LAHORE (06-08-26): The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore arranged a Technical Committee Meeting of Pakistan-Netherland Dairy Development Center (PNDDC) for the development of dairy sector and increase in profitability & improvement of livelihood of livestock farming community.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Masood Rabbani presided over the meeting and sought suggestions and technical inputs from experts regarding action plan. The meeting identified the more focus areas of working, current issues of dairy sectors related to animal health & disease diagnostic, future challenges and way forward.
Director Corporate Affairs and Dairy Development Manager at FrieslandCampina Engro Pakistan Limited Mr Saud Pasha, Dean Faculty of Veterinary Science Prof Dr Kamran Ashraf, UVAS Senior faculty members from Animal Nutrition, Dairy Department, Food Science & Human Nutrition Department and officials from FrieslandCampina Engro Pakistan were present.
While addressing the meeting, Saud Pasha spoke about the aims and objectives of FrieslandCampina and its contribution for the development of dairy sector. He said UVAS is the hub of education & research and with its help we will identify the more focus areas and spread knowledge among livestock farming community for the development of dairy sector, improving the livelihood of livestock farmers.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Dr Masood Rabbani said that UVAS provides a platform to dairy stakeholders where they can share their knowledge, experiences & issues, identify challenging areas, address issues facing dairy sector and find solutions/way forward. He also talked about livestock farmers` awareness and how to enhance their profitability and production by adopting latest farm practices and bio-safety & health management of dairy animals. Prof Rabbani said that it is direly needed to work along with private sector to boost dairy sector in Pakistan. He urged initiating blood testing of market animals to control issues related to transmission of disease. He also spoke about upcoming UVAS initiatives at Ravi Campus Pattoki which is to be converted into Agro-Livestock Tourism Resort in near future, where students, researchers & families interested in poultry, dairy, livestock, fisheries & wildlife management will visit from various educational institutions on weekends and will get the opportunity to learn about knowledge regarding food processing related to farm-to-fork which will help remove misconceptions/myths in the mind of public about the poultry feed.
Dr Humaira Iqbal spoke about the responsibilities and core activities of PNDDC project comprising of research & innovation project, support in strategy & policy development, farmer-to-farmer exchange program, talent cultivation & exchange programes, livestock farmers education & training for their capacity building, industry-academia collaboration, organizing seminar and conferences to improve farm productivity, enhance milk quality and safety, improve dairy value chain and adoption of latest dairy practices. The participants of meeting recommended various steps related to starting livestock farmers training & education, short courses and certification, entrepreneurship of livestock farmers, handling & quality of milk, making short clips of success stories of farmers for the inspiration of other professionals.
