The scheme would cost the government 3.539 billion rupees (PKR), with PSDP contribution PKR 2.692 billion, bank loan PKR 374.4 million and community shares PKR 472.459 million, reports Daily Times of Pakistan.

The livestock sector strategy was to increase productivity of livestock, poultry and fisheries for achieving self-reliance to promote production of high value products, quality milk and dairy products. The production and export potential of livestock and livestock produce would be exploited in compliance with WTO requirements.

Officials said that more than 90 per cent of livestock is owned by small farmers and landless rural households. The smallholders, particularly, the landless livestock holders are heavily dependent on revenue from sale of milk and animals to meet their day-to-day household expenditures. In the mixed farming system, livestock was also the main source of cash income for the rural household as well as a source of productive employment for the poor and women.

The officials claimed that the project would establish scientifically designed 400 smallholders’ livestock farms. The project implementation would be steered and administered by the Planning Commission during first year of the project. Subsequently, it would be handed over to the Ministry of Livestock and Dairy Development (MLDD) and Livestock and Dairy Development Board (LDDB) for implementation in close coordination with provincial livestock department.