjab), Corporate Dairy Farmers Association of Pakistan , Pakistan Tanners Association, Dairy & Cattle Farmers Association, Meat Export Association of Pakistan, Pakistan Poultry Association, progressive farmers and a large number of stakeholders, academicians and researchers from across the country attended meeting.
Nasim Sadiq and Professor Pasha sought suggestions and technical input from stakeholders for making national livestock policies and plans to develop a concrete plan to deliver on the Prime Minister's commitment to "Revamp Livestock Sector".
Speaking on the occasion, Nasim Sadiq said that it is direly needed to enhance our indigenous fodder productivity and vaccine production to enhance livestock productivity in country.
He said that livestock industry would be the biggest industry of Pakistan due to its potential. He said that in recent years, livestock sector grew due to prevention of deadly diseases like foot and mouth, HS, PPR through guidance of farmers for their profitability and creating awareness among consumers about safe/healthy and high quality food due to combined efforts of Livestock Department and UVAS. Professor Pasha said the federal government is actively working to revamp livestock sector and this meeting is an effort to this end.
He said that the aim of the meeting was to provide a platform to stakeholders including farmers, meat exporters, service providers, poultry, dairy & meat industrialists in public and private sectors where they can forward their technical inputs and share their issues, impediments, problems which are hurdles in revamp of livestock sector.
He also recommended starting a school milk programme by providing schoolchildren to healthy foods like glass of milk and egg daily in their class rooms to solve the malnutrition issues of Pakistan. Various issues related to increase in productivity of dairy and meat farms, productivity of small dairy farms, poor milk and milk-based product quality, poor meat quality and lesser demand for products which can boost the sector discussed.ax rates for the industry.