SARGODHA, Aug 15 (APP):About 69 per cent of rural population in Sargodha division is directly linked to the livestock sector and its promotion on scientific grounds could help reduce poverty on a large scale, say experts.
According to official statistics, livestock has over 18pc share in gross domestic product (GDP) of the country, and the sector could improve living standards of people. Pakistan is ranked fifth among the milk producing country. Production of milk and meat could be enhanced significantly by working on animal genetics. The best semen quality could play a vital role in improving animal health, milk and meat production, believe agriculturists, adding that it could also help generate maximum income for farmers as well as the country’s economy.
At the national level, about 12 million people are rearing cattle. According to the animal census and Economic Survey Report, there are 59.9 million big animals in the country. Similarly, the country has 88.09 million small animals (goats). As per the last Economic Survey Report, the production of milk increased from 64,599 million tonnes to 74,584 million tonnes.
Apart from this, district Sargodha owned 5,711,224 big animals (buffaloes, cows), 3,882,689 small animals (goats, sheep) and 1,873,916 rural poultry. Besides this, the farmers also rear 1919 camels, said sources in the Livestock Department. In rural areas, it is easy to rear animals because of the cultural environment, easy access to infrastructure and nutrition. In rural communities, the role of women farmers in cattle rearing is highly important. Without women farmers’ participation, the livestock sector could not be managed properly, said livestock Official Muhammad Tanveer Kalyar here on Thursday while talking to APP.
He said that livestock was performing an important role in poverty alleviation in rural areas. He recalled that the government had launched a special initiative to provide buffaloes and cows to widows, especially hailing from rural areas. The government had a very unique idea to provide animals to widows whose children were availing school education. The Livestock Department provided a good number of small and big animals to widows after thorough verification from schools concerned.
The widows are now successfully running their kitchen. Najma , a widow and a resident of Shah Nikdur in Sillanwali, who got a big animal in 2022, told APP, “I own one buffalo and one calf and it is a good source of my regular income”. She said she had also earned Rs180,000 by selling three calves. She expressed pleasure and thanked the government for provision of a buffalo, which helped her overcome economic woes.
Nouman, a resident of Farooqa, said that he was eager to sacrifice an animal on Eidul Azha. He said that he had purchased a small animal against Rs 25,000 and nurtured it for the whole year. He expressed pleasure that he had sacrificed the animal for first time in his life.
Similarly, Sumaira and Urooj Bibi, who are widows and farmers, and live in Sobhaga, also shared their success stories and praised the government for creation of economic opportunities on a regular basis for their families.
Asifa Bibi, another female farmer from Noorpur, said that she got animals on a sharing basis from an investor a few years ago. She recalled that she was a poor maid before starting the profession of cattle rearing and now she owned 26 animals.
Muhammad Usman from Eeeni, another cattle farmer, who completed a six-month diploma for cattle farm manager from Sargodha Institute of Cattle Farming, said that he had 16 animals. He said that his son was also a student at the institution. Usman recounted that he used to sell an animal for payment of a semester fee. “Animals are a good asset in an emergency situation. I also managed expenditures on marriages of my two younger brothers by rearing cattle,” he added.
