LAHORE (11-07-23): Office of Research Innovation & Commercialization of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore in collaboration with Punjab Agriculture Research Board (PARB) arranged a stakeholder discussion on livestock development & research here at City Campus on Tuesday.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Nasim Ahmed and Chief Executive (PARB) Dr Abid Mehmood co- chaired the meeting and sought suggestions and technical inputs from stakeholders and identified the priority researchable areas for the development of livestock sector and enhancing profitability of poor livestock farming community in the country. Representatives of dairy industry, stakeholders from public and private organizations, researchers/faculty members from different education institutions and professionals were present physically and many through video link.
Vice-chancellor Prof Dr Nasim Ahmed welcomed all the stakeholders and sought suggestions from participants on future necessities of Research & Development for livestock sector. He mentioned that UVAS is always ready in providing support to professionals and industrialists in the uplift of livestock sector.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Abid Mehmood said that the meeting was aimed to provide a platform to all the stakeholders to discuss important issues, researchable areas and future challenges to boost livestock sector. He also spoke about the high priority areas of PARB for research. He said PARB paid much attention to livestock research projects in recent years and this sector is playing vital role in the uplift of national economy of Pakistan. He said livestock sector has many more opportunities to enhance meat export and dairy value added products.
The participants of the meeting identified areas of breed improvement, milk supply chain & value addition of milk, farm management, good practices, consumer awareness, livestock farmers training, marketing of dairy & livestock products, medicine & vaccine production to curb bovine deadly disease, camel milk value addition, packaging technology, food security and work force required to compliance standards to boost livestock sector. In which participant also suggested research able areas to promote saline water aquaculture in Pakistan especially shrimp aquaculture, utilization of fish waste into valuable products like squalene lecithin, fertilizer & gelatin and urged to promote integrated rice and fish culture as well.
Later Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Nasim Ahmed delivered an informative lecture on identifying research priority areas driven by field veterinarians of Livestock Department at UVAS Veterinary Academy.
