[Pakistan] Livestock has significant potential for poverty reduction, export, says Aziz

from The Pak Tribune

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that the enormous potential of livestock remains underutilized in Pakistan and government along with provinces is taking a number of steps including re-orientation of public sector institutions.
Moreover improvement of extension services, better R&D facilities for use of new technologies and techniques, provision of more resources for the sector, vaccine production, infrastructure improvement in livestock markets and more incentives for private sector to add value to the products, increase the farm income and improve the standard of living in rural areas.

The Prime Minister was chairing a meeting to review the livestock development situation and overall performance of the agriculture sector. He gave approval of the Livestock Development Policy.

The Prime Minister said that livestock has significant potential for poverty reduction, growth and export if adequate support & incentives in public and private sectors are provided. Livestock policy will focus on providing safe and quality products at competitive prices, covering entire value chain with focus on marketing and poverty reduction.

"There is a need to move from subsistence farming to market-oriented and commercial farming" ,said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister said that the share of agriculture in Pakistan’s GDP is 23.1% and that of livestock is 10.8%. The development of this sector will be among the top priorities of the government and as a result of government’s enhanced spending as well as others steps taken to develop the agricultural sector a decline in rural poverty has occurred.

He said that findings of Pakistan Social and Living Standard Survey, which has been conducted in coordination with donor agencies, indicate that there is 18% reduction in rural poverty from 39% in 2001 to 31.8% in 2005, 24% reduction in urban poverty, from 22.7% in 2001 to 17.2% in 2005 and overall poverty has from 21% ,32.1% in 2001 to 25.4% in 2005 .

Approving the Livestock Policy the Prime Minister emphasized the need for effective implementation of the policy and seamless coordination between the federal, provincial and local governments.

’Federal government will act as a catalyst, provincial and district governments will play a key role in implementation. It will be a private sector lead development with public sector providing the enabling environment’ the Prime Minister said.

Federal Secretary Food and Agriculture in his presentation said that the livestock contributes 8.5% to the total exports and 6.5 million families are dependent on it. The Live Stock Policy covers every aspect of the development of this sector. Federal, Provincial and District governments will have clear responsibilities to implement the policy and develop the sector.

The Federal Government will be responsible for national policies, planning and economic coordination, import/export of animals and animal products and animal, quarantine, research and international coordination and price stabilization. The Provincial Governments will take steps for livestock development, veterinary vaccine production, disease surveillance and reporting, livestock research, lviestock production and health education and milk and meat quality. The District governments will took after veterinary health service (preventive & curative), breeding services (artificial insemination), animal slaughtering and livestock markets.

Under the policy substantial support will be provided to private sector for modernization of techniques, better marketing, training of workers, establishment of butcheries and slaughter houses. A programme to set up modern dairy farms has already been initiated and programmes are being finalized to set up large scale breeding farms and slaughter houses.

Secretary Agriculture and Livestock, NWFP apprised the Prime Minister about the steps taken to check the spread of Bird Flue in Pakistan. He said that the Ministry took a preemptive action to check the spread of disease in Pakistan and killed and disposed off the infected chickens in a scientific manner. Tests are being conducted to ascertain the exact nature of the virus.

Federal Minister for Food & Agriculture, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan also briefed the Prime Minister on the overall crop situation in the country. He said that the overall agricultural growth rate will be close to 4%. It is expected that government’s target of the production of 12.7 million bales of cotton will be exceeded. Rice production has increased by 8.5% in Punjab, in Sindh IRI-6 production increased by 15% and there is 11% overall increase. He said the total crop is 5.5 million tons. Maize crop has shown 7% increase. The production of minor crops like onion and chillies has also increased. Also there is an increase in the production and export of kinos.

The meeting was attended among others by Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, Federal Minister for Food & Agriculture, Muhammad Ali Malkani, MOS for Food, Agriculture & Livestock, Jadam Mangrio, Minister for Livestock & Fisheries, Sindh and senior officials of Federal and Provincial Governments.