As part of the efforts to promote livestock in line with the Korean New Village Movement, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) has distributed ten goats among poor villagers on University research farm located in Koont (Mandra Road Chakwal) with an aim to augment its scope under a project worth 3.5 million $ dollars.

The project Pakistan-Korea Capacity Building Center for Agriculture & Livestock Technology (PKCBC), initiated with the financial support of Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), will generate competition among the villagers who will be able to get more stocks of goats, cows and buffaloes on the basis of their performance.

MNA Raja Javaid Ikhlas was chief guest of the ceremony that was also attended by PMAS-AAUR Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, Project Manager(PKCBC) Dr. Kil Ung Kim, Korean Aid agency members, faculty members and union council nazims & councilors.

Addressing the occasion, Chief guest acknowledged the availability of water is very necessary to promote agriculture and livestock due to which the Punjab government is evaluating a proposal to build 500 small dams in the Potohar region.

“The federal government has also announced a project worth Rs. 350 billion for the agricultural community that would usher in new era of development in the agriculture sector,” he said.  

Launching the project to distribute animal heads among the villagers he said the time has come to put in best efforts to ensure that the country moves in the right direction to alleviate poverty at the grassroots level.

Vice Chancellor PMAS-AAUR Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad highlighted that university has constructed Pakistan-Korea capacity building center with the help of Korean Aid Agency. He said that the veterinary gradates and Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences of the university would extend their services to the villagers in case of any disease and management problem.

“The university is also going to initiate a new project worth Rs. 2.5 billion in coordination with the Korean government that will help to improve socio-economic conditions in the area,” he said.

Project Manager (PKCBC) Dr. Kil Ung Kim informed the participants of the ceremony about Korean New Village Movement that is aimed at improving livestock and agriculture sector in coordination with the local people. Among others Dean Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Prof. Dr. Safdar Anjum also addressed on the occasion.