Good Evening Colleagues,
Community participation in agriculutral transformation is hurdled by several factors, especially in the developing countries like Pakistan. Let us discuss some of these factors with reference or the livestock value chain (LVC).
The main stakeholders of the LVC, the livestock and poultry farmers and butchers belong to poor socioeconomic background with little access to the state resources like policy making and funding opportunities. Their farming processing practices prevent their business setup from generating quality products and profitability. Above this, the price fixation policy call for lower prices, irrespective of the products quality. A good entrepeneur, struggling to make a place in the market through quality products, is discouraged by the irrationally low prices fixed by the district administrative authorities. Hence, the farmers and butchers raraly sustain their small scale operations and can not attract their growing kids to come into such businesses.
LVC is served by several public sector organizations like Livestock and Dairy Development Department KP Extension and Research Wings, taking care of extension and research needs of the livestock sector.
Livestock Markets and Slaughter Houses are being managed by Local Council Board, livestock education
is managed by Higher Education Department through various universities, Livestock Enterprises and Trade
are overseen by KP-LFWA, KPCCI and SMEDA; food quality by KP-FSHFA and price regulation by the district
administration. Fisheries have got their own Directorate General. Hence, 10 government/private organizations are taking care of a single livestock sector. All of these organizations work in total isolation without any mechanism for coordination or judicial access to the government resources. Hence, the issues of the livestock stakeholders across the livestock based food value chain remain ignored. This may not qualify to be called as a good governance model.
This Author, as Natinoal Consultant (Qureshi 2019, FAO KP Livestock Action Plan), was of the opinion that the private sector is suffering badly by the price regulating policies of the District Goverments. Price capping has restricted the growth of the dairy and meat industries. Young dairy and meat entrepreneurs providing high quality
products, are fined, punished and sealed by the district administration/. KP-Foof Safety and Halal Food Authority (KP-SHFA) while those selling low quality items keep on working.
Degree programs of three provincial universities have got non-accredited by the Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council. Livestock Market and Slaughter Houses failed to attract attention of the Government. Private sector could not get appropriate patronage of the government to survive and contribute in economic growth of the province through generation of decent employment and exportable surpluses. Consumers could not get access to milk, meat and eggs of their desired quality. International opportunities like collaboration with Konya Technopark, Tukey could not be honored.
This Author suggested that Livestock Technopark Peshawar (LTP) may be established, initially as an LTP Task Force through an executive order of the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Later on, an Act of the Legislative
Assembly/Ordinance of Governor may be initiated. LTP will be an autonomous authority with full
regulatory, administrative, financial and legislative powers to protect all the stakeholders of the livestock
industry, and to engage all the relevant private and public sector organizations in the process. This would
create an enabling environment for the growth of the emerging entrepreneurs, through a coordinated
approach, targeted at generating decent employment and exportable surpluses. A balance approach
would provide a level playing field to all the stakeholders and ensure a private sector led growth as per
international standards. The Managing Board of Livestock Technopark Peshawar would comprise one
representative each of: i) DG LDD Ext; ii) DG LDD Res; iii) DG Fisheries; iv) Dean FAHVS UAP; v) Secretary
Local Council Board; vi) VC WUM; vii) KP-LFA; viii) Poultry Farmer; ix) Fish Farmer; x) Feed Processor; xi)
Dairy Processor; xii) Meat Processor; xiii) KPCCI; xiv) KP FSHFA and; xv) MPA.
Prof. Muhammad Subhan Qureshi