Dairy Science Park

Preamble

The idea of Dairy Science Park was conceived by Prof M Subhan Qureshi during the Industrial Biotechnology Conference in Egypt, while discussing the Livestock Resources of the war-hit zone of the northern Pakistan with Mr Abdur Rahman Ilyas, ICRISAT, India. The idea was a continuation of the Livestock Development Plan prepared on advice of the Ex-Chief Minister/present Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan Abbasi, communicated vide letter dated 30th November, 1998, for productive utilization of provincial livestock resources targeted at export.

International Biannual Workshops series

An International workshop was held on November 21-23, 2011 to sensitize the stakeholders from the public and private sectors of the country for productive utilization of livestock resources. SMEDA was consulted at various phases of the Park. A presentation was made before the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry which led to establishment of a Standing Committee on Livestock at KPCCI, a business desk at SMEDA and a working group on livestock at the University of Agriculture Peshawar.
The Second International Workshop on Dairy Science Park was held on November 18-20, attended by 500+ members. The Workshop was sponsored by Higher Education Commission, the other sister and development agencies and private companies. The conference presented high quality papers during 9 sessions by speakers from various parts of the country, 6 faculty members from Kabul and Nangarhar University Afghanistan and Dr Mithat Direk from Selcuk University, Turkey. The number of papers presented were 200, comprising oral 85 and posters 115. The abstracts were published in the proceeding book with ISSN number. A recommendation committee has compiled their findings and will be published in collaboration with the KPCCI.
The Third International Workshop on Dairy Science Park has been scheduled for November 16-18, 2015 with the theme “Supporting the war-hit economy of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through self-employment and hygienic food production for local consumers and international Halal Meat Market”.

Industrial Linkages and Business Incubation

The provincial Agriculture Minister, Sardar Akramullah Khan Gandapur has inaugurated Livestock Business Facilitation Desk at KPCCI/SMEDA under DSP. The Senior Minister/Local Government Minister, Mr Inayatullah Khan has allocated Rs.200 millions for improving the slaughter houses, Meat Technology Center at the University of Agriculture Peshawar and establishment of Dairy Science Park Board and promulgation of Dairy Science Park Act were agreed upon. Special Assistant to Chief Minister (Law) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has advised legal reforms to support commercialization of the livestock and poultry sectors. Special Assistant to Chief Minister (Livestock) Mr Mohibullah Khan has endorsed the Park. An MoU is with process with the Sandia National Laboratories USA, discussed by a four-members delegation of the Park during the Third One Health Congress in the Netherlands for launching Biosecurity Management Initiative
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for the Pak-Afghan Region. Focal Points have been appointed for the Park for Australia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, the Netherlands, Canada and USA.
The United States Department of State’s Biosecurity Engagement Program, Sandia National Laboratory, has agreed on establishment of a Biorisk Management Program under the Park. DSP Display Center has been established at City Tower, University Road, Peshawar for linking the farming sector with experts, service providers, self employed graduates and marketing agents. A Meat Park has been established for demonstrating meat farming trials under field conditions.
Under the Dairy Science Park the laboratory setup at the Animal health Department of the University of Agriculture, Peshawar Pakistan is being utilized for investigating disease problems in the medium sized livestock and poultry herds through routine diagnostic tests and postgraduate research. This setup will be improved to meet the challenges of public health safety and quality/Halal certification for export purpose. More facilities will be added through establishment of an ISO Accredited University Diagnostic Laboratory. This will enable the country for developing standards for livestock and poultry farming, veterinary clinics, processing units, farm inputs and farm products. These facilities will be extended towards the remote clusters to ensure quality and market access; with special focus on export.
The Poultry Science Department at the University has introduced new concepts in postgraduate research like maggot meal, silk worm meal, meal worm, omega-3 enriched eggs, iron and zinc enriched eggs, quality control through drug-residues, aflatoxin levels, antibiotic resistance, herbal probiotics as growth promoters, improvement meat quality through dietary antioxidants supplementations, stress management through antioxidants, semen evaluation, breeding through artificial insemination, introduction and evaluation of rabbits for meat production.
The University Cattle Feed Mill has been established and is being run under a lease arrangement with a private partner. It has provided a gateway to the University System for applied research and an effective outreach setup. The Faculty members and postgraduate students have been utilizing these facilities for applied research and getting feedback from the farmers utilizing these products.
These activities are carried out at the University for demonstrating business scope of various production systems to be utilized for graduate entrepreneurship. On one side we are trying to overcome the issue of unemployment through these models and on the other family income is generated at small scale through training of women backed up by technical support and supply of essential kits and inputs for start up business. Various development organizations like Sarhad Rural Support Program, SOLIDAR Switzerland, IAO Italy, and Relief International have supported our training program on the above lines. The Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has appreciated the mission and placed the Dairy Science Park on his official profile at FATA-DA http://fatada.gov.pk/about-us/governers-profile/.
Objectives
a. To attract the stakeholders for active participation in the development process.
b. To spread awareness among the masses and sensitize them to understand the issues of food security and quality.
c. To support the utilization of livestock resources for self-employment of the youth.
d. To network the farmers, investors, experts and public sector organizations for joining hands in converting the province into an export base for Halal Meat, milk and eggs in friendly environment, cost effective way, fulfilling demands of local markets.
e. To utilize the academic, research and development resources of the provincial government and the Dairy Science Park for improvement in livestock farming.
f. To provide marketing linkage to the producers, input suppliers, and service providers in livestock and allied sectors.
g. To integrate the ethical consideration and consumers, preferences in the food production and marketing cycle.
Dairy Science Park has been accepted by the United Nations as #SDGAction9671.