The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has prepared four projects worth Rs1.10 billion for development of livestock sector to alleviate poverty and generate employment opportunities for the people of the tribal districts of the erstwhile FATA.
According to officials of the Livestock Department, a gigantic projects worth Rs500 million has prepared under Accelerated Implementation Program (AIP) in the region. The project is aimed to establish small scale livestock farms under integrated livestock development. The project will be implemented during upcoming financial year 2019-20.
The provincial government has also planned to construct 10 cattle markets in all tribal districts at the cost of around Rs.200 million during the current fiscal year. The project would enable farmers to sell and purchase livestock products at their doorsteps and earn maximum profits besides discouraging the culture of commission and eliminating the role of middleman.
Similarly, Rs 300 million would be spent on enhancement of livestock productivity in South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Orakzai, Kurram, Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur tribal districts with special focus on increasing milk, meat and eggs production.
Farmers would be encouraged to look after their calf for longer period of times at least for six months to one year so that they could get maximum profits besides bolstering meat production in the province.
The KP government would make special focus on establishment of livestock, research and development facilities with proposed allocation of Rs.100 million to help livestock growers and farmers in treatment of their animals
In this regard, a mega project of Rs834.814 million has already been launched to develop rural poultry besides increasing meat and eggs production in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over a period of four years 2019-23.
A huge 'poverty alleviation through development of rural poultry has been approved for entire KP spread over 2019-23 period under which one million poultry birds would be distributed among 166,667 households.
Out of this hefty amount, Rs136.936 million would be provided by Federal Government and Rs.547.850 million to be contributed by the KP government for successful implementation of the project.
The provincial government has allocated a substantial amount of Rs70 million for successful implementation of this pro-poor program on ground in KP and erstwhile FATA during 2019-20.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019