POVERTY alleviation in Balochistan is linked to livestock development, as 70 per cent population of the province is directly or indirectly involved in livestock farming. The province caters to the needs of leather and carpet industries by supplying hide and wool to these sectors.

Livestock is an important sector of the rural economy that contributes about 40 per cent to the provincial GDP. Balochistan annually produces 28,000 tons of beef and 2,04,000 tons of mutton.

Being a pastoral economy, Balochistan is yet to exploit its potential in livestock sector. Ironically, the provincial government allocates a nominal amount for livestock development. The total cost of the proposed schemes for the current fiscal year is estimated at Rs280 million. This has been a normal practice over decades.

“Low budgetary allocation is the biggest constraint for development of livestock in Balochistan”, said Zafarullah Baloch, secretary livestock, Balochistan. While talking to this scribe, he also identified snags like poor infrastructure, inadequate range management and subsistence policy, lack of awareness among local farmers, inadequate technology transfer, non-availability of proper veterinary service network and feed manufacturing facility and absence of disaster warning systems.

The Directorate of Research and Supplies has recently introduced ‘Balochistan Nari Master’, which is the first beef breed of Pakistan.

Mr Baloch said: “We have developed a 2015 vision for promoting livestock to provide safe and quality products at competitive prices, covering entire value chain with focus on market and poverty reduction. The Gulf has great demand for sheep. We have 46 per cent of the country’s total herds. The province can export sheep to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait to meet their demands,” he added.

The secretary livestock said the provincial department had been organising open markets of animals to benefit local farmers. This year livestock market in Sibi Mela raised Rs270 million business for the farmers. Similarly the department organised a four-day sale market in district Kila Saifullah last Eid in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), where local farmers sold animals worth Rs40 million.

Livestock at present is recovering from the adverse effects of the crippling drought (2000-01). According to FAO report of 2001, the drought killed two million heads of livestock in the province. The direct losses during the drought were estimated at Rs476 million, while indirect losses accounted for Rs3,046 million.

Mr Baloch said the livestock department was currently working on plans to rehabilitate livestock, develop feed and fodder and to strengthen cattle breeding, animal health services and disease surveillance and diagnosis. He said, “We are introducing commercial feed lot and improving livestock marketing.”

Local livestock farmers: In Balochistan animals are traditionally kept for meeting the household milk and meat demand. The small and landless livestock farmers live under miserable socio-economic conditions. They lack land and water for fodder cultivation for animals. Livestock is dependant upon grazing in rangelands, which makes 40 per cent of the total landmass. The Environmental Profile Balochistan has defined the range as self-generating and self-maintaining vegetation used for livestock grazing. The range supplies the bulk of forage and fuel wood.

The rangelands not only serve as habitats for most of the wildlife, but small flocks are completely dependent on rangelands for their food. Rangelands depletion is attributed to burgeoning population, persistent drought in recent years, over-grazing and deforestation. The deforestation and over-grazing have destroyed the flora and fauna besides depleting the vegetation cover of the rangelands. During winter, the farmers living in central Balochistan migrate with their flocks to lower lands in Sibi and Kachhi plains for grazing their flocks.

Local farmers even have no idea or familiarity with modern animal husbandry practices. There is no organised cattle farming activity, and the province suffers low productivity. The local farmers use unhygienic and polluted water for their animals. They lack proper healthcare coverage for their animals, poor marketing system and extension services. The small-scale farmers have no linkages with processors and marketers. They are also deficient in technical know-how to increase meat production.

Suggestions: A poverty alleviation strategy through livestock development can be productive in the province. Serious efforts should be made by the government to increase productivity, improving feed and fodder availability and coverage of animal healthcare.

There is also need of improved provision of extension services and marketing systems. The government should introduce reforms in livestock sector for its improvement and enhancement of production.

The budgetary allocation for the livestock sector needs to be enhanced significantly. The future provincial government should announce a new livestock policy involving the private sector for promotion of organised cattle farming activities. It should provide the required land and funds and incentives to attract private investment in the sector.

The range development schemes also need to be launched to improve and modernise sheep breeding in the province.