PM’s Vision – Livestock and Poverty Alleviation

PM’s Vision – Livestock and Poverty Alleviation

Dr.Kamran Khan

Vice President

Livestock Farmers Association,KP

0333-9153616

[email protected]

                                                           20-12-18

A poor community was under debt and hunger from decades.One day the elders sat together and thought how they could get out of the debt trap as every thing they were doing or earning was going to settle the debt and very little was left for their families with which they could hardly feed and cloth them.

One of the elder came with the idea that why not they should grow some vegetables at the back of their homes and have some chicken.The Next day they got some seeds from the rotten vegetables they could find and borrowed some chicken from the neighboring village.

As the time passed,the community had their own small backyard kitchen garden which they fenced and everybody took care of it.The chicken they brought,started lying eggs and some of the eggs were incubated and chicks were distributed among different houses.In a year the community didn’t had to spend on food items.The vegetables and eggs they had became surplus and was sold.

It’s a small example of how from grass root level economy of a poor community can benefit.

The recent vision of PM Imran Khan to focus on Livestock on helping livelihood of poor communities may have not solve all the problems but could help them towards sustainability.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has launched a campaign to help extremely poor families in sub-Saharan Africa by giving them chickens.

Mr Gates said a farmer breeding five hens could earn more than $1,000 a year. The poverty line is about $700.The scheme helped poor families in Africa.

Almost in all cultures from pre historic times,livestock played important role in their daily  routine this could be seen from the different sculptures at Mohinjodaro to Taxila,one of the oldest civilizations.

In Past we had the Pakistan Dairy Company made to bring out the ‘white flood’ then came Agri Support Fund to help Livestock Sector.Various Livestock Boards were made.Millions were spent but the success stories are hard to find.No one evaluated the failures of these programs.As a practical farmer and student of Dairy from last 18 years what I found the reasons are poor planning without taking the suggestions from the actual stake holders and incapable personsat the top end.

Most of the funds were utilized on infra structure of these program and lack of vision to identify the real problem.Our poor farmer does not need a computer software,he does not need ‘technical skill’ before he could have a proper roof and drain in his farm.These grants were not for basic infrastructure of the farm but for hifi technology.

In my opinion (and its my own personal),appointing the retired DG’s,DLO’s etc from the livestock department is the main reason of failure.If someone in power with all the facilities,finances,contacts was not able to deliver in his tenure then what we could expect from him after retirement.Everyone knows how the government machinery works.

If Government once again has realized the importance of this sector,it should appoint someone from the Private sector not government sector to lead it.In Pakistan we have hundreds of Livestock and Dairy Development Departments working from decades.If some one could guide me what they are doing?Our poor buffaloe which was giving 10-12 kg when it was created,is giving same milk today.If someone claims that our buffalo is giving 30 liters,then kindly guide me from where I could get 50 such buffaloes for my farm. In last 50 years we have not made a presentable gene pool to show to the world.We have destroyed out Sahiwal breed and now we are working on conservation of Sahiwal.If you need a pure Sahiwal,you will have to go to India or Australia for it.

The only success you could witness is from private sector.With the Import of Cows from Australia,Holland,US there is a great threat to our local breeds.The government figures claim increase in Buffaloe population while my personal experience says its declining.I have visited all major Mandis of Pakistan from the last 15 years.We found fewer animals now.The three major mandis are of Okara,Arifwala and Chechawatni on monthly basis.On an average 5000 animals are shipped to Karachi from each month.The selected animals are one of the best.There calves are destroyed.These animals leave the farm directly to the slaughter house.So on an average monthly 5000 animals with great milk potential are destroyed.Same is the story in other major cities of Pakistan.The number of animals kept in villages are declining.The number one problem in livestock industry is government control on rates.If there is no control on our Inputs and farmer is buying everything from open market then government has no justification in controlling the Output rate as its not giving any subsidy.This is agreed by everyone and every new policy has this segment but g government is afraid to remove the price capping.Every product in market is sold on quality basis.If the control over milk and meat is removed,there will be competition for quality as everyone will try to improve its quality.The market forces will define the end price.

So I would request the members of the task force made on Livestock to add someone from Farmers Association,the real dairy farmer and not so called ‘representative of farmers’ as he knows the real problem of farmers and his business is at stake.

By:

Dr.Kamran Khan

Vice President

Livestock Farmers Association,KP

0333-9153616

[email protected]