Reviving the economy of KP Province of Pakistan under the Dairy Science Park

Pakistan has been blessed with natural resources; however utilization of resources could not be ensured efficiently. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province possesses 39.7, 34.6, 29.1, 66.6 and 1000 million cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and poultry. The present farming and marketing system do not possess the capacity to return the required profitability to the producer nor the required food quality to the consumers. In addition the long fought war on terror in the province and the adjoining Afghan regions has caused irreparable losses to livestock and poultry resources in the region. Resultantly, the region has become a site of unrest and a conflict among various hostile forces. The Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science is the leading organization in livestock sector of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, engaged in teaching, research and industrial linkages. At graduate level, the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree program is being successfully run under guidelines provided under the Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council Act 1996 and quality of the program is reflected from performance of the students at Provincial and Federal Public Service Commission, Pakistan Army, admission into international educational institutions and the Industry. Postgraduate degree programs are being run leading to award of MSc Hons/M Phil and PhD degree programs in Livestock Management, Poultry Science, Animal Nutrition and Animal Health. Applied research has been covering the industrial issues and advisory services are provided to the provincial government and the KP Chamber of Commerce and Industries. A good number of publications in impact factor journals, winning research projects/awards by the faculty members, release of ADP funds by the LG&RD Department and consideration of support by the USDS, have been indicative of the quality of research at the Faculty. Dairy Science Park has emerged at the Faculty as a remedy for responding to the challenges faced by the Livestock Sector. Mission statement of the Park has been set as economic growth at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA and the neighboring Afghanistan regions through medium sized livestock and poultry production, processing and marketing units, and service providers, through an ISO accredited, environment-friendly intervention package providing entrepreneurship opportunities to the youth, ensuring food security of the province and sparing surpluses for the international Halal Meat market exceeding US$ +500 billion. Quality control support will be provided through development of standards for the farms, clinics, meat/milk/eggs shops, slaughter houses, services providers and other associated units. The interests of various stakeholders will be protected through legislation and promulgation of Dairy Science Park Act 2015. A network of nucleus breeding stocks will b be established to meet the requirements of the emerging entrepreneurs in farming sheep, goats, cattle, buffaloes, broiler poultry, turkeys, rabbits and quails and etc. Value addition network will be provided through slaughter houses, milk processing units, cold storage and transportation. The Park has been supposed to generate self-employment, indirect employments, and production of hygienic food for local consumption and for earning foreign exchange. Additional benefits would be public health and environment protection; providing Halal meat to Muslim and non Muslims around the globe; combating energy crisis and friendly relations with the nations around the globe.