Farhat Asghar Rana
Research Assistant Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad
Pakistan enjoys a favorable environment for cultivation and cattle forming and possesses the status of an agrarian country. While keeping animals is a cultural part of Pakistan as well. Balochistan is situated in the southwest part of Pakistan and has a large area of 347,190 square kilometers and covers 44% of the total area of Pakistan. The main source of income and livelihood is livestock, agriculture fisheries and gas, coil and other minerals. Livestock once was mainly associated with the rural or underdeveloped areas where the means of life were short. The huge growth in population urged the situation to develop an appropriate and systematic department for livestock which should be facilitator to the urban and rural areas to fulfill the daily requirements of the meat milk and butter especially.
The main source of transportation, food, and reserve assets are livestock. Pakistan is an agriculture country and many parts of Pakistan are under different seasons and geographic locations, so the rural area of Punjab is different than the rural area of the Balochistan or Thar parker. The provinces of the Punjab and Sind have fertile plains with a good amount of ever-flowing rivers and an integrated system of irrigation, while KPK and Baluchistan are mountainous and Baluchistan especially has a large part with less rain and irrigation. The prosperity of the rural life depends on the promotion of the livestock that the natives should be able to handle the new techniques and facilities to increase the growth of their animals and should be able to market the extended utilities like butter meat leather and fur. The recent work by the Government of Balochistan to develop the rural areas and the promotion of the livestock is giving a high edge to the domestic economy as well as to the national economy.
Social-economic
culture and livestock
Baluchistan is full of livestock resources as well as wide-range land endorses the livestock. The livestock farmers are mostly landless and non-facilitate people whose livelihood mainly focuses on the livestock. Food supply and contribution to family income is an important feature of the livestock. Baluchistan’s main consumption of livestock is in the leather and carpets industry. The animals kept for domestic use of milk and dairy products but this has a high potential of wellbeing of the population that has realized by the government of Balochistan and they are speeding up the efforts to promote pastoral economy.
Livestock is a status symbol in rural life, as it is a monetary source of income. It is part of Pakistan and especially the Balochi culture to keep animals. These animals are part of social life as well as beneficial in an economic way. Social life is full of events and the livestock or domestic animals consume in many social events like feasts or in any emergency these live assets can turn into hard cash. Festivals and cultural shows like horse and cattle show mainly focus on the animals. Transportation plow and dairy products are common but after getting the meat the leather is itself a big industry with huge forms of products which is not possible without good care of livestock.
The Government of Baluchistan’s efforts to promote livestock Industry
The government of Baluchistan is realizing the importance of their pastoral economy so that some visible changes have been observed during a few years. Baluchistan is rich in organic food and the rangeland also provides the three main grazing systems nomadic, transhumance, and sedentary; the base of the lifestyle of the animal owners. Baluchistan has very precious spices of animals which can fulfill the international standard of food and leather quality. Many people migrated to the cities in search of good economic conditions while they have to pay more in urban areas for food and residence, this happens mainly when the agriculture sector or associated businesses of rural areas neglected. The migration not only over Burdon the urban infrastructure but also creates a vacuum in cultural life and dismisses domestic production which breaks the chain of food supply like meat butter-milk eggs and the effect transforms into the whole society. To avoid the situation it is very necessary to adjust and facilitate the landowner’s villagers and farmers in their respective means of livelihood.
The government of Baluchistan has a website for quick access to the information about livestock, the purpose of the department is to provide safe and quality products at competitive prices. The present government of Baluchistan is determined to work practically rather than conventional paperwork. Their keen interest has been observed in the promotion of the livestock, as the government of Balochistan has organized several conferences to grab the foreign investment for the progress and promotion of the livestock industry of Balochistan. The international conference was not only a serious sign of countless efforts but also was a mean of information to the other countries about the livestock and the related leather industry.
The department of livestock Balochistan and the University of Balochistan are organizing an expo on livestock in Quetta, which is the proof of practical work to human empowerment and to reduce poverty through pastoral economy. The government of Balochistan is taking steps to train the farmers about various new technologies in the field of Livestock through which the government can contribute to the economy of Balochistan as well as improve the country’s economic condition.
Recommendations
There must be an animal insurance program so that in any disease or emergency the poor farmer should be in mental peace for the cure of the animal or from a total loss.
New techniques of feed or grazing (avoid harsh or bitter shrubs) should be demonstrated.
Sub products manure should properly use to fertile the soil.
Serious steps are in high demand to get bio-energy from the livestock.
There must be collecting points for milk and wool from the sheep in rural areas.
Hygienic meat points with qualified staff can transfer red meat to the international market.
Better Transportation system is required so that the animal supply to the big markets should be made easy and beneficial for the farmer and the government itself.
Must train the farmers regarding the several advance technologies as well as about the different methods to keep the environment safe and clean for livestock sustainability.
Conclusion
In an agriculture country like Pakistan, the importance of livestock is undoubted. Livestock is the landmark of Baluchistan and the economy of the province mainly bases on the livestock industry. The precious animals not only support the food chain from meat and milk to other dairy products that sustain the bakery business but also provide a big opportunity in the field of Pashmina rugs wool and leather. In the time of inflammation, it is very suitable option to establish small farmhouses and regulate the livestock at the domestic level to increase the income of an individual along with national economic growth. Some initiatives at government level like international conference on livestock and expo on livestock are milestone to a prosperous Baluchistan and a progressive Pakistan. Continuity of such initiatives is in high demand for the proper growth of economy.
