User:Drmsqureshi/sandbox

Dairy Science Park Peshawar, Pakistan After graduating for PhD during 1998, I found that Pakistan is loosing our huge export potential; in spite of standing at 4th position in milk production. My PhD thesis was on buffalo reproduction-nutrition interaction at the peri-urban dairy farms and I had to stay with the farmers and at the laboratories till late night. I discussed the issues with them and considered various approaches for changing the fate of these people. The Indian example of Village Milk Cooperative System was discussed where the farmers joined hands and got all types of scientific, financial and marketing support from various agencies. The farmers were of the opinion that those farmers trust among themselves and on the supporting agencies. But we do not. They were right. My ideas floated on the national press and the internet and the higher authorities were persuaded to constitute the Livestock Board and exchange delegations with Australia and the New Zealands. Pakistan Dairy Company was established. Efforts were made to improve the informal dairy sector. The Company was successful in introduction of new technologies to the farms. The Livestock Board tried to intervene in dairy and meat production and marketing, but with little success due to the bureaucratic approach. No program is currently available to provide blanket coverage to the peri-urban dairy farms in various parts of the country. To bring the issue into limelight the International Workshop on Diary Science Park (November 21-23, 2011) was conducted at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agricultural University Peshawar. During the three days of the workshop, experts from academia, research, extension and industry, policy makers and farmers community presented papers and exchanged ideas to work out a comprehensive plan for the development of dairy industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. The workshop was inaugurated by the Honorable Minister for Agriculture, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Arbab Muhammad Ayub Jan and concluded by Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Minister for Livestock. The peri-urban dairy farms provide a good source for milk and surplus animals for the slaughter house. However, this is also posing a threat to the environment by producing pollutants to the air, water and soil. The workshop was a good attempt and attracted a good number of papers, exceeding 100, from various universities and research and development organizations, out of which about 60 were selected for oral presentation. The recommendations of the workshop were compiled and are considered at various fora.