Promoting livestock: Ten goats distributed among farmers

Varsity, Korean body aim to help local communities.

RAWALPINDI: As many as ten goats were distributed among underprivileged villagers as part of efforts to promote livestock. The livestock was given by the Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) and Korean New Village Movement at the university research farm in Koont, Chakwal.

The initiative hopes to augment its scope under a project worth $3.5 million.



According to a press release, a PMAS spokesperson noted that the Pakistan-Korea Capacity Building Centre for Agriculture and Livestock Technology (PKCBC), initiated with the financial support of Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), will generate competition among villagers, who will get more goats, cows and buffaloes on the basis of their performance.

MNA Raja Javed Ikhlas was chief guest at the ceremony. The event was also attended by PMAS-AAUR Vice-Chancellor Dr Rai Niaz Ahmad, PKCBC Project Manager Dr Kil Ung Kim, KOICA members, varsity faculty and local union council leaders.

The minister said the availability of water was very necessary to promote agriculture and livestock. He noted that the Punjab government was considering a proposal to build 500 small dams in the Potohar region.

“The federal government has also announced a project worth Rs350 billion for the agricultural community that will usher in new era of development in the agricultural sector,” the MNA said.

VC Dr Ahmad highlighted that the university has constructed a Pakistan-Korea capacity building centre with the help of KOICA. “The university is also going to initiate a new project worth Rs2.5 billion in coordination with the Korean government to improve socio-economic conditions in the area,” the VC added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2016.