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Projects
worth $ 2,27,000 for Livestock development
ISLAMABAD-Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has approved
a grant of 2,27,000 US$ for the development of Livestock
sector in the country. This was disclosed by Federal Minister
for Food and Agriculture Khair Muhammad Junejo while talking
to APP news agency here on Fabuurary 07, 2002. He said a
memorandum in this connection has been signed with FAO
representative in Pakistan.
He said the fund will be used for launching a Livestock Action
Plan in four provinces of the country. "We must integrate
efforts to bring together livestock strategy in all the
provinces", he added.
He said, government is striving hard to facilitate the rural
population for the development of Livestock population. Rural
area contribute 25 % of the GDP annually so that we must take
care of their problems, he added.
Junejo said, " the objective of the project is to develop a
Composite national Livestock Sector Action plan based on
separate Livestock Strategy Studies at provincial level. The
project will provide the services of one TCDC export,
Agricultural/Livestock economist and three technical back
stopping missions by FAO staff, in-service training and funds
for other project related activities", he added.
He said country has a rich and diverse livestock sector that
plays a significant socio-economic role. It accounts for about
9.7 percent of the GDP, constitutes about 10 percent of the
overall export earnings and provides the livelihood to the
majority of the rural population.
Agriculture Minister said Livestock raising is very
traditional with few commercial enterprises. The livestock
sector has the potential to increase productivity to the
benefit of the private individual livestock producers, he
added.
Although investment have been made in the sector, he said, yet
a major number of issues needs to be addressed which included
necessary enabling environment of support services,
infrastructure and markets that will allow improved
productivity to take place.
He said, the Livestock Sector study in Pakistan was undertaken
in 1987.
Nevertheless, the complex interactions and trade-offs between
supplying a growing population with livestock products,
maintaining and strengthening the livelihoods of poorer rural
segments of the population and earning foreign revenue require
a comprehensive, updated review of the livestock sector, he
added.
Since the launching of the Technical Cooperation Programme in
1976 FAO has implemented a total 80 projects under this
programme in Pakistan at a cost of US$ 9.8 million. In
addition to assistance under the technical Cooperation
Programme, FAO has also provided assistance of US$ 109 million
and implemented a total of 222 projects in the field of
Agriculture, Policy and Planning, research, Livestock,
Forestry and Fisheries.
February 8, 2002
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Pakissan.com;
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