News Desk
ISLAMABAD: Despite its importance in terms of trade, employment, income, trade, nutrition, livelihood and share in agriculture Gross Domestic Product (GDP), livestock sector has not received the attention it deserves.
In order to harness livestock development and potential in the country, meaningful collaborations and efforts among organizations are required.
In this regard, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Pakistan and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research have launched a project to improve the surveillance system of animal diseases and establish a real-time animal disease reporting system in the country.
It was announced at a 2-day inception workshop organized here on Wednesday.
In his welcome address, Animal Husbandry Commissioner at the Food and Research Ministry Dr M. Akram said that the collaboration with FAO under TCP is a great step.
He voiced hope that the feasibility study will be completed in the next 6 to 9 months to set up an animal diseases surveillance system in the country.
Livestock has huge potential
He said that livestock had a huge potential but Pakistan only earn USD 350 million annully in it exports.
Dr. Akram said that Pakistan cannot meet its local per capita requirements. A major part of the livestock farmers was living on a subsistence level and was unable to turn the livestock a systemic enterprise.
Being the custodian of livestock fiekd in Pakistan, this is a great challenge for the MoNFSR. It needs to increase the productivity of the livestock and make it a value-added sector. Therefore, collaboration with FAO is an encouraging step.
Dr. Akram further said that along with the surveillance system, a regulatory framework was equally important. The Ministry has presented a draft National Animal Health Act as per the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines which would be presented to the workshop participants for review.
Their recommendations would be welcomed in the final draft.
