Livestock Dept launches Backyard Poultry Farming Program, Save Calves, Feedlot Fattening projects, NAEP, control locusts during last two years in KP
APP
PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agriculture, Livestock and Ccoperatives Department has launched scores of projects including Prime Minister’s Backyard Poultry Farming Programme, National Agriculture Emergency Program (NEAP) and Calves Fattening Project besides sucessfully controlled locusts during last two years.
KP Government, keeping in view of the enormous economic and health benefits of poultry and livestock sectors, have started ‘Backyard Poultry Farming Program’ under the Prime Minister National Agriculture Emergency Program (NAEP) to alleviate poverty and generate employment opportunities for hunderds of thousands of poor people especially in rural areas of the province.
The Prime Minister’s NAEP worth Rs309.7 billion has been launched in all four provinces including KP primarily focusing on 16 mega projects related to agriculture, livestock, poultry and cooperatives sectors.
Officials in Livestock Department told APP on Monday that Fderal Government would provide about Rs85 billion and KP Government would contribute Rs175 billion besides Rs50 billion share of farmers in this landmark national NAEP programme started in the province including merged tribal districts.
Three major livestock projects including Feedlot Fattening Project worth Rs 826million, Save the Calf of Rs1554 million and Backyard Poultry of Rs 834.814 million have been launched after its inclusion in NEAP in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Out of Rs834.814million total allocation for Backyard Poultry programme, Rs136.936 million would be provided by Federal Government, Rs547.850 million by KP Govt and remaining by the beneficiaries.
The backyard poultry is an inclusive programme primarily targeting downtrodden and poor segments under which one million poultry birds would be distributed among 166,667 poor households and women during next three years in KP.
Poultry program has been extended to merged areas which would be completed in different phases.
Eggs production had already been started by poultry units in Kohat, Mardan and Swabi districts and beneficiaries are earning a handsome livelihood at their doorsteps.
Poultry farming continues with upward trajectory with over 1.02 billion broilers being produced annually which contribute in boosting rural economy and poverty alleviation in the country, according to Livestock Policy 2018.
During last three years, the domestic and commercial poultry had showed substantial growth as estimated production of the domestic poultry has been registered as 85.86 million units in 2016-17, 87.16 million units in 2017-18 and 88.19 million units in 2018-19.
According to Livestock Policy, Pakistan has achieved a substantial growth rate of 8-10 percent per year in the poultry sector making it the 11th largest poultry producer country of the world.
The investors after sensing high profits prospects has focused on commercial poultry by establishing around 20,000 modern poultry farms in the country including about 5, 000 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa mostly located in Manshera, Abbottabad, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Chitral, Batagram, Charsadda, Bajaur, Malakand, Shangla, Buner, Kohat, Hangu, Kurram, Swat, Orakzai and Peshawar.
PTI government in KP would spend about Rs95 billion on agriculture, livestock and cooperatives related projects during its five years term against only Rs44 billion spent in 70 years in the past.
Seven gigantic projects worth Rs4.20 billion have been approved during 2019-20 for uplift of agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors in merged areas (Erstwhile Fata). Similarly, a mega project worth Rs10 million has been approved for cooperative sector underwhich machinery, equipment and others items were distributed among cooperatives societies.
A total of 10 new projects focusing on enhancement of meat and milk production, water conservation, livestock and dairy development have been prepared after consultation with all stakeholders out of which seven were approved.
PTI Government has expedited work on ambitious Accelerated Implementation Program (AIP) in merged areas by approving four mega projects for which Rs665 million have been already released.
PC-1 of the 15 new projects have been developed out of which approval of 14 projects including 11 Public Sector Development Projects(PSDP) worth Rs 44 billion were taken and funds of 10 projects have been already released.
These PSDP and ADP funded projects include bringing improvements, repair and construction of watercourses, construction of small and medium dams, production of wheat, rice, oil, protection of calves, fattening of animals and promotion of trout fish farming in the province including merged areas. Agriculture programs worth Rs1970million has been developed under AIP for erstwhileFata with main focus on enhancement of crops’ productivity, producing of virus free seeds, solarization of tube-wells and building of small dams to bring its vast areas under agriculture cover.
The programs planned under AIP include Integrated Agricultural Development Program (IADP) worth Rs750 million, merged areas’ contribution to NAEP with a projected allocation of Rs 640 million, construction of small check dams and watercourses with a hafety amount of Rs580 million.
Under IADP, an inclusive program for production of virus free seeds would be launched in Kurrum and Orakzai tribal districts.
Similarly, work on 11 agriculture disciplines would be initiated under integrated agriculture devoloping program primarily focusing on construction of around 32,000 watercourses, building of small check dams for prevention of water’s wastage and soil erosion, strengthening of poultry farming and solarization of tube wells.
Mobile Veterinary Clinics (MVC) were set up in Bajwar, Mohmand, Kurram and other tribal districts and “Milk Chillers” machines each Rs4 lakh price installed in Bajaur district on pilot basis to provide hygienic milk to the consumers under Capacity Building of Livestock Programme.
Dozens of biogas plants in Bajaur and in Mohmand districts installed as one biogas plant costing about Rs200,000 can easily fulfill the energy’s needs of many households.
A mega dairy farm project has been launched in Bajaur and building for a model farm on 16 kanal at Garay Bajaur was setup where bulls and oxens of quality breed being were kept to produce quality breed for increasing milk and meat production.
A modern poultry research centre had been established in Jaba Mansehra district to conduct research on poultry related diseases and prepare life saving chickens vaccines.
The agriculture and livestock department has achieved over 92% success in the alloted targets pertaining to development and provision of better services to people.
These mega projects would not only improve socio-economic conditions of poor people but will increase meat, milk and dairy production of the ever growing population.
