ISLAMABAD: The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and the US Department of Agriculture have jointly launched a project in Pakistan to deal with livestock emergencies at the national, provincial and district levels.

The Pakistan Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards Planning and Training Programme focuses on the importance of protecting and rebuilding livestock as a key livelihood asset in emergency and post-emergency situations.

At a ceremony held here on Thursday to launch the programme, Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan said the project was a timely initiative to boost the agriculture sector.

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According to an estimate, the livestock sector suffered a loss of Rs350 million in Punjab during the 2014 floods. The past decade in Pakistan witnessed a number of natural disasters, which cast a devastating impact on the lives, livelihood and food security of thousands of people and their sources of income. More than 100,000 cattle heads perished in the 2010-11 floods.

The Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards (LEGS) provides a set of guidelines and standards for planning, implementing and assessing livestock interventions to assist people affected by humanitarian crises.

The LEGS is based on three objectives: to provide rapid assistance, protect livestock assets and rebuild the livestock assets of crisis-affected communities.

It helps identify the most appropriate livestock interventions during emergencies and provides standards, key actions and guidance for the interventions based on good practices.

Mr Bosan said there was a growing realisation that responses to disasters should include protection of livestock assets and rebuilding of livestock-based livelihoods.

Deputy FAO Representative to Pakistan Francisco Gamarro said Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to impacts of climate change. “Rapid changes in the agriculture sector are taking place at international and national levels, which have direct and indirect implications on local communities. Coordinated efforts are needed to tackle the issues of climate change at grassroots level,” he said.

More than eight million rural families are involved in raising livestock – their main source of income and nutrition. In 2014-15, the livestock sector contributed about 56.3 per cent to value-added agriculture products, which is 11.8pc of GDP.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015

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