About

Charles Sturt University (CSU) Australia (Current): CSU was joined as Adjunct Professor during 2010 which will continue up to 2022. I outlined some of the key factors that impact on the reproductive efficiency of the Pakistani dairy buffaloes herd. It was found that under-nutrition and nutritional imbalance through feeding high protein-low energy diets suppress ovarian cyclicity. Interestingly ovarian activity is often negatively associated with insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF1) levels since this is associated with higher milk yields. Clearly nutrient partitioning is playing a role here particularly when cows and buffalo are underfed. Interestingly, mid-chain length fatty acids (C12-C14) are more prevalent in milk from crossbred (Sahiwal-Friesian crosses) than in purebred Sahiwal milk in which shorter chain saturated fatty acids prevail. I attended joint ISNH / ISRP International Conference-2014 at Canberra and present paper on productivity and fertility of crossbred cattle in the subtropical environment of Peshawar Pakistan. Pak-Australia Dairy Project was assisted and supervised students research at Peshawar, regarding reproductive biotechnology and women in development. Australian Farming System was studied; visits were made to the farms and clinics and farmers meetings were attended at Charles Sturt University, WaggaWagga, in collaboration with Prof Peter Wynn. The main problem identified was the difficulty of farmers in getting technical and marketing services; summer stress faced by the animals; and scarcity of labors due to migration of the younger generations from rural to urban areas.

Dairy Science Park (DSP) Peshawar, (Current): DSP was established as Founder/Chief Patron during 2011 and is being supervised as President, currently. DSP was introduced as a sacred mission for welfare of people of the war-hit Region through generation of self-employment, Halal foods and biotech export surpluses. The Park has been registered as a Scientific Society with the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan; KP Chamber of Commerce and Industries; and accepted by the United Nations as #SDGAction9671 (https://dairysciencepark.org.pk/). In line with the vision of the Higher Education Commission, the business incubation concepts were integrated into postgraduate research ongoing at the Faculty, shaping up the University – Industry linkages. A biennial series of international workshops was initiated and it continued during November, 2011, 2013 and 2015, each by 450+ delegates, with 100+ technical papers and industrial exhibition. The proceedings were published online/printed and in impact factor journals. DSP I focused on post-flood revival of dairy industry, DSP II on meat potential of the region; DSP III on entrepreneurship development for the outgoing graduates and; DSP IV was held at Selcuk University Konya, Turkey during 2017, with the theme “Achieving Food Security through Entrepreneurship Development and Biorisk Management (BRM)”.

Sandia National Laboratories USA have been supporting DSP under a Biorisk Management Collaboration. Eight consultative workshops have been held in Amsterdam, Dubai, Bangkok, Phuket, Colombo, Konya, Jordan and Dubai, participated by 105 members-times of DSP for curriculum development, integration of biorisk management concept into the food value chain, training of senior faculty members and revision of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Curriculum under Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council guidelines. BRM Center was included under the FAO KP Livestock Action Plan 2019 as National Consultant.

Emerging industries in milk and meat processing and marketing have been provided technical and Quality Control certification support to relieve legal threats from the District Administration, who focus on price–capping of milk and meat rather than quality. Meat shops established on modern lines of hygiene produce quality beef; however such facilities are raided by the government agencies on the basis of higher prices. DSP facilitates inspection of such facilities provide SOPs for quality standards and issue a certificate. Similar services are being extended to private slaughter houses and meat/milk processing centers and other emerging entrepreneurs. A road map has been prepared for developing a Hygienic/Halal meat export base. The plan is aimed at introducing good practices into livestock SMEs. The plan has been supported by the provincial Agriculture Minister, Special Assistants to Chief Minister KP on Law and Livestock.

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)  of the United Nations (completed): FAO was assisted as National Consultant Livestock and Dairy Development, at Peshawar during June 20 to August 31. Of course, this was an exciting task for me, as I have interacted with various stakeholders across the livestock-based value chain during my 36-years regular career as a civil officer with the provincial government and as a professor/dean at the University of Agriculture Peshawar. I got a productive interaction with the private sector, policy makers and international players through academia-industries-government linkages. The dairy, mutton, poultry and fish farmers are usually landless people, living a life with little access to quality foods and education. Their income is usually very little in spite of having a huge resource-base and the food they are producing for the consumers in the form of milk, meat and eggs, is neither assured for quality parameters, nor monitored under some traceability system. They are subjected to penalty by the district administration when they sale meat and milk of pure quality at somewhat higher prices. Hence the livestock and poultry farmers are facing unbearable financial burden and most of these valuable assets are on way to total collapse. Ten public and private sector organizations are mandated for serving the Livestock Sector covering extension, research, fisheries, education, livestock markets, slaughter houses price regulation, food safety, trade and farmers welfare. However, lack of coordination and their apathy towards the farmers and processors, has left the burning issues unattended.

