by Fakhar Alam
PESHAWAR, Jan 29 (APP):The Federal Government has launched scores of uplift projects worth millions of rupees in Federally Administered Tribal Areas for Temporarily Displaced People (TDPs) associated with milk industry and livestock to bring them into main stream and hence for their socio-economic revitalisation.
As most of TDPs, majority of whom associated with livestock, dairy and
agriculture sector have returned to their hometowns following the normalcy in FATA, the
The federal government has laid main focus on livestock’s
infrastructure development, human resource advancement, installation of bio gas plants, increasing milk production of animals and provision of artificial insemination services at their doorstep.
Dr Kamran, Planning Officer Department of Livestock and Dairy Development Fata told APP that his department was closely working with Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Unit (RRU) besides donor agencies and line department for speedy reconstruction and rehabilitation work on livestock infrastructure damaged or destroyed due to militancy in Fata to provide better and enhanced facilities to TDPs and tribesmen associated with milk and dairy industries at their doorstep.
To improve milk supply chain, “Milk Chillers” machines have been installed in Bajaur Agency on pilot basis to provide hygienic milk to the consumers under its All Fata ADP scheme of Capacity Building of Livestock Directorate Fata.
“The price of one Milk Chillers machine is Rs350,000 to Rs 4 lakh in market and its installation on pilot basis has been started in Bajaur Agency with main objective to minimize spoilage of milk, ensure quality of milk and enhance milk’s commercial value,” said Dr Kamran. To provide uninterrupted power supply to these machines, he said, a gigantic plan has been approved for solarization in Bajaur and Mohmand agencies where these machines would be linked with solar system.
In order to cope with energy shortfall and provide an alternate source of energy at domestic level, Dr Kamran said that small gas plants have been installed in Bajaur and Mohmand agencies on pilot basis under the aforesaid project that would be later extended to other tribal agencies.
“We have planned to install 50 biogas plants in 2016-17 in Mohmand and Bajaur agencies to reduce pressure on forests, biodiversity besides reducing women labor,” he said, adding priorities would be given to dairy farmers with four to five milk producing animals in good health.
Dr Kamran said 30 biogas plants in Bajaur Agency and 20 biogas plants in Mohmand Agency have already been installed, adding one biogas plant costing Rs 200,000 can easily fulfill the energy’s needs of 10 households, adding about Rs108.927million would be spent on biogas plants and Milk Chillers machines projects.
To reduce milk deficiency and help TDPs in revival of milk business, he said model dairy farm project has been launched in Bajaur Agency and building for a model farm on 16 kanal at Garay Bajaur Agency was setup and initially 30 crossed frozen animals would be purchased in current fiscal year to produce quality breed, saying the milk producing capacity of each cow that would be purchased for Rs2,50,000 would be jacked up to 15 to 20 liter per day.
This project would cost Rs53.35million. “We have estimated production of 81200 liters milk annually besides generating about Rs 5.6 million revenue for tribesmen of Bajaur Agency.
“The period of “Calves Fattening Project Fata” costing Rs.117.206 million has been extended to 2016-18 and TDPs of North Waziristan, Bara Khyber Agency would also benefit from it,” Dr Kamran said.
A registered farmer/livestock owner or TDP, having cows or buffalos’ calves (male) between 10 to 50 numbers would be provided free of cost technical support in formation of farm houses besides medicines, insemination, vaccination andfodder’s services at their doorstep under this project.
“It will be mandatory for the registered beneficiary livestock owner/farmers to look after and keep its calves in his/her farm for at least three months for provision of above services on constant basis by the Livestock Department to make them fully fattened, he said,” adding about 3000 calves have been already fattened and marketed since 2012-13 generating Rs300,000 income for poor farmers.
“We had faced shortage of liquid nitrogen gas in Fata insemination
centres in the past due to high demands of livestock growers who were mostly relying on KP and Punjab to get this facility. With establishment of Liquid Nitrogen Plant not only the requirements of tribesmen were being fulfilled but KP farmers could also be facilitated.” he said.
He said Rs6.74 millions revenue has directly been generated from treatment of animals, artificial insemination services and diagnostic tests besides a record Rs2186 million revenue as indirect services under the above services during last fiscal year.
With completion of these projects, not only the socio-economic conditions of tribesmen and TDPs would improve but requirement of quality milk and dairy of the ever growing population of Fata viz a viz KP would also be fulfilled.
