PESHAWAR: Bureaucratic hurdles are likely to delay establishment of Dairy Science Park (DSP) planned by an academician for the development of livestock sector, achieving the goals of hygienic food for local consumption, boosting meat export and generating self-employment through entrepreneurship, by involving the academia and public and private sectors.

In order to regulate the livestock sector and exploit the potential of livestock resources in the war- and flood-hit zones of the country Dean Faculty of Animal Husbandry of Agriculture University, Peshawar, Dr Subhan Qureshi has prepared a plan to establish an economic powerhouse through an independent and autonomous board of directors (BoD) to run the affairs of the park, but some officials are stated to be unwilling to cooperate in this regard.

Prof Qureshi has proposed a business incubation centre costing Rs250 million for infrastructure in addition to Rs250 million as an endowment fund.

The park is supposed to ensure availability of hygienic food, boost meat exports

In his plan, he has recommended development of quality control standards at farms, clinics and processing and market places. The endowment fund would be utilised for developing feasibility models and revitalising the underutilised assets in the public and private sectors. The fund will support industrial research projects under the business incubation centre.

In this regard, the provincial secretary local government and rural development has appreciated the concept by writing a note to the chief secretary for establishment of the park.

According to the documents, the LG secretary while giving rationale in support of the scheme under the local government sector termed it justified under the Integrated Development Strategy 2014-18 of the provincial government.

However, the secretary agriculture and livestock is reluctant to give a go-ahead to the agriculture university to materialise the plan.

The secretary agriculture in his note for the chief secretary on the subject declined support to the proposal submitted by the LG department, saying that livestock development initiatives were their own mandate. He added that the department was already working on various initiatives for dairy development in the province.

According to the documents, Provincial Senior Minister Inyatullah Kahn has also endorsed the idea of establishment of autonomous DSP Board, which will be run by imminent scientists, industrialists and farmers’ representatives.

Peshawar nazim Arbab Asim has also backed the idea for developing standard operating procedures for livestock farming, products processing and marketing for application in the field. He has desired training of butchers in hygienic meat production and marketing.

Furthermore, the secretary agriculture revealed that the provincial livestock policy had already been drafted and being reviewed for submission to the cabinet for approval.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2017