I tried my best to prepare KP Livestock Action Plan 2019 as a relief for the weaker stakeholders across the livestock value chain, in the public and private sectors, within a governance framework of Academia-Industry-Government-Society Nexus. An autonomous Livestock Technopark Peshawar (LTP) has been suggested to be established, initially as a Task Force through an executive order and later on through an Act of the Legislative Assembly/Ordinance of Governor; with full regulatory, administrative, financial and legislative powers to protect all the stakeholders of the livestock industry, and engage all relevant private and public sector organizations with shared authority and responsibility. At the end of the year 2021 LTP would be able to generate direct decent employment models to the tune of 18,000, each one earning about Rs. 50,000 per month and employing five more persons each. Hygienic, Halal and Organic food would be produced per annum valuing Rs. 5,098 billion. A fraction of 10% may be injected into Halal Meat and Biotech Export Market. Motivated young graduates in veterinary, engineering, medical, business and social sciences would be joining LTP for their career development and transformation of ideas into actions to serve the society. Quality conscious consumers would be having access to traceable food products in the towns. Public and private sector organizations would have access to sufficient operational funds for motivating their staff and serving people.  And this is the Beacon of Hope committed by the author through title of the Action Plan.

University of Agriculture Peshawar (Completed): Joined the University of Agriculture Peshawar during 2005 as full professor and served as Dean for two tenures. I have been working as HEC representative at PVMC and member of several professional bodies. Engaged in Teaching, Research and Industrial Linkage in animal health, reproduction, entrepreneurship and biorisk management; supervised PhD students 19, MPhil 84; subjects taught Reproductive Physiology; Livestock Industry; Stress Physiology; research projects completed 6; research publications in impact factor journals 53; books/chapters published 15, including a book on Reproductive Physiology published by Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

Functionalized the UAP Univ Feed Mill under a lease arrangement through as private partner. Successfully introduced the feed at private dairy farmers in Peshawar and adjacent districts, competing with other feed manufacturers, based upon the best prices and quality. Initiated research on physiological base of animals’ productivity and stress physiology/animals welfare and tailored the postgraduate studies and research and development projects into these priorities. Motivated the faculty members and students for winning research grants to respond to the local problems and explore business and industrial aspects of livestock and poultry production.

The Ex-Chief Minister KP, Mr Akram Khan Durrani approved the concept of the DSP as a development plan and recommended establishment of the University of Veterinary Innovations and Commercialization with up-gradation of the existing Faculty of AHVS, UAP establishment of additional facilities like slaughter houses, livestock markets and entrepreneurship models.  The Higher Education Commission accepted the Park as a Center of Excellence. Senior Minister KP, Mr Inayatullah Khan has agreed on establishment of DSP Board, under an Act of the Provincial Assembly, comprising Quality Control Laboratory Complex, Business Incubation Center, Halal Research Center and an Endowment Fund. His proposal for establishment of Task Force for DSP was approved by the Chief Minister. The Chief Secretary KP has declared DSP as an innovative idea. The idea of Mardan TechnoPark and Quetta TechnoPark was accepted in a meeting of relevant authorities under chairmanship of Mr Arif Yousaf, Special Assistant to Chief Minister KP and Governor Balochistan. DSP IV – 2017 Konya endorsed the concept and Konya Teknokent offered cooperation through an MoU.

Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (completed): After getting DVM degree from UVAS Lahore, joined Livestock Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan during 1983 as Veterinary Officer (Health) and continued up to 2005. I worked on semen processing, farm management, feeding and health coverage. Worked at Civil Veterinary Hospital and provided therapeutic and immunization services to the incoming animals. Worked as Senior Research Officer on Herd Health Program and registered buffalo farms for applied research and extension services; analyzed the prevailing practices of feeding, health and reproductive management, introduced good practices and organized the farmers into Sarhad Dairy Farmers Association, facilitating them for availing services of various research, development, marketing and financial institutions. Completed master and doctoral degrees and published a report on mismanaged livestock sector, loosing an export potential of US$ 20 billion at national level. The two successive Chief Ministers endorsed the Chief Minister Development Plan prepared by the author.