Under the present governance system, focus of the public sector organization has been on: i) Livestock Extension, breeding and health coverage; ii) Livestock Research, vaccine, diagnosis and nutrition; iii) Livestock Education, veterinary medicine; iv) Agric Extension/Research, Fodder/Crops Production & Mngt; v) Deputy Commissioner, price capping, no Quality Control; vi) Legal courts, export ban; vii) SMEDA, little focused attempts; viii) KPCCI, low priority; ix) Public Health Services, low priority; x) ORIC Offices of Universities, underutilized. It has led to missing entrepreneurship/ exports/ Quality Control/ Traceability/ Halal aspects of the livestock-based food value chain.
As National Consultant FAO (Livestock), this author suggested establishment of LTs under KP Livestock Action Plan 2019, as autonomous bodies which would explore and enhance the capacity of the public sector organizations to support entrepreneurship development across the Livestock Value Chain. It will contribute to Environmental Sustainability through good practices, Social Sustainability through empowerment of the farmers’ community and Economic Sustainability through development of a network of entrepreneurship models in livestock farming, products processing and service delivery, targeted at generation of decent employment and exportable food surpluses.
The principle of "Thinking Globally, Acting Locally" profoundly aligns with the Dairy Science Park's mission, aiming to harness livestock resources to create a network of entrepreneurial models that generate sustainable employment and exportable surpluses. Despite facing resistance from influential stakeholders in large-scale projects, the initiative has found strong support among stakeholders throughout the livestock value chain, particularly those striving for survival and advancement.
This transformative vision originated from discussions between Prof M Subhan Qureshi and Dr. Abdur Rahman Ilyas at the 2010 Industrial Biotech Conference in Cairo, culminating in the establishment of the "Dairy Science Park" in 2011 at the University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan. Since its inception, the initiative has garnered backing from local farming communities, allied sectors, Chief Minister GoKP, and esteemed international organizations like FAO-UN, ITC-UN, and ASRT-Egypt, underscoring its broad recognition and endorsement.
Despite receiving support across various fronts, tangible implementation in the public sector remains pending. Nonetheless, private partners and individuals have embraced the concept, albeit on a limited scale, delving into the industrial aspects of livestock resources to promote entrepreneurship. This endeavor has already yielded the production of Halal and hygienic foods/biotech products for both local and international markets.
The transformative potential of converting livestock resources into entrepreneurial models through livestock technoparks extends beyond borders and offers promise for replication in numerous developing countries and regions, signaling a pathway toward sustainable economic development.
Prof. Muhammad Subhan Qureshi