ISLAMABAD
\nA major initiative aimed at transforming livestock fibre into high-value products has been planned to accelerate rural industrialisation in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), thereby opening new income streams for farmers and artisans.
\nThe project is titled \u201cValue Added Livestock Products (Wool, Hair and Mohair) for Rural Industrialisation of Pakistan (GB and AJK)\u201d and carries a total cost of Rs300 million.
\nThe three-year project (July 2026-June 2029) is planned to be implemented across all districts of Gilgit Baltistan and the Neelum Valley in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
\nAccording to documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the project focuses on value addition, productivity enhancement and modernisation of the fibre value chain.
\nBy organising the entire chain from raw material collection to finished products, it aims to increase livestock farmers\u2019 incomes by 15-20% through value addition, improved processing and better market access.
\nUnder the initiative, 35 raw material collection units will be established\u201330 in GB and five in AJK\u2013alongside cleaning and spinning processing units, including one in each GB district and one in Neelum Valley.
\nAdditionally, four weaving and four stitching centres will be set up in GB and AJK to promote local craftsmanship and product finishing.
\nThe project also envisions the registration and operationalisation of the Yak Dwellers Association to strengthen institutional capacity and improve linkages with international yak networks.
\nCommunity ownership of collection and processing units will be promoted to ensure sustainability and inclusive growth.
\nTourism-oriented display and marketing centres for finished products will be created to enhance visibility and boost sales. Linkages with tourism markets and private-sector buyers are expected to generate revenue through service charges and product sales.
\nCapacity-building programmes will be conducted for farmers, artisans and entrepreneurs to improve production techniques and business skills.
\nTo enhance fibre quality, vaccination and deworming of 25,000 animals are also planned under the project. Aligned with the 5Es Framework, the 13th Five-Year Plan and the National Agriculture Innovation and Growth Project (NAIGP), the initiative supports livestock value addition, rural enterprise development, institutional strengthening and sustainable livestock management.
\nBy tapping into niche fibre products and promoting small-scale industrialisation in remote areas, the project aims to transform the underutilised livestock resources of GB and AJK into a structured rural industrial value chain. With modest federal investment, the initiative is poised to generate employment, strengthen local enterprises and contribute to sustainable rural industrialisation in GB and AJK.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD A major initiative aimed at transforming livestock fibre into high-value products has been planned to accelerate rural industrialisation in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), thereby opening new income streams for farmers and artisans. The project is titled \u201cValue Added Livestock Products (Wool, Hair and Mohair) for Rural Industrialisation of Pakistan (GB […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":537414,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-537383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-national"],"yoast_head":"\